There are many sorts of liver diseases and conditions. Some, like liver disease, are caused by viruses. Others could also be the result of medicine or drinking an excessive amount of alcohol. long liver injury or connective tissue will cause liver disease. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, is often a signal of disease. The liver is an associate degree organ concerning the scale of soccer. It sits on the proper aspect of your abdomen just under your skeletal structure. The liver is crucial for digesting food and ridding your body of poisons. the disease is often hereditary (genetic). Liver issues may also be caused by numerous factors that injure the liver, like viruses, alcohol consumption, and blubber.
Over time, conditions that injure the liver will cause scarring (cirrhosis), which might cause liver failure, a grievous condition. Your liver will have several things that keep you healthy. It converts nutrients into chemicals your body desires. This filters out toxins. It helps convert food into energy. therefore once your liver does not work properly, it will have an effect on your entire body.
Causes of Liver Disease
A variety of things can cause serious liver conditions. You may want to know about the top reasons.
Infections
Sometimes, the problem is that you have an infection that causes your liver to become inflamed. The common cause of viral hepatitis includes:
- Hepatitis A. Most people get it from eating or drinking something that is tainted with intestinal material. You may not have any symptoms. It usually clears up on its own within 6 months without any long-term damage.
- Hepatitis B. You get it from someone else, such as through unprotected sex or sharing drugs. If it lasts longer than 6 months, it increases your risk of liver cancer or other diseases.
- Hepatitis C comes from an infected person’s blood that gets into your blood. You can get it if you share needles or take drugs related to HIV. If you’re a health care worker, you can get it from an infected needle that accidentally sticks you. Symptoms may not appear for many years. On the base of reasons that are not entirely clear, baby boomers are at risk for hepatitis C and should be tested for it.
Immune system problems
Your immune system fights invaders which include bacteria and viruses. But it can go wrong and attack one or more parts of your body, like your liver.
- Autoimmune hepatitis inflames your liver. It can cause other disorders and even liver failure. It is most common in girls and women than in boys or men.
- Primary biliary cholangitis attacks the small tubes in your liver called bile ducts. They carry bile, a chemical that helps you digest the food which you eat. When the ducts are injured, bile backs up into your liver and scars it. Women come with it more frequently than men.
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis causes scarring of your bile ducts, and it can eventually block them. Bile builds up inside your liver, and it makes it harder for your liver to work. This can lead to liver cancer, and you may need a liver transplant someday. Men have more chances to get it as compared to women.
Cancer and Tumors
If cancer appears in your liver, it is most likely because it has spread from another part of your body, such as your lungs, colon, or breast. But some cancers can start in the liver.
- Liver cancer affects women more than men, and African-Americans are affected more often than whites. Your doctor may call this hepatocellular carcinoma. This is more likely if you have hepatitis or drink a lot.
- Bile duct cancer attacks the tubes that run from your liver to your small intestine to carry bile, a fluid that helps you digest food. This type of cancer mainly affects people over the age of 50, but it is uncommon.
- Liver cell adenoma is a non-cancerous tumor. It’s uncommon, but women who take long-term birth control pills are more prone to developing it than other people. There is little chance that the tumor may eventually turn into cancer.
Conditions that you inherit.
Some hereditary liver disorders only happen if they run in your family.
- Hemochromatosis causes your body to store too much iron from the food you eat. Excess iron collects in your liver, heart, or other organs. This can lead to life-threatening conditions such as liver disease, heart disease, or diabetes.
- Hyperoxaluria occurs when your urine contains too much of a chemical called oxalate. In this condition, your liver makes too little oxalate due to a genetic mutation. It may also cause kidney stones and kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, it can give you oxalosis, where oxalate builds up in other organs and causes more problems.
- Wilson’s disease causes copper to accumulate in your liver and other organs. The first symptoms usually appear when you’re between the ages of 6 and 35, most often in your teens. Not only does it affect your liver, but it may also cause neurological and psychological problems.
- The deficiency of the chemical Alpha-1 antitrypsin helps your lungs resist infection. Your liver makes it. But when your liver’s synthesis goes wrong, unhealthy chemicals can build up and cause liver disease.
Other causes of Liver Disease
- Alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis. So can long-term cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis B and C.
- Drug overdose. Taking too much acetaminophen or other drugs can damage your liver. Make sure you follow the dosage instructions on the label and be aware that acetaminophen may be in more than one medication you take.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs when too much fat builds up in your liver. Excess fat can inflame your liver. A type of NAFLD is nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). That means in your liver
Symptoms of Liver Disease
Some common types of liver diseases including non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases rarely cause symptoms. The most common symptom is jaundice the yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes. Jaundice occurs when your liver cannot clear a substance called bilirubin.
Other symptoms of liver disease may include:
- Abdominal pain especially on the right side.
- Hurt easily.
- The change in color of urine or stool.
- Fatigue
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Swelling (edema) in your arms or legs.
Diagnosis
To accurately diagnose and determine the cause of liver disease, your provider will also recommend one or more tests. These may include:
- Blood tests: Liver enzymes measure the level of liver enzymes in your blood. Other liver function tests include a blood clotting test called the international normalized ratio (INR). Abnormal levels could indicate problems with your liver function.
- Imaging tests: Your provider may use an ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan to look for signs of damage, scarring, or tumors in your liver. Another specific type of ultrasound called a fibro scan can be used to determine the degree of scarring and fat accumulation in the liver.
- Liver biopsy: During a liver biopsy, your doctor uses a thin needle to remove a small sample of liver tissue. They analyze tissue for signs of liver disease.
Prevention of liver disease
Although not all liver disease or damage is preventable, lifestyle choices can make a big difference when it comes to keeping your liver healthy. As with the risk factors above, many prevention methods include dietary decisions and physical activity.
The American Liver Foundation says you can help prevent liver disease by:
- Eat a nutritious diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains
- Increased physical activity
- Limiting alcohol
- Avoiding smoking and drug use
- Maintain a moderate weight
- Be careful when interacting with toxic chemicals such as aerosol cleaners, bug sprays, and other cleaning products.
- Using a condom or other barrier method during intercourse
- Visit your doctor for annual physicals, including blood work
Complications of liver disease
Certain types of liver disease can increase your risk of liver cancer. Others, if left untreated, can continue to damage your liver. Cirrhosis (scarring) develops. But over time, a damaged liver will not have enough healthy tissue to function.
When should I call the doctor?
- A change in the color of your urine or your stool.
- Jaundice or yellowing of your eyes.
- Swelling in your arms or legs.
Treatment
Treatment for liver disease depends on your diagnosis. Some liver problems can be treated with lifestyle changes, such as stopping alcohol or losing weight, usually as part of a medical program that includes careful monitoring of liver function. So other liver problems can be treated with drugs or may require surgery. Treatment of liver disease that causes or leads to liver failure may eventually require a liver transplant.
Lifestyle and home remedies
Changing certain lifestyle habits can often help improve the health of your liver. If you have been diagnosed with liver disease, your doctor may recommend that you:
- Drink alcohol sparingly, if at all.
- Avoid foods high in red meat, trans fats, processed carbohydrates, and high fructose corn syrup.
- Do 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise three to four times a week.
- If you are overweight, reduce your calorie intake by 500 to 1000 calories per day.
Alternative medicine
There are no proven alternative medicine treatments for liver disease. Some studies have indicated potential benefits, but more research is needed. On the other hand, some dietary and herbal supplements can cause damage to your liver. More than a thousand drugs and herbal products have been linked to liver damage, including:
- Vitamin A
- Ma Huang
- Germander
- Valerian
- Mistletoe
- Skullcap
- Chaparral
- Comfrey
- Cava
- Pennyroyal Oil
To protect your liver, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the potential risks before taking any complementary or alternative medicine.