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10 signs of liver damage

28 November, 2020 - By Sourabh

The liver is a vital organ situated on the right side of your body below the set of ribs. The liver is the most significant organ and also the largest gland in the human body. The primary function of the liver is to produce bile, an alkaline compound which helps in breaking down fat in the body. Bile aids in emulsification of lipids. The gall-bladder that sits just under the liver stores bile produced by the liver. It also helps in detoxifying the body and acts as an important digestive gland. The liver is so important that it is very difficult to replace it, though in some cases a liver dialysis can be performed. It has lower rates of success in the long-term. Liver Transplantation is the only solution when a liver fails. The liver is a vital organ. Furthermore, it supports almost every other organ in the body. Because of its strategic location and multidimensional functions, the liver is also prone to many diseases. The surface of the liver is a site that makes it possible for infections to occur.

There are various diseases associated with the liver. One of the most commonly occurring and widespread diseases is Hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E). It is a condition of the inflammation of the liver. It is usually caused by viral but also can be sexually transmitted. Chronic infection due to either Hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus is the cause of liver cancer. Hepatic Encephalopathy is caused due to the accumulation of the toxins in the bloodstream, which are normally removed by the liver. This can lead to a fatal condition of coma. Other disorders related to the liver are caused by excessive alcohol consumption and are grouped under alcoholic liver diseases; and these diseases include fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Factors are not strictly related to only the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, but also include gender, genetics, and liver insult. The Liver Damage – Symptoms usually appear before the real trouble begins.

Liver damage symptoms

To get a closer look at these diseases and the liver damage symptoms, let’s see their initial signs. Let us have a look at the major liver damage symptoms.

• Nausea is the feeling of getting vomiting. It can also come true in the form of vomiting. Fatigue and weight loss may also occur, due to a general loss of vitamins and nutrition.
• Pain in the right upper quadrant the abdominal right upper can get acute if not checked in time. It occurs because of stretching of Glisson’s capsule. Swelling of the abdomen, ankles, and feet may also occur due to the absence of albumin.
• Jaundice is a very common disease of the liver which might occur with any other liver disease. A chemical called bilirubin deposits in the skin causing itching.

The above are the common liver damage symptoms that occur in all liver diseases. Some disease-specific liver damage  symptoms are mentioned below:

• The only liver damage symptom of Gilbert’s disease is a slight increase in the bilirubin level, which shows on the blood test.

The liver damage symptoms of Liver Cirrhosis increase with time. These are:

• Bruising occurring easily due to lower production of clotting chemicals.
• Enlarged breasts in men might occur due to an imbalance in sex hormones; specifically an increase in a chemical named Estradiol.
• Impotence and poor sex drive and shrinking testicles are due to decrease in function of sex hormones.
• Confusion and lethargy may occur if there is an increase in the level of ammonia in the bloodstream.
• Muscle wasting may occur because of decreased protein production.
• Budd-Chiari Syndrome is caused due to blockage of hepatic veins. Abdominal pain, ascites, and liver enlargement are the most common symptoms.
• Primary biliary cholangitis begins with destroying intralobular ducts of the liver and moves on to destroy the bile ducts, making it very difficult for the liver to produce bile. This can also lead to cirrhosis and fibrosis (scarring in the organ).
• Hepatomegaly refers to an enlarged liver and which can have various causes. Its magnitude can be measured by the doctor in a liver span measurement.
• The polycystic liver disease is a genetic disorder and usually occurs in children or young adults. Multiple cysts are formed inside the organ, which acts as a barrier in the proper functioning of the liver.
• Gallstones are a common liver disease which has the cliché liver damage symptom of right upper abdominal pain. It might also be accompanied by vomiting after eating a greasy (fatty) meal. If the gallbladder becomes highly infected, fever may occur.

Though the onset of any liver disease is gradual and signs of liver damage appear earlier than a huge problem.  The signs of the above liver damage symptoms can be an alarm and a prevention of the occurrence of the devil. Yellow-skin (Jaundice), pale stools and also abdominal pain are some of the most common and alerting signs of a problem in the liver. Be sure to remember the 10 signs of liver damage enumerated here and watch out for them.