Beware of 6 Symptoms of Liver Disease that are Often Ignored

InfoKekinian.com - Contemporary friends, let's find out what are the symptoms of liver disease. This is so that we are more aware of the health of our internal organs.

Moreover, the liver is a vital organ in the human body which has an important function in maintaining a healthy body.

The liver is responsible for the body's metabolic processes, including processing nutrients, eliminating toxins from the body, and producing hormones and enzymes needed by the body.

Unfortunately, liver disease is a common health problem worldwide.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 500 million people worldwide suffer from chronic liver disease, and around 2 million people die each year from liver disease.

Liver disease can occur due to various factors, such as excessive alcohol consumption, viral infections, obesity, or autoimmune disorders. When there is damage to the liver, symptoms will appear that need to be watched out for.

In this article, we will discuss the symptoms of liver disease that need to be known, the types of liver disease, their causes, how to diagnose, and the treatment options available to treat liver disease.

By knowing the symptoms and risk factors for liver disease, it is hoped that readers can gain deeper knowledge about liver health and prevent damage to this organ.

What is Liver Disease?

Disease heart is a medical condition that occurs when the liver is damaged or inflamed.

Liver disease can be caused by a variety of factors, including excessive alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, obesity, diabetes and autoimmune diseases.

Liver disease can affect the liver's function in processing nutrients, filtering toxins from the body, and producing important proteins.

In its early stages, liver disease may have no obvious symptoms, but if left untreated, liver disease can become more severe and cause serious complications, including cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, and liver failure.

Liver Disease Disorders

There are several types of liver disease that are common, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and alcohol-induced liver disease.

Here are some types of liver disease:

1. Hepatitis

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by infection with the hepatitis A, B, or C viruses. Common symptoms of hepatitis include nausea, vomiting, tiredness, yellow skin and eyes, abdominal pain, and fever.

Hepatitis B and C can cause severe liver damage and lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.

2. Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is a severe liver condition resulting from continued damage to liver tissue. Cirrhosis can be caused by excessive alcohol consumption, hepatitis B and C, or other liver diseases.

Symptoms of cirrhosis include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, swollen abdomen, yellow skin and easy bruising.

3. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

NAFLD occurs when the liver fills with fat that is not caused by alcohol consumption.

NAFLD can occur in people who are overweight or obese, people who have type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance, or people who have high cholesterol levels.

NAFLD symptoms are usually invisible, but can cause serious liver damage if left untreated.

4. Liver Disease Caused by Alcohol

Alcohol-induced liver disease occurs when excessive alcohol consumption causes damage to the liver.

Early symptoms are usually invisible, but can develop into hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer if left untreated.

Symptoms of alcohol-induced liver disease include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, swollen belly, yellow skin, and easy bruising.

An understanding of the types of liver disease is very important, because each type of liver disease has different symptoms and requires different treatment.

Symptoms of Liver Disease

Symptoms of liver disease can vary depending on the type of liver disease experienced, and can appear slowly or suddenly.

Some of the common symptoms that are often seen in people with liver disease include:

1. Excessive Fatigue

People with liver disease often feel very tired and lethargic, even if they are well rested.

This fatigue can be caused by impaired liver function which reduces the body's ability to store and use energy.

2. Yellow Skin and Eyes (jaundice)

Skin and eyes that look yellow are a sign that there is a disturbance in liver function that affects the production of bilirubin, which is a yellow pigment formed from the breakdown of red blood cells.

Excess bilirubin that cannot be processed by the liver will accumulate in the body, causing yellow skin and eyes.

3. Stomach Pain and Bloating

People with liver disease often experience pain or discomfort in the abdominal area, especially around the upper right.

The stomach can also look swollen and bloated due to the accumulation of fluids that the liver cannot process.

4. Nausea and Vomiting

Impaired liver function can cause digestive upset, including nausea and vomiting that occurs randomly or after eating.

This is caused by the accumulation of toxic substances in the body that the liver cannot process.

5. Discoloration of urine and feces

Patients with liver disease often experience a change in the color of the urine to become darker and the stool becomes lighter.

This is caused by the accumulation of bilirubin which cannot be processed by the liver and excreted through urine and feces.

6. Itching

Patients with liver disease often feel itching on the skin due to the accumulation of toxic substances in the body.

The symptoms above do not always appear in all people with liver disease, and some of these symptoms can also occur in other diseases.

Therefore, it is very important to make a diagnosis with the help of a doctor so that liver disease can be detected early and get the right treatment.

Causes of Liver Disease

Liver disease can be caused by a variety of factors, including an unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol consumption and viral infections. Here are some of the main causes of liver disease:

1. Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause liver damage, as the liver is responsible for processing and metabolizing alcohol in the body.

Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to fatty deposits in the liver, alcoholic hepatitis or even cirrhosis of the liver.

2. Virus infection

Several types of viruses, such as hepatitis A, B, and C viruses, can cause infection in the liver which can lead to liver damage.

Hepatitis viruses are one of the most common causes of liver disease, and can be spread through contact with blood or other body fluids.

3. Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and diabetes can lead to accumulation of fat in the liver, which is known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

NAFLD can cause inflammation and damage to the liver, and can lead to liver cirrhosis if left untreated.

4. Use of certain drugs

Some types of drugs, especially if used in the long term and in high doses, can cause damage to the liver.

Examples are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), certain antibiotics, and pain relievers.

5. Genetic and Autoimmune Factors

Liver disease can also be caused by genetic factors or autoimmune disorders, in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys liver cells.

Examples of autoimmune liver diseases include autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis.

Avoiding risk factors and living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent liver disease.

If you have a risk of developing liver disease, you should consult a doctor for proper examination and preventive measures.

Liver Disease Diagnosis

Diagnosing liver disease can be challenging, as symptoms are often not obvious in the early stages.

However, there are several tests and procedures that can be done to help your doctor diagnose liver disease. Here are some of them:

1. Physical Examination and Medical History

The doctor can perform a physical examination and ask the patient's medical history to look for signs of liver disease, such as changes in skin and eye color, swelling in the abdomen, and pain or discomfort in the liver area.

2. Blood Test

Blood tests can help find out if the liver has damage or infection. Blood tests include liver function tests, liver enzyme level tests, and hepatitis virus tests.

3. Imaging Examination

Imaging tests, such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI, can help your doctor see the condition of your liver in more detail.

This examination can help the doctor find out if there is damage to the liver, inflammation, or swelling.

4. Liver Biopsy

A liver biopsy is a procedure in which a doctor takes a sample of liver tissue and checks it for damage or inflammation.

This procedure can help doctors find out the type of liver disease the patient is experiencing and help plan the right treatment.

5. Endoscopy

Endoscopy is a procedure in which the doctor inserts a thin tube with a tiny camera into the patient's mouth or nose and down the digestive tract to check the condition of the liver and bile ducts.

Conclusion

That's a little information about some of the symptoms of liver disease that you can pay attention to, because liver disease is a serious disease that can threaten a person's health and life.

Therefore, it is very important to understand the symptoms of liver disease and take prevention by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, such as avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly.

If you experience suspicious symptoms, immediately consult a doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment.

Don't delay treatment, because the sooner liver disease is detected and treated, the better the chances of a full recovery.

Remember that maintaining a healthy heart is our own responsibility.

By observing a healthy lifestyle and having regular medical check-ups, we can prevent and treat liver disease more effectively.