Cirrhosis of liver is slow and gradual replacement of normal healthy liver tissue with scar tissue which results in poor liver function and blockage of flow of blood through liver which comes from intestines. As more scar tissue replaces normal healthy liver, liver begins to fail.

What causes cirrhosis?

Alcohol: Amount of alcohol which can cause liver damage varies from person to person, however those who consume alcohol for long in significant amount are more prone to develop liver damage.
Hepatitis B or hepatitis C: Caused by hepatitis B and C viruses, respectively, which are acquired by contact with contaminated blood (like needlestick injury, blood transfusion, injection drug abuser), sexual contact with infected person and from mother to child during childbirth.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): Caused by presence of extra fat in liver (after excluding significant alcohol intake) which causes inflammation and scarring leading to cirrhosis. Usually seen in patients who are overweight or obese, having diabetes, high fat in blood, high blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.
Drugs causing liver injury.
Others: Autoimmune hepatitis (body`s own immunity acting against liver), Wilson disease (build up of copper in body), hemochromatosis (excess of iron in body), certain bile duct disorders, etc.
What are the symptoms of cirrhosis?

Early disease can present with nonspecific symptoms like weakness, fatigue (loss of energy), decrease wish to take food, vomiting or nausea, weight loss, etc.
Advanced disease can present with fluid accumulation in legs (edema) or abdomen (ascites), facial puffiness, yellowish discoloration of eyes or urine (jaundice), redness of palm (palmer erythema), decrease urine output, small red lesions on skin, easy bleeding following trauma, blood coming out of mouth/anus/other body site, black colored feaces, mental confusion, flapping tremors of hand, etc. In men it can cause impotence, breast enlargement and shrinking of testis.
What are the complication of cirrhosis?

Portal hypertension: It is a common complication of cirrhosis which is due to increased pressure in portal vein. Portal vein is main blood vessel which carries blood to liver from stomach, intestines, spleen, gallbladder and pancreas. Because of scar formation in liver the normal flow of blood from these organs to liver is hampered. As a result of blockage of blood flow to liver there are few complications which can arise like accumulation of fluid in abdomen (ascites) and legs (edema), formation of enlarged veins (varices) in food pipe (esophagus), stomach, etc., enlargement of spleen (splenomegaly), mental confusion/altered behavior/altered sensorium (hepatic encephalopathy), respiratory discomfort (hepatic hydrothorax or hepato-pulmonary syndrome) or decrease urine output/rise in creatinine (hepato-renal syndrome).

Increase risk of infection because of immune system dysfunction.
Development of liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma)
Easy brusibility or bleeding following light trauma.
Gall bladder stone formation
Metabolic bone disease
What are the stages of cirrhosis?

Compensated cirrhosis: Liver damage is damaged but no abdominal swelling (ascites), blood in vomiting or black/red color feaces (variceal bleed), altered behavior/sensorium (hepatic encephalopathy), respiratory discomfort (hepatic hydrothorax or hepato-pulmonary syndrome) or decrease urine output/rise in creatinine (hepato-renal syndrome).
Decompensated cirrhosis: Presence of abdominal swelling (ascites), blood in vomiting or black/red color feaces (variceal bleed), altered behavior/sensorium (hepatic encephalopathy), respiratory discomfort (hepatic hydrothorax or hepato-pulmonary syndrome) or decrease urine output/rise in creatinine (hepato-renal syndrome).
How cirrhosis is diagnosed?

Your doctor will take good history and do proper physical examination. If there is suspicion of cirrhosis then he will subject you to some blood test, ultrasound abdomen, fibroscan/elastography, upper GI endoscopy and if needed CT scan or MRI of abdomen or liver biopsy.

Ultrasound of abdomen in cirrhosis may shows coarse liver echotexture, nodular liver surface, dilated portal vein or collateral, enlarged spleen or abdominal fluid (ascites).

How to prevent cirrhosis?

Best way to avoid development of cirrhosis from predisposing stage of liver illness is to recognize and treat early. Few advices to keep liver healthy are:

Dietary modification: Eat healthy balanced diet. Avoid high calorie food or drinks, saturated fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates. Keep yourself hydrated.
Lifestyle modification: Maintain healthy body weight. Avoid being overweight or obese. Aerobic exercise (like brisk walk 30-45min/day atleast 5days/week) regularly helps to lower liver fat.
Avoid: Avoid use of contaminated needles, sharing of items of personal hygiene (like shaving razors, toothbrush, nail clippers, etc), use of illicit drugs, self medication with over the counter drugs or using drugs beyond doctor`s advice.
Practice safe protected sex
Alcohol
Motivate others: to stop drinking and follow hand hygiene and doctor`s advice.
Hand hygiene: Wash hand with soap and water regularly before eating, after going to toilet and after touching dirty objects.
Vaccination: For hepatitis A or hepatitis B, if you are not vaccinated or not already infected or unsafe antibody titre. Transmission rate of hepatitis B from mother to child at birth can be reduced with vaccination and immunization of newborn starting within 12 hours of birth as well as by using antiviral drugs (if indicated).
Prevent others from getting infected from you if you harbor virus causing liver damage.

How to treat cirrhosis?

Treatment of cirrhosis is based on cause of cirrhosis and complication of cirrhosis. Main aim of treatment in early stage of cirrhosis is to slow the progression of cirrhosis and prevent complications development

Stop alcohol, antiviral drugs for hepatitis b or hepatitis C, proper sugar level if diabetes, steroid or other medications for autoimmune hepatitis, medications to reduce copper from body in patients with Wilson`s disease, etc.
Drugs to lower portal pressure (beta-blocker or nitrates), drugs to remove fluid from body (diuretics), drugs to lower ammonia level for encephalopathy (lactulose and others), drugs to improve kidney function (albumin, terlipressin and others).
Opt for liver ransplant, If cirrhosis is life threatening or treatment of cirrhosis complication is ineffective.
Low salt high protein diet
Stop alcohol intake even if you have other cause of cirrhosis.
Stop smoking
Avoid over the counter drugs (especially pain killers)
Vaccinate if not done already or infected

Cirrhosis Of Liver - A Complete Guide!

The liver is the place where all the toxins sit. Drugs, preservatives, alcohol, body toxins, chemicals are all metabolized in the liver. The basic function of the liver is to clear all the toxins from the body. When the liver receives too many toxins and it is unable to take so much burden, then the liver will give up. Gradually, the liver cells will be replaced with scar tissue. The liver tissues die completely. This condition or this stage is called cirrhosis of the liver.

What are the major causes of cirrhosis of the liver:
There can be many different causes for cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the major causes of this liver disease include:

People who consume a lot of alcohol for more than 10 to 12 years will have to face this problem. In the initial stage, it is going to be fatty liver, but at the later stage, the liver will be filled with fat and that disrupts the functioning of the liver. In the final stage, the liver function stops.
Hepatitis is one of the major reasons for cirrhosis of the liver. It is Hepatitis A that causes this health issue, others can also cause this problem.
Too many drugs for treating other health conditions.
Diabetes, obesity or other non-alcoholic fatty liver problems.
Symptoms of Cirrhosis of the Liver:

Jaundice
Weight gain or weight loss
Redness of palms.
Enlarged spleen
Clubbing of fingers
Fatigue or weakness
Patches on the skin
Menstrual cycle problems in women
Treatment for Cirrhosis of the Liver:
If cirrhosis of the liver is diagnosed at the early stage, then doctors will be able to treat it by finding the actual cause behind it. For example, if it is due to alcohol abuse, then giving up alcohol along with prescribed medication can help. If it is due to an overdose of some drugs, then it is important to find out the drugs and find an alternative for those medicines if they are to be taken.

Most of the time, modern medicine can only help by treating patients based on the symptoms. It provides relief from those symptoms and helps to avoid complications. But Unani medicine can help you treat this problem naturally without having to face any kind of complications.

Treating Talayyuf-e- Kabid (Cirrhosis of the Liver) with Unani medicine:
Unani medicine is a medicine made of natural herbs which will strengthen the liver tissues and will also help in restoring the size of the liver. You will find a number of medicines that can protect and heal the liver and also restore it to its normal shape and size.

Treating Talayyuf-e- Kabid (Cirrhosis Of Liver) With Unani Medicine

Liver, one of the most hardworking organs in your body sits snugly in the upper right part of your abdomen, beneath the diaphragm. This organ is a multi-tasker and it works tirelessly all day. Your body needs the energy to carry out all its tasks. You may have a vague idea that the food you eat plies your body with strength. But where does this energy come from? How is it produced? Your liver has a hand in it. Have we piqued your curiosity? Do you want to know how it acts as your body s power source? Read on!

Utilization of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a macro-nutrient that are vital for energy production. They are present in foods such as wheat, rice, potatoes, apples, bananas etc. But in the form you consume them, carbohydrates will not energize you. So your body converts them into glucose and stores them in your liver as glycogen. Glucose gives you energy. When your body senses your energy levels are dropping, the liver releases some glycogen that immediately perks you up.

Breaking down proteins
Your liver also breaks down protein by deaminating them to initiate the Krebs/Citric Acid Cycle. It is your liver that starts changing the amino acids so that proteins can enter the Citric Acid Cycle in which they will be converted into the kind of energy that is usable.

Metabolism of fats
Do you know how your liver plays a part in metabolism? It does its bit in the breakdown of fats with the help of bile. And when fats are broken down, you get energy.

Greater liver efficiency with Ayurveda
The ancient Indian medicinal science Ayurveda deals extensively with the liver. Ayurveda can tell you what you can do to ensure that your liver stays healthy and strong. And if you have developed any liver-related disease, such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Liver Cirrhosis or Autoimmune Hepatitis, then Ayurveda can deal with these illnesses. So if you have been diagnosed with any liver illness please take suggestion from an Ayurvedic liver specialist who will have answers to all your liver problems.
Your liver is your source of energy. That is why you have to take excellent care of your liver so that it does not give out on you.
Though there are ways in Ayurveda to treat Liver Diseases and keep liver healthy, it is always advisable to consult an ayurvedic liver specialist before opting for any medicine or remedy.

Your Liver Is Your Power Engine - Learn More!

Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic and progressive condition in which the liver gets damaged and healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue, ultimately causing dysfunction of the liver. Liver damage obstructs the circulation to the liver and also hinders the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, toxins as well as the production of proteins and other substances made by the liver. Liver cirrhosis is caused due to hepatitis C, fatty liver, alcohol abuse, viral infections, inherited diseases, and as a toxic reaction to drugs and environmental waste products. The modern management of this condition involves diet modification, reduction in salt intake, total abstinence from alcohol, and avoiding all the causative factors of this condition.

Cirrhosis of liver causes multiple symptoms in the body including fluid collection in the abdomen, bleeding varices in the stomach, chronic heart failure, damage to the central nervous system, and various metabolic disorders in the body. Advanced cirrhosis of liver is ultimately fatal.

Ayurvedic Treatment

It is therefore of prime importance to commence treatment at the earliest possible. It is of utmost importance to treat the known cause of the condition. Ayurvedic herbal medicines have a definite action on the hepatic cells and can effectively treat inflammation within the liver. Ayurvedic medicines can also treat infection as well as metabolic dysfunction of the liver, and protect it from the toxic effects of drugs and environmental wastes. Ayurvedic medicines can therefore be effectively used to treat all the known causes of liver cirrhosis.
Liver damage causes healthy cells to be replaced with scar tissue. This is preceded by a process of inflammation, swellingand gradual death of the liver cells. Early institution of Ayurvedic treatment can help dramatically reduce inflammation and swelling and thereby preserve the liver cells and prevent unnecessary damage. Even in the early phase of scar deposition. Ayurvedic herbal medicines can help remove scar tissue, minimize permanent liver damage, and help regenerate damaged or near-dead cells Ayurvedic herbal medicines, therefore, form a comprehensive treatment therapy for liver cirrhosis.
The other symptoms resulting from liver cirrhosis such as ascites, esophageal varices, congestive cardiac failure and metabolic disorders start improving automatically when the obstruction in the liver is treated and removed. However, Ayurvedic medicines can treat these symptoms independently too, if these are observed to be severe in the affected individual and require urgent medical care. Improved functioning of the liver also helps to improve the overall metabolism and nutrition of the body and metabolize toxic substances within the body. Prompt and aggressive Ayurvedic treatment, therefore, helps comprehensively treat liver cirrhosis and significantly reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from this disease.
Cirrhosis can also adversely affect the central nervous system and cause psychotic symptoms and permanent nerve damage. Prompt treatment with Ayurvedic herbal medicines also helps to preserve the brain function and treat the associated symptoms. If required, brain damage can be treated separately with herbal medicines which strengthen the nervous system and help rejuvenate nerve cells. Medicines which act on the nervous system also help improve confidence and self-control and are therefore equally useful in helping the affected individual abstain completely from alcohol, which is a known and predominant cause of cirrhosis.
Depending upon the severity of the condition, most individuals affected with cirrhosis require regular and aggressive Ayurvedic herbal treatment for periods ranging from six to eighteen months, in order to obtain significant benefit and a possible complete cure from the condition. Ayurvedic treatment thus has a definite role to play in the management and treatment of cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis Liver - Ayurvedic Remedies That Can Help!

In modern day societies of intense stress and work pressure, the average diet mostly comprises of street foods, packaged fast foods and processed foods. Such stress and overexposure to a lot of toxins (present in the processed food, fast foods, and street foods) disable the liver from performing its primary function of cleansing the toxic materials through the skin, the respiratory and the digestive system. Besides, this overexposure to toxins also disrupts bile formation, which hinders the absorption of necessary nutrients, resulting in a severe disruption in health. Also, liver is responsible for the proper functioning of the eyes, the brain, the kidneys and the joints in the body. Thereby, it is necessary to include these 7 foods in your diet which help to detoxify your liver from the excessive toxins and allow it to function properly.

    Avocado: Avocados contain a rich amount of the antioxidant glutathione, which helps the liver to fight against the toxins.
    Garlic: Garlic contains a rich amount of selenium and allicin, which helps to cleanse the liver. A little amount of garlic helps in the activating liver enzymes which in turn helps to eliminate the toxins from the body.
    Green tea: Green tea contains a rich amount of the plant antioxidant known as Catechin, which help the liver to function properly. It also helps to protect the liver from the toxins.
    Beets and Carrots: Beets and carrots contain a rich amount of beta - carotenes and plant flavonoids which help to regulate the overall function of the liver.
    Turmeric: A little amount of turmeric in your daily meal helps in the cleansing the liver by helping the enzymes to get rid of the toxic carcinogens.
    Green Vegetables: Green Vegetables like spinach, bitter gourd and chicory contains a rich amount of detoxifying components, which helps in the neutralization of heavy metals which in turn regulates the cleansing ability of the liver. Green vegetables also help in the simulation of the flow of bile.
    Grape Fruit: Grape fruit contains a rich amount of vitamin C and antioxidants which initiates the cleansing process of the liver. Grape fruit also help in the formation of enzymes that destroys toxins like carcinogens.

Cleanse Your Liver - 7 Natural Foods that Will Help You 

Ulcerative colitis is a disorder that causes inflammations and ulcers inside your colon, affecting the entire digestive system. The disease grows over time and symptoms start to worsen over a prolonged period, rather than the problem showing up suddenly. Severe cases of ulcerative colitis may even be fatal if treatment does not resolve some of the complications arising from the condition.

Causes of Ulcerative Colitis-
The exact cause for the inflammatory bowel disease is unknown. Improper diet and lifestyle can aggravate the symptoms, but do not cause the condition. Some possible causes for the disease include-

Improper functioning of the body s immune system causes it to recognize the colon as a foreign body.
Genetic factors and hereditary may also be held accountable in some instances.
Risk factors for the condition include old age and family history of the condition.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis-
Here are some common symptoms associated with the condition-

Bloody diarrhoea
Rectal pain
Weight loss
Pain in the abdominal region along with cramping
Fever
Urgency to defecate
Inadequate bowel movement despite the feeling of urgency
How can you prevent ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis cannot be prevented as the exact cause for the condition is unknown. However, there are simple steps that will help manage the symptoms.

Diet change- You need to stop eating certain foods, such as, dairy products, beans, broccoli, cabbage and anything spicy. Instead, fibre intake must be increased drastically.
Exercise- Mild exercise or activities have a profound impact on managing the condition.
Avoiding stress
Drinking plenty of fluids
Role of Homeopathy in Managing Ulcerative Colitis-
Homeopathy follows a natural and holistic approach to deal with the condition. It does not merely treat the symptoms, but looks to cure the underlying cause for those symptoms. Homeopathic remedies will greatly bolster the overall condition of the body s immune system. Furthermore, the bloody diarrhoea accompanying the disease will also stop with proper homeopathic treatment.

Ulcerative Colitis - Does Homeopathic Treatments Work?

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