In the article, we will consider the main symptoms of liver disease.
The liver is one of the main unpaired vital internal organs of a person, located in the abdominal cavity and performing a huge variety of physiological functions. This organ, first of all, is a large digestive gland that produces bile, and is also a barrier to toxic substances of protein metabolism and an active participant in all types of metabolism.
Below are symptoms and signs of liver disease. Treatment is also described.
The liver is divided into left and right lobes. The left lobe is also divided into two parts: square and caudate. The parenchyma of this organ is lobulated, and the structural components of each lobe of the liver are the laminae, bile capillaries, intralobular hemocapillaries, cholangioles, the central vein, and the perisinusoidal space of Disse.
Liver Functions
As already mentioned, the liver has many functions:
- Neutralizes foreign substances by converting them into harmless orless harmful, which are easily excreted from the body.
- Detoxifies metabolic end products and removes excess vitamins, hormones, etc. from the body
- Provides the body with glucose, which occurs through the synthesis of energy sources.
- Restores the reserve and storage of some useful substances.
- Produces cholesterol and its esters.
- Synthesizes bilirubin and bile acids.
- Synthesizes hormones and enzymes involved in digestion in the small intestine.
- Serves as a storage place for blood, which, if necessary, for example, in case of blood loss, is thrown into the general vascular bed.
The most common pathologies
But various liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, hemangiomas, cancer, various cysts and infectious diseases, can interfere with the proper performance of these functions. The most common liver pathology today is cirrhosis, which is a chronic liver disease characterized by a change in the lobular structure due to an increase in the volume of connective tissue. This disease manifests itself in the form of functional insufficiency, as well as high pressure syndrome in the portal vein. The main reason for the development of cirrhosis of the liver is alcoholism, viral hepatitis, the presence of harmful organisms in the organ.
Symptoms and signs of liver disease in men and women do not differ much.
Liver cleansing is often used to treat this organ. In order for this body to cleanse itself, it is necessary to give up bad habits and reduce the load on the liver. For a complete cleaning, you can consult a doctor. If liver therapy for some chronic ailments is no longer possible, then in modern medicine there is only one option to help the patient - liver transplantation.
The liver is very patient and designed to serve throughout human life. Nevertheless, it functions in the regime of serious loads, and the wrong way of life, the use of harmful products in most cases lead to diseases of this organ.
Main symptoms of liver disease
According to statistics, most often men turn to doctors with complaints about the liver. A person can detect manifestations of diseases of an organ either on his own or by contacting a specialist.
Classic signs of liver disorders are:
- Bad taste in mouth.
- Fatigue and irritability.
- Asthenia.
- Aching pain in the right side of the abdomen.
- Yellowing of the sclera of the eyes, skin and tongue.
- The formation of star bruises on the skin.
- The occurrence of nosebleeds.
- Change in color of feces and urine.
- Dyspepsia, flatulence, bowel problems.
- Swelling of the limbs.
Symptoms of liver disease can be difficult to recognize. It is often said that this organ is sick silently, because it does not have pain receptors. However, with dysfunction and an increase in the volume of the organ, the enveloping capsule stretches and begins to put pressure on neighboring structures, which causes pulling sensations.
Yellowness of the skin is usually associated with a disorder of bile formation and an increase in the level of bilirubin in the blood. Such diseases have a bad effect on coagulation, which entails the formation of bruises, hematomas and the occurrence of various bleeding. Violations in the work of the liver are also reflected in the activity of the digestive tract.
Such a symptom of liver disease as pain syndrome does not immediately notify about the problem, because there are no pain-producing receptors in the organ. Diseases of organs that work in conjunction with the liver often become background symptoms of violations of its functions.
The diagnostic specialist must determine additional manifestations of the disease:
- Violation of the gallbladder (the so-called "symptom of Courvoisier", when the gallbladder is enlarged on palpation).
- Violation of the digestive tract.
- When pressing on the lower part of the right shoulder blade, discomfort occurs.
- Pasternatsky's syndrome, when pain occurs when tapping the lumbar region.
The liver is very patient. It does not give the various warning symptoms that are already found in advanced cases.
As mentioned, symptoms of liver disease are often found on the skin.
Causes for the development of pathologies
The structure of the liver is similar to a sponge, which allows it to filter and clean the blood from various toxic substances. The accumulation of harmful elements in it is the mainfactor for the occurrence of diseases of this organ. The main causes of liver pathologies belong to the so-called "diseases of civilization", and they include:
- Uncontrolled use of various drugs.
- Insufficient quality food and water.
- Overweight.
- Viral infections.
- Wrong lifestyle.
- Chemical or mechanical injury to the liver.
- Chronic alcoholism (approximately 30% of all cases).
The body perceives alcohol as a poison, which, getting inside, through a number of intermediate organs (stomach, intestines) with the bloodstream, undergoes detoxification and is cleared through the liver. An overdose of alcoholic beverages causes diseases of this organ. In cases of their excessive use, liver cells (hepatocytes) begin to die intensively.
A man can consume no more than 25 g of alcohol per day, which corresponds to 50 ml of vodka, 100 ml of wine, 250 ml of beer. For women, these figures are halved.
Liver Specialists
A specialist hepatologist deals with the treatment of pathologies of this organ. Methods that are used in the diagnosis of liver disease include:
- Polyhepatography, which is considered a method for detecting any violations of liver function and assessing the state of metabolism in the body. This method allows you to compare the results of some other studies.
- Ultrasound.
- Computer and magnetic resonance imaging.
- Alpha-fetoprotein blood test.
Liver specialists can also work with internists, surgeons and gastroenterologists. If we are talking about such a disease as hepatitis, then infectious disease specialists are involved in the treatment.
Symptoms of liver disease in women
In addition to the main signs of the disease, there are also typical for the fairer sex:
- increased wrinkle formation;
- dry and flaky skin;
- appearance of age spots;
- loss of elasticity;
- red dots and stars on the face;
- yellow-grey shade;
- puffiness in the morning;
- small pustules and a rash due to a drop in immunity.
Diseases in children
The most common disease in children is hepatitis A, which is transmitted between children during hygiene violations. This disease proceeds easily, accompanied by symptoms of a common catarrhal pathology. Hepatitis B in children usually causes certain complications. Experts recommend medical examinations for such children, which allows for round-the-clock monitoring of their condition.
So let's look at the signs and symptoms of liver disease.
Hepatitis
Diseases that are characterized by the multiplication of viruses in liver cells are called viral hepatitis. These pathological processes cause inflammation of this organ. The classic symptoms of hepatitis are:
- Hyperthermia.
- Blackening of feces.
- Clearing urine.
- Yellowness of the eyes and skin.
Hepatitis A or Botkin's disease belongs to the category of "dirty hands" diseases and is exclusively of a contact nature. This pathology of the liver occurs with an infectious lesion and proceeds, as a rule, in an anicteric form and negative consequences. There are no subjective symptoms, and the disease is detected only during examination. However, in adulthood, hepatitis A is much more difficult to tolerate. A person develops immunity against hepatitis A if he has had it at least once.
What are other symptoms of this type of liver disease?
Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood. The disease, as a rule, drags on for a long time, which leads to very serious consequences in the form of cirrhosis and oncological tumors of the liver. In adults, the pathology is milder than in children. The hepatitis B virus is transmitted through sexual and household contacts, and in order to become infected with it, the smallest infectious dose is sufficient, which is necessary to start the disease. A carrier of the virus of this variety during the year, as a rule, infects his entire family. A third of the world's population are carriers of the hepatitis B virus.
The most difficult symptom and manifestation of a liver disease called hepatitis C.
The virus enters the body through the bloodstream and through household and sexual contact. However, the infectious dose is higher than that of hepatitis B, which means that it is more difficult for them to get sick. The disease proceeds in a latent form,periodically manifesting itself in the form of severe complications. Hepatitis C leads to cirrhosis, fibrosis and liver cancer. The disease, as a rule, has the character of a chronic form of infection. Hepatitis C is not transmitted through kissing, hugging, shaking hands, etc.
Hepatitis E is a type of hepatitis A, but this disease is characterized by a more severe course. It develops against the background of the lack of optimal hygienic conditions, as well as in violation of sanitary standards. A very high infectious dose is required for the development of pathology. Hepatitis E is very common in Southeast Asia, and this disease develops only against the background of existing hepatitis B. Malignant forms of this pathology are highly likely to end in death. What other signs and symptoms of liver disease are there?
Cirrhosis
With this disease, hepatocytes, liver cells, die, leaving connective tissue in its place. This pathology is considered the last stage of many liver lesions. The main causes of cirrhosis are alcohol, viruses, and fatty lesions. The most common, according to statistics, the cause is alcohol abuse, which does not allow the liver to recover in a timely manner. A less common prerequisite for the development of the disease is advanced hepatitis. Against the background of traditional symptoms, cirrhosis manifests itself in the later stages, when total destruction of liver cells is noted. The body begins to decrease in size, ceasing to remove toxins from the body. Remarkably,that men have the most symptoms of liver disease.
Liver failure
A disease of this nature applies to any age. The liver at the same time loses the functional qualities of its cells, which may be accompanied by encephalopathy (changes in brain function).
Specialists classify this pathology according to the time during which it develops: hyperacute insufficiency (7 days), acute (up to 21 days) and subacute (from 21 to 26 weeks). Approximately every fifth visit to a doctor leaves questions about the pathogenesis and main causes of this disease unanswered.
A variety of mechanical injuries, the use of drugs, chemical damage, and viral hepatitis can lead to the development of liver failure. In this case, the liver is completely affected, in rare cases - in isolation. Liver failure leads to steatosis, necrosis, inflammation of this organ. Depression and mental disorders are often accompanied by illness.
The symptoms and signs of liver disease don't stop there.
Liver cancer
This disease is most often characterized by the suddenness of its onset and is asymptomatic. Pain and discomfort in the right side of the abdomen appear only when the tumor has increased significantly in size. Patients often end up in the hospital with already inoperable liver cancer. There is also a risk group, which includes people who have hepatitis B or C, as well as cirrhosis of the liver. However, if you pass the necessaryexaminations, they can prevent the onset of cancer, and if it occurs, resolve it surgically.
Liver cancer can develop both initially and be metastases from neighboring organs.
Symptoms and signs of liver disease in women may be due to cysts.
Liver cysts
This pathology is characterized by the presence of a special cavity in the liver, which is filled with fluid. Experts suspect that in such cavities there are spent, not overgrown bile ducts that grow with the body.
Most often, women over forty years of age experience this disease. This pathology does not have pronounced symptoms and can be detected on a planned ultrasound. The doctor refers the patient to a specialized clinic in order to clarify the question of the tumor nature of such a cyst, as it often signals the development of more serious diseases.
A cyst cannot be inherited, however, with the polycystic nature of the disease, when a large number of such formations are formed, a tendency to this pathology is transmitted to children from parents. The cyst does not develop into a malignant tumor. But it is still a very unpleasant liver disease. The symptoms and signs of the disease must be reported to the doctor in order to make a correct diagnosis.
Cholangitis
The liver has special passages that merge into bile ducts,flowing into the gallbladder. This fluid is excreted when you eat and is sent to the intestines to dissolve the fats you get from food. The nature of this disease is autoimmune, when the body itself attacks its ducts, deforms them, inflames and causes a violation of the flow of bile, which begins to stagnate, leading to the destruction of liver tissue.
Pain in the right hypochondrium, weakness, yellowness of the sclera of the eye and skin, discoloration of urine and feces are noted from the list of clinical symptoms. With cholangitis, the ducts begin to narrow and sclerosis, which eventually leads to cirrhosis. It is so important to recognize the symptoms and signs of the disease in a timely manner.
Treatment of liver disease should be immediate.
Fatty hepatosis
This pathology is a fatty liver cells and is most common among overweight people. Cases of alcohol intoxication exacerbate the course of the disease. In this case, the metabolic process is disrupted, and liver cells cease to perform their main function and die, leaving areas of connective tissue in their place.
Pathological disorders occur at the cellular level and lead to degradation of the liver, its enlargement and the formation of multiple cysts. Complaints of patients are associated with mild heaviness, grumbling in the intestines, flatulence and liquefaction of the stool. After conducting a biochemical analysis and ultrasound, the specialist determines the degree of fibrosis of the tissues of the organ. Fibrogastroscopy is performed to exclude varicoseexpansion of the veins in the esophagus. Omission of the disease often leads to death.
What is the treatment for symptoms of liver disease?
Treatment of pathologies
Because of the lack of symptoms, liver disorders often have to be treated at an advanced stage. Traditional in the treatment of diseases of this organ is the use of hepatoprotective drugs, which can be herbal remedies (Silymarin, Karsil), animals (Sirepar), synthetic (ursodeoxycholic acid), and also based on amino acids (Methionine)., "Ornithine"), phospholipids ("Essentiale", "Essliver") and vitamins (lipoic acid).
Treatment of pathologies
Because of the lack of symptoms, liver disorders often have to be treated at an advanced stage. Traditional in the treatment of diseases of this organ is the use of hepatoprotective drugs, which can be herbal remedies (Silymarin, Karsil), animals (Sirepar), synthetic (ursodeoxycholic acid), and also based on amino acids (Methionine)., "Ornithine"), vitamins (lipoic acid) and based on phospholipids ("Essentiale", "Essliver").
When developing these drugs, the principles of the natural base, reducing the amount of impurities, stabilizers and emulsifiers are preserved. These medications restore liver tissue, improve lipid metabolism and lower cholesterol.
We looked at the symptoms and treatment of liver disease.
