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[L432]Liver Disease And Symptoms

by Sandra Kim Leong, San

Liver disease symptoms can be hard to detect initially. For example, you may not realize that a loss of energy is associated with liver diseases. Little energy often is the first sign of liver problems and are readily confused with a myriad of other problems, including simple factors such as a reaction to a seasonal change or a lack of sleep.

A more obvious liver disease symptom is jaundice. Jaundice can cause a yellowing of the skin tone. This is often accompanied by poor appetite and digestion. Digestive problems can also result in weight loss vitamin or mineral deficiencies. You may also find that you experience a bloating in the abdomen.

Another liver disease symptom to look out for is a change in the color of bowel movements. Change in bile levels can give stools a lighter color. You may also find that your urination and thirst increase dramatically, although these can also be symptoms of diabetes as well.

In many cases of liver disease, an overuse of alcohol is the cause. Liver disease shows a direct relationship between the amount of time and volume of alcohol consumed and the severity of damage to the liver; although overall health, nutrition, and genetic predisposition have some impact. Malnutrition increases the odds of having liver disease.

By the time you discover your symptoms, it is very likely that your liver has been under strain for a period of time. This being the case, you would need to reduce the overload on your liver. Some liver cleansing with herbs that aid in liver detoxification will help. Give your body and immune system a chance to recover. You may want to check with your health care professional how best to go about cleansing your liver and to strengthen it.

If you find yourself having liver disease symptoms, then ensure that you drink one half to one gallon of pure water per day to flush your liver. Incorporate foods rich in antioxidants in your diet to protect your tissues. Consume herbal teas to provide protective and healing ingredients while flushing your liver with fluids.

A liver disease symptom may not be easily detectable, but due attention is needed if your liver is not working properly. If you are an alcoholic, then you would need to you would need to stop your drinking habits and go on a liver cleanse. It is crucial that you provide your body with proper nutrients and sufficient hydration so that it can function well.

There are dozens of diseases that affect the liver. The two most common causes of liver diseases are viral infections and drugs. Though there are different causes of liver diseases, the clinical signs and symptoms are divided in to two categories.
Due to liver cell damage
Due to obstruction to bile flow

Signs and symptoms due to liver cell damage:

In liver cell damage there is defective synthesis of proteins and defective detoxification. The signs and symptoms include
Jaundice
Dark urine
Vague abdominal pain
Loss of appetite
Fever occasionally
Bleeding
Fluid collection - Late manifestation
Brain, lung and kidney dysfunction in the final stages

Signs and symptoms due to obstruction to bile flow:

In bile flow obstruction there is defective excretion from the liver and defective absorption of fat and fat soluble vitamins from the intestines. The signs and symptoms include
Jaundice
Itching
Bleeding
Pale stools
Dark urine
Vitamin A,D,E and K deficiency

Common Liver Diseases:

Viral hepatitis:
Among the different viruses that affect the liver, the most significant ones are the hepatitis viruses. The types of hepatitis viruses affecting the liver are Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. Of these, the Hepatitis B infection is the most dangerous. Hepatitis B virus infection is acquired by sexual contact and by blood transfusion. It damages the liver cells and causes minimal bile flow obstruction. There are a few drugs which can control the disease to a certain extent, including lamivudine and interferon. The complications of a hepatitis B infection include cirrhosis and liver cancer. There are however, vaccines available to prevent Hepatitis B and A infections.

Drug induced hepatitis:
Some drugs can cause liver damage either in the normal doses or in higher than normal doses. These drugs can cause liver cell damage or bile flow obstruction, depending on the medication. Some of the common drugs implicated in liver damage are
Anti TB drugs like INH, rifampicin and pyrizinamide
Antibiotics like erythromycin
Anesthetic drugs like halothane
Anti pyretics like paracetamol ( in high doses)

Cirrhosis:
Cirrhosis is condition characterized by irreversible damage to liver cells. The cells are destroyed and are replaced by non-functioning nodules. Some of the causes of cirrhosis are chronic alcohol intake, hepatitis B and C infection, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease and alpha 1 anti trypsin deficiency. Cirrhosis later leads to cancer liver.

Liver Cancer:
Cancer liver is fatal condition affecting the liver. There are different types of liver cancer. The most common one being the HCC or the hepatocellular carcinoma. HCC is a final complication of cirrhosis.

Some of the other diseases affecting liver are
Tuberculosis
Connective tissue disorders
Blood malignancies
Malaria

Evaluation of patients with liver disease should be directed at
(1) Establishing the etiologic diagnosis
(2) Estimating the disease severity (grading)
(3) Establishing the disease stage (staging).
Diagnosis should focus on the category of liver disease, such as hepatocellular versus bile flow obstruction injury, as well as on the specific etiologic diagnosis. Grading refers to assessing the severity or activity of disease - active or inactive, and mild, moderate, or severe. Staging refers to estimating the place in the course of the natural history of the disease, whether acute or chronic; early or late; pre-cirrhotic, cirrhotic, or end-stage.

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Both Sandra Kim Leong & George Mckenzie are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Sandra Kim Leong has sinced written about articles on various topics from Detoxification, Vitamins and Detoxification. Sandra Kim Leong recommends as well as other forms of natural body cleansing to help the body rejuvenate and heal. For free research, please sig. Sandra Kim Leong's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.

George Mckenzie has sinced written about articles on various topics from Interview Questions, Types of Cancer and Blood Pressure. For more information, click on . George McKenzie is a retired TV anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host.. George Mckenzie's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.