Find out external signs of liver problems
Liver damage can consist of anything from genetics (i.e., inherited from a family member), toxicity (i.e., due to chemicals or infections) to a long-lasting disease (i.e., Cirrhosis) that can impact your liver for the rest of your life.
The liver assists the body absorb food, soak up nutrients, and remove hazardous substances. Without this abdominal organ you wouldn’t able to live.
Symptoms and Signs Related Damaged Liver You Should Know
Here are the ten informing signs of a bad liver …
1. Swollen Abdomen
Cirrhosis, the major progression of liver disease, causes fluid build-up in the abdominal area (a condition described as ascites), as levels of albumin and proteins in the blood and fluid are maintained. This might really make the patient appear pregnant. While ascites can be triggered by numerous medical conditions, cirrhosis of the liver is the single most typical. In some cases, swelling can also occur in the ankles, as accumulated fluid is drawn down into the body by the forces of gravity.
While ascites can occur in sudden-onset or acute liver disease, it occurs far more frequently in chronic cases. It can be treated with diuretics and a reduced-sodium diet, and in severe cases, the fluid can be drained pipes through a needle placed into the stomach. Nevertheless, ascites might not respond to frontline treatments, and if not, more extreme measures, such the insertion of a shunt or a liver transplant, might be essential.
2. Jaundice
Blemished skin and eyes that handle a yellow-colored hue is symptomatic of liver damage. This yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes results as bilirubin (a bile pigment) builds-up in the blood and is not able to be eliminated as waste from the body. Jaundice likewise causes dark-colored urine and light-colored stools, and the high bilirubin levels it causes can also activate difficult-to-relieve full-body itching. In very severe cases, jaundice can likewise cause a loss of brain function. In older patients, this is frequently misdiagnosed as a dementia-related disorder.
Dealing with liver disease-related jaundice depends upon successfully resolving the underlying medical condition. While severely damaged livers will never ever completely regrow, jaundice and its associated symptoms will decrease in intensity as liver function enhances. However, it’s important to bear in mind that liver disease isn’t really treated when jaundice vanishes; patients who recuperate from severe liver damage should still be extremely mindful to maintain better health.
3. Abdominal Tenderness
Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right corner of the abdominal area, or to the lower right portion of the rib cage, is an informing sign of liver damage. This pain may or may not be accompanied by swelling in the abdomen, or ascites. Patients generally characterize it as a persistent throbbing or stabbing pain which can only be briefly relieved by medications. In truth, improper use of medications can be part of the reason you’re experiencing abdominal pain symptoms.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that liver disease can be brought on by long-term overuse of specific non-prescription and prescription medications, including acetaminophen and narcotic-acetaminophen combinations. These medications might cause indigestion as a basic side effect, and their damaging qualities can be amplified if you drink alcohol while utilizing them. The indigestion side effects can grow out of control over the long term as liver damage appears. Eventually, this pain will become severe enough for patients to seek medical attention.
4. Urine Changes
Urine might end up being dark yellow in color due to increased levels of bilirubin in the body’s bloodstream, which the harmed liver is unable to remove by means of excretion through the kidneys. Bilirubin is a bodily fluid which is produced through the natural breakdown of bile, and is normally eliminated through bile and urine. It is believed to operate as a cellular-level anti-oxidant, however excessive amounts can lead to toxicity. Unchecked reflexes and eye movements, seizures, and neurological problems can all arise from chronically high bilirubin levels.
Dark urine can be caused by several aspects, and it isn’t really something to be alarmed about if it does not happen on a constant basis. Dehydration, gallstones, infections of the bile duct, and enzyme shortages can all cause modifications in the color and structure of urine. If your urine is constantly dark yellow or brown in color, or if it is unusually malodorous and pungent, you must visit your doctor for a diagnosis.
5. Inflamed Skin
Itchy skin that does not appear to disappear and develops into a flaky rash is another dead giveaway of severe liver damage. Skin inflammations arise from the body’s absence of fluid flow, which most frequently manifests on the surface of the skin in thick, flaky, itchy patches. Liver disease can likewise cause other skin problems, including a generalized yellowing of the skin and mucus membranes (jaundice), reddened of the feet or hands, and changes in skin tone and color. These changes can result in abnormally dark or uncommonly light patches of skin in localized areas.
Sometimes, patients experience the appearance of veins through the skin. If any of these symptoms appear, and especially if they are accompanied by itching, you ought to talk to your doctor. He or she can check for signs of liver problems by carrying out a few simple, pain-free tests.
