Your liver is a vital organ that performs hundreds of tasks related to metabolism, energy storage, and waste filtering. It helps you digest food, convert it to energy, and store the energy until you need it. It also helps filter toxic substances out of your bloodstream. Show Liver disease is a general term that refers to any condition affecting your liver. These conditions may develop for different reasons, but they can all damage your liver and affect its function. Liver disease symptoms vary, depending on the underlying cause. It’s also possible for someone to have liver disease and not have any symptoms at all. However, Hepatitis NSW says that a few general symptoms can indicate some kind of severe liver damage. These include:
Many conditions can affect your liver. Here’s a look at some of the main ones. HepatitisHepatitis is defined as an inflammation of the liver. When that inflammation is caused by a virus, it’s referred to as viral hepatitis. Hepatitis can cause liver damage, making it difficult for your liver to function as it should. Most types of viral hepatitis are contagious, but you can reduce your risk by getting vaccinated for types A and B and by taking other preventive steps, including using a condom during sex and not sharing needles. Five types of hepatitis include:
Fatty liver diseaseFat buildup in the liver can lead to fatty liver disease. There are two types of fatty liver disease. These two types can manifest alone, or they can overlap:
Without management, both types of fatty liver disease can cause liver damage, leading to cirrhosis and liver failure. Diet and other lifestyle changes can often improve symptoms and lower your risk of complications. Autoimmune conditionsAutoimmune conditions involve your immune system mistakenly attacking healthy cells in your body. Several autoimmune conditions involve your immune system attacking cells in your liver, including:
Genetic conditionsSeveral genetic conditions, which you inherit from one of your parents, can also affect your liver:
Drug-induced liver diseaseIt’s possible to damage your liver by overexposing it to certain drugs and supplements, as seen in a 2019 study. Many times, this damage can be reversed once you stop taking the drug. But if it continues, the damage can become chronic. CancerLiver cancer first develops in your liver. If cancer starts elsewhere in the body but spreads to the liver, it’s called secondary liver cancer. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma. It tends to develop as several small spots of cancer in your liver, though it can also start as a single tumor. Complications of other liver diseases, especially those that aren’t treated, may contribute to the development of liver cancer. CirrhosisCirrhosis refers to scarring that results from liver diseases and other causes of liver damage, such as alcohol use disorder. Cystic fibrosis and syphilis may also lead to liver damage and, eventually, cirrhosis — although these two causes are much less common. Your liver can regenerate in response to damage, but this process usually results in the development of scar tissue. The more scar tissue that develops, the harder it is for your liver to function properly. In its early stages, cirrhosis is often treatable by addressing the underlying cause. But without management, it can lead to other complications and become life threatening. Liver failureChronic liver failure typically happens when a significant part of your liver is damaged and can’t function properly. Generally, liver failure related to liver disease and cirrhosis happens slowly. You may not have any symptoms at first. But over time, you might start to notice:
It’s a serious condition that requires ongoing management. Acute liver failure, on the other hand, happens suddenly, often in response to an overdose or poisoning. Certain things can make you more likely to develop certain liver diseases. One of the most well-known risk factors is heavy drinking, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines as more than 8 alcoholic drinks per week for women and more than 15 drinks per week for men. Other risk factors include:
While not all liver disease or damage can be prevented, lifestyle choices can make a big difference when it comes to keeping your liver healthy. Like the risk factors above, many of the methods around prevention involve dietary decisions and physical activity. The American Liver Foundation says that you can help prevent liver disease by:
If you’re concerned about liver disease, it’s best to make an appointment with a healthcare professional. They’ll start by looking over your medical history and asking about any family history of liver problems. Next, they’ll likely ask you some questions about symptoms you may be experiencing, including when they started and whether certain things make them better or worse. Depending on your symptoms, they’ll likely ask you about your drinking and eating habits. Make sure to also tell them about any prescription or over-the-counter medications you take, including vitamins and supplements. Once they’ve collected all this information, they may recommend:
Many liver diseases are chronic, meaning they last for years and may never go away. But even chronic liver diseases can usually be managed. For some people, lifestyle changes are enough to control symptoms. These might include:
Depending on the specific liver condition you have, your doctor may recommend other dietary changes. For example, people living with Wilson’s disease should limit foods containing copper, including shellfish, mushrooms, and nuts. Depending on the condition affecting your liver, you may also need medical treatment, such as:
In some cases, you may need surgery to remove all or part of your liver. Generally, a liver transplant is only done when other options have failed. Many liver diseases are manageable if you catch them early. Without treatment, however, they can cause permanent damage. The complications of untreated or unmanaged liver disease can lead to cirrhosis, severe scarring that cannot be reversed. If cirrhosis has gone too far, a liver transplant may be your only option. Because some liver diseases can develop without symptoms, making it a point to schedule annual physicals, along with the typical physical blood work, can help you and your doctor stay one step ahead. Focusing on a nutritious diet, physical exercise, and other healthy lifestyle choices such as limiting alcohol can also help with prevention or management. Which is associated with cirrhosis?The most common causes of cirrhosis are: Hepatitis and other viruses. Alcohol abuse. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (this happens from metabolic syndrome and is caused by conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and high blood pressure)
Which disease or disorder is associated with complications of cirrhosis?Cirrhosis can result in portal hypertension and/or hepatic dysfunction. Both of these either alone or in combination can lead to many complications, including ascites, varices, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatopulmonary syndrome, and coagulation disorders.
What is the most common complication of cirrhosis?These complications include: Ascites: swelling and fluid in the abdomen and lower body caused by increased pressure in the blood flow to the liver (called portal hypertension) Hepatic encephalopathy: loss of brain function that happens when the liver doesn't remove toxins in the blood.
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