But don't worry - gallstones do not require treatment unless they cause symptoms, and in most people they don't, says University of Washington gastroenterologist Dr. Cynthia Ko. If the pain lasts more than six hours, you should see a doctor, especially if the pain is accompanied by fever, nausea or vomiting. These can be signs of more serious complications. It's a deposit, usually made of cholesterol, that becomes lodged in the neck of the gall bladder, blocking the flow of bile from the liver. Treatment for severe symptoms is usually removal of the gall bladder, now a relatively minor surgery because of new techniques that involve tiny incisions.
Some patients leave the hospital the same day.
The more overweight you are, the higher your risk of gallstones, says Ko. Women who have a hard time remembering to take a daily birth-control pill may be interested in the results of a new study on the effectiveness of a contraceptive patch that will be on the market soon. The patch is applied weekly for three weeks, followed by a patch-free week. Based on diary cards kept by the women, those in the patch group perfectly followed instructions for an average of 88 percent of the menstrual cycles compared with 78 percent of those in the pill group. Some women in the patch group experienced discomfort at the patch application site, breast discomfort and painful menstruation, as well as breakthrough bleeding or spotting in the first two cycles.