The most powerful and largest internal organ in the human body is the liver. It not only protects the tissues from damage but also removes the harmful toxins from the bloodstream. Over the last few decades, many deaths have been occurring consistently and the top cause of death is the liver disease. More than one-third of the population in Western countries suffers from liver disease.
The metabolic rate of your body is mainly controlled by the liver and in case of liver disease, the metabolism of the body gets impaired. The condition can further lead to obesity or extreme weight loss in future stages. Some of the liver damage signs that can be experienced by an individual suffering from liver disease include damage to the liver cells. Unrepaired liver cell damage over time can further lead to cirrhosis, which causes liver cancer.
The main causes
The liver damage signs can be genetic or due to a variety of other factors like Hepatitis virus B or C, use of alcohol, exposure to toxins, fatty liver, and blockage of the bile ducts of the liver. The common signs of liver disease include general malaise, fatigue, strange colored elimination, pain in the liver area, and swelling of the abdomen. Swelling of the abdomen and fluid retention is caused because of ascites which occurs due to improper functioning of the kidneys. A weakening in the functioning of the kidney also leads to the retaining of water and sodium.
Common liver damage signs
There are some common liver damage signs that need to be taken care of at the right time. The liver tissue can regenerate the body filtration system, help in proper functioning of the liver efficiently and repair its impaired tissues.
Liver damage signs cause a lot of discomfort to the body and it has been observed that signs of liver disease cannot be found in the early stages. It is only when the functioning of the liver declines, a physical change occurs in the body. A condition called ascites occurs mainly due to a swollen abdomen. The main cause of the liver malfunction is an imbalance of compounds and proteins in the body. Bruising is one of the common liver damage signs and that results in blood clotting.
Weight loss and more
Weight loss and nausea are some of the early symptoms of liver disease. The initial stages of Hepatitis B or C can cause symptoms like digestive discomfort and flu-like symptoms. With the progression of liver disease, the liver damage signs also become more pronounced and an individual starts to feel a lot of pain. With the decline in the functioning of the liver, the toxins do not get eliminated from the body properly and a pigment called bilirubin is built into the bloodstream. The color of the urine becomes darker and the stools seem lighter. It has been even observed that liver dysfunction can cause even skin problems, and it causes itching of the skin and redness. The liver cells can be protected by antioxidants which help in detoxifying.
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain occurs due to problems in the liver and it causes a lot of pain especially in the upper right abdomen. The abdominal pain is very stabbing and at times the pain becomes very intense. In such cases of liver damage signs, it is very important that you consult the doctor immediately because if liver damage progresses, more pronounced symptoms may appear. You may start to feel pain in certain areas, and you might experience some startling changes in its appearance.
More indicators of liver damage
The most common liver damage signs do not appear till some damage is caused. The symptoms of liver trouble that appear on carrying out a physical examination of the liver tests include unusual coughing without any symptoms of flu, unusual chronic fatigue, and low energy. The other symptoms are nausea which is accompanied by fever and vomiting. Some people even experience frequent headaches, irregular bowel habits, and diarrhea. In some cases, there is an unexplained weight loss and pain in the muscles and joints.
Other issues
Another serious problem of liver damage is the hemochromatosis condition, due to which a lot of iron gets accumulated in the liver. The main conditions that occur due to hemochromatosis include a lot of fatigue, increase in blood sugar, women menstruate less often, impotency among men, and most importantly the test results for liver function are abnormal. There are chances that even arthritis pain occurs in the hands and the fingers due to improper functioning of the liver.
The liver is the main metabolic factory of our body that produces a lot of energy. Therefore, it is very important that we take care and maintain good health.
