More than one million Americans are diagnosed with gallstones every year, and women of all ages are more likely to develop them. How are gallstones formed? What do they mean for our health? While gallbladder problems can be uncomfortable and potentially risky, understanding the treatment options available is the first step toward relief. We spoke to Benjamin Schmidt, MD, board-certified gastroenterologist and creator of the healthcare platform Doc Schmidt, about the function the gallbladder serves, signs and symptoms of gallstones, treatments available once diagnosed, and what care looks like post-gallbladder removal.

<p>More than one million Americans are diagnosed with <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/gallstones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gallstones</a> every year, and women of all ages are more likely to develop them. How are gallstones formed? What do they mean for our health? While <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-gallbladder-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gallbladder</a> problems can be uncomfortable and potentially risky, understanding the treatment options available is the first step toward relief. We spoke to <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.docschmidt.org/about.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benjamin Schmidt, MD</a>, board-certified gastroenterologist and creator of the healthcare platform <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.docschmidt.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doc Schmidt</a>, about the function the gallbladder serves, signs and symptoms of gallstones, <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/understanding-gallstones-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">treatments available once diagnosed</a>, and what care looks like <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-diet-after-gallbladder-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post-gallbladder removal</a>.</p>

WebMD Chief Physician Editor Neha Pathak, MD, and Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, MPH, explore fascinating stories to find the unexpected things that help us understand our health.

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More than one million Americans are diagnosed with  every year, and women of all ages are more likely to develop them. How are gallstones formed? What do they mean for our health? While  problems can be uncomfortable and potentially...