Your liver is a significant organ that is essential for digesting the foods and getting rid of the toxic products from your body. The liver is also one of the strongest organs in the human body and is not easily susceptible to damages. However, there are factors –both internal and external that can cause considerable damages to the liver.
The liver disease can be inherited by genetic nature, or they can be due to factors such as viruses, your lifestyle, drug and alcohol abuse and obesity. If these conditions are left unchecked, they result in the scarring of the liver known as cirrhosis. The symptoms can lead to liver failure on the whole and can often be life-threatening.
There are more than a hundred kinds of liver diseases. Some common liver diseases are as follows:
Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver tissue caused by various viruses , by liver toxins , autoimmunity or hereditary conditions.
Many symptoms are associated with a liver condition. The common symptoms can include:
Liver disease is a condition of malfunctioning of the liver which affects it’s main vital functions i.e bile production and blood detoxification. There are mainly four stages of progression of liver disease which includes ‘’Inflammation’’ i.e enlargement of liver , ‘’Fibrosis’’ i.e replacement of healthy tissue with scar tissue , ‘’Cirrhosis’’ i.e inability of liver to function properly and ‘’End-stage liver disease’’ i.e irreversible damage to liver followed by liver transplant.
Changes in the colour and consistency of the stool is one of the factors that is an indicator of liver diseases. Presence of pale coloured or black and tarry stool is most commonly associated, the causes of which are malfunctioning of biliary drainage system and the blood passing through the gastrointestinal tract respectively.
Common causes of liver diseases are:
As the symptoms are pretty rare in the early condition, liver diseases are often diagnosed when the person is being tested for some other disease. And If any of the mentioned symptoms seem to appear then that person should consult the doctor immediately. If doctors find any relevance to the diseases with your symptoms the following tests may also be ordered:
For the treatment of various liver diseases, a number of different medicines, treatments, therapies are available:
Any individual who is affected by liver infections or who has the symptoms of liver disease can undergo the procedures. It will be advisable if you can consult with your doctor immediately once you know the symptoms. The actual treatment may depend on the type of infection your liver has and the sooner you take action, the better.
Anyone can qualify for the treatment and irrespective of the medical condition you have, you must have the treatment for the liver problems. There can be some medications that may not work with you and your body type. Hence get a detailed consultation with your physician about your medical history and your allergic symptoms.
There is no cure for a liver disease as such but any treatment can slow down the progression and prevent the condition from getting worse. A person’s will plays an important role as quitting the alcohol i.e abstinence and the lifestyle modifications are the key factors for the treatment.
Abstinence may be of short period as in case of reversible damage like fatty liver or it may be lifelong as in case of irreversible damage like Cirrhosis.
It depends on the type of treatment you are undergoing. Some of the treatments can include just changes to your lifestyle and your dietary patterns, whereas others can include drugs and medications and surgeries. In the case of hepatitis condition, the drugs used are very strong in nature and can cause serious side effects. Discuss these symptoms with your doctor in detail, and they can guide you accordingly.
Liver plays an important role in our body metabolism while performing vital functions such as production(e.g bile, cholesterol, protein), storage(e.g carbohydrates) and detoxification of the blood. Hence, any illness to this organ is a serious illness.
Various signs and symptoms due to liver diseases include jaundice,pale-coloured stool,dark-coloured urine,chronic fatigue,loss of appetite,nausea and vomiting etc. Any ignorance of these, may lead to the condition of liver damage which in turn leads to cirrhosis i.e a life threatening condition.
Liver disorders are a serious condition, and after the successful treatment, you have to ensure that the liver does not get affected in any way. Your doctor will lay out a detailed chart about your lifestyle and the dietary pattern that you should follow. You must avoid drinking, smoking and drug abuse. Obesity can also affect the liver. Hence you may be needed to undergo a strict weight loss regime.
Liver does vital functions such as bile production and blood intoxication in our body. Any malfunctioning leads to an impairment in the body metabolism, hence it needs to be cared for most. Diet is the main factor that affects the liver and one should know what to avoid for it’s healthy well-being.
Alcohol, added sugar, fried foods, salt, white bread, rice, paasta, red meat etc. are some of the foods that contribute to an abnormal fat build up in the liver and hence should not be consumed.
Liver is the vital organ of our body that performs important metabolic functions. Hence it is important to consume foods that protect the liver from damage and maintain a healthy state. Some of the recommended fruits are grapefruit, blueberries and cranberries, grapes and prickly pear.
Due to the presence of Antioxidants and the compound increasing antioxidant activity, these fruits help in protecting the liver from damage and inflammation.
The recovery period depends on the type of ailment you have and the treatment given to you. If your condition is minor, some lifestyle changes are needed. However, in cases of serious complications, you might have to take a complete course for the recovery to happen.
For example, if you are diagnosed with Hepatitis condition you might have to take the drugs and medications for a longer period. Also, the drugs work differently for every person. Hence it depends on how robust your liver gets, after the treatment.
In case of transplantation there are some criterias which are considered for the safety of the patients. Physical criterias and a solid support system before the surgery are very important factors. If any one is undergoing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, jaundice, fatigue, weakness and weight loss then it is better to check whether these are indicating towards liver diseases.
Permanency of results depends on the disease. There remains a risk of rejection of the new organ in case of transplantations and patients may need to take immunosuppressive medications for the rest of their lives. Treatment of Hepatitis A in most cases are permanent. So is Hepatitis E treatment. In case of a severe ailment, hospitalization may be required and the duration of treatment may get stretched.
Alternative treatments include a variety of treatments. One of them is the ayurvedic treatment.