Do you have stomach ache, yellowing of the skin or eyes, and fatigue? These symptoms might point to a liver illness. The liver is an important and essential organ in the body that performs many vital functions in our bodies. Examples include the production of bile acids for improved digestion and detoxification of the blood by removing toxins.
The general term “liver disease” is a common description of a number of different conditions affecting either the structure or function of the liver. Liver disease runs from very mild inflammation to lethal diseases like liver cancer or cirrhosis, which can prove fatal without treatment. Liver tissue can become scarred or fibrotic in the course of progressive liver disease; this scarring or fibrosis may impair the functioning of the liver. Such situations call for consulting a Liver Doctor in Ranchi, as they help in early detection and proper treatment to stop further liver damage and improve liver condition.
Liver Diseases Types
There are numerous forms of liver diseases. Some of the common forms include:
Alcoholic Liver Disease: If there is an excessive intake of alcohol, then alcoholic liver disease takes place. It might eventually lead to cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. Patients usually show symptoms such as abdominal pain and jaundice besides fatigue.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is one of those conditions of liver disease that has nothing to do with the use of alcohol. Conditions leading to this, in addition to obesity and diabetes, include high cholesterol. Symptoms include tiredness, queasiness, and belly ache.
Autoimmune Liver Disease: The condition is characterised by the immune system of the body attacking the healthy tissue of the liver. A couple of symptoms include jaundice and exhaustion.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: This liver disease is a chronic disease which is characterised by gradual destruction of the bile ducts. Some of the symptoms presented are fatigue, weight loss, and itching.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC): The other chronic disease is Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), which is characterised by liver inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts of the liver. Some of its symptoms are abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, and itchy skin.
Hepatitis: This is one type of inflammation for the liver. Commonly it can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or even entities that might be termed as autoimmune diseases. Symptoms include abdominal pain, tiredness, fever, and jaundice among others.
Hemochromatosis: The condition referred to as hemochromatosis is an excess accumulation of iron in the body. Among its symptoms are fatigue, the pain felt in the abdomen, joint pain, and diabetes among others.
Wilson’s Disease: This is a genetic illness with symptoms mainly arising from an abnormal aggregation of copper within the body. Symptoms mainly include fatigue, yellowing of skin, and changes in personality among others.
Cirrhosis: Germ disease that causes scarring of the liver and its malfunction. Causes of this disease include diseases such as hepatitis and drunkenness, among others. Symptoms that manifested include abdominal pain, exhaustion, and jaundice, among others.
The treatment of liver disease is dependent upon the basic cause of liver disease. Sometimes, it calls for a shift in lifestyle; in other instances, it demands medicine that a patient has to take. At times, a transplant is required.
What Causes Liver Disease?
This disease is caused by a number of reasons. The two primary causes are viral hepatitis and obesity. Alcohol misuse is the second reason.
Other causes include Wilson’s disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Some medications like amiodarone (Cordarone), methotrexate (Rheumatrex) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) also damage the liver.
Such an illness as liver disease may cause the general intoxication of poisons contained in one’s body, including the brain. Due to that, some symptoms are observable. Among them are stupor, incoherence, and even coma.
Another complication of liver disease is portal hypertension or high blood pressure in the veins supplying the liver. This causes stomach or esophageal bleeding. Severe portal hypertension can even be fatal.
Liver disease is a very dangerous disease. Medical attention must be asked immediately. See your doctor as soon as you think you are suffering from liver disease.
Liver Disease Diagnose
A combination of biopsies, imaging studies, and blood tests is useful in diagnosing liver disease. The level of bilirubin or any abnormality in the level of liver enzymes can be identified with the help of a liver function test.
Tests like CT or ultrasound studies can also be used to establish the size and shape of the liver. The most reliable method of ascertaining the diagnosis for diseases afflicting the liver is the biopsy, wherein a small sample of the tissue of the liver is drawn out for examination.
What is the Treatment of Liver Disease?
Since liver diseases come in many different forms, treatments are based on the specific diagnosis. Though, in most cases, treatment includes medicines, surgery, and sometimes lifestyle changes.
Medication: Based on what has precipitated the disease in the liver, antiviral drugs might be given if there is a virus that triggers the liver disorder – for example, hepatitis C. It helps to stop the progression and spread of the disease and ward off further damage to the liver. Apart from these medications, immunosuppressants, steroids, and antibiotics are administered in many cases for liver disease.
Surgery: A liver transplant is, in some situations, necessary when there has been damage to the liver due to cirrhosis or partly removing one’s damaged liver.
Lifestyle Changes: the way to healthy living for anyone, but more so for patients suffering from liver disease. Proper diet, regular exercise, avoiding alcohol and other drugs, and taking proper care of the liver can help prevent further damage.
Summary
Our body’s well-being and health depend on the proper care of our liver, the essential organ. A couple of symptoms of mild to severe liver disorders are fatigue and skin and eye discoloration. In order to adopt preventive or therapeutic measures, one needs to know various forms of liver illnesses, their causes and remedies.
