Tonsil stones
Do you still have your tonsils? Then you might at some point suffer from tonsil stones. These stones develop out of bacteria, dead cells and food scraps that can get left behind in the nooks and crannies of the tonsils. You won’t experience any intense health issues due to these stones, but you might get halitosis or a painful feeling when you’re eating or swallowing. You can relieve the symptoms by regularly brushing your teeth and/or rinsing your mouth, or gargling with salt water. Coughing might be able to dislodge the stone.
Gallstones
Gall is a liquid that helps with digesting the greases and fats in our digestive system. When this liquid starts to clump together, it might develop into gallstones. You won’t experience any symptoms until the stones start to block the openings or ducts of the gallbladder. Symptoms are often difficult to determine. You can experience a nagging, painful feeling underneath the sternum and a nauseated/bloated feeling after a meal. If you’re experiencing heavy pain, it’s wise to visit a doctor. Left untreated, gallstones could lead to jaundice or pancreatitis, among other things. For overweight people, the risk of getting gallstones is three to four times as high as for people with a healthy weight. People who’ve lost a lot of weight in a short period of time also run a higher risk of getting gallstones.
Salivary stones
Your saliva is produced by three different glands. Through small tubes, the saliva gets transported from those glands to your mouth. If these tubes get clogged, salivary stones might arise. In most cases, these salivary stones consist of calcium. Symptoms of the stones are pain and swelling in your ear and lower jaw. When you’ve just started eating a meal, the pain can appear suddenly and painfully. Do you recognise these symptoms? Make an appointment with your doctor; they will be able to remove the stones.
Bezoar stones
A bezoar is a type of stone that arises in the gastrointestinal system. It’s most often the consequence of badly digestible substances such as hairs, plant remains, powdered milk/baby food and swallowed tiny stones. A bezoar is usually pretty small, which is why you probably won’t experience any serious health issues. A big bezoar can be life-threatening, though. You can recognise a big bezoar by a burning sensation high up in your stomach, nausea, problems with swallowing and feeling full. The bezoar will have to be removed through surgery.
Read more: These are the 9 signals your body gives off when you’ve got a blood clot
Want to save this article for later? Pin it on Pinterest!
Source: Gezondr.nl, Margriet | Image: Wikimedia Commons, Jakupica
Page 2 of 2