Toxic damage to the liver means a pathological condition in which the tissues of the named organ suffer as a result of exposure to toxins, poisons, alcohol, chemicals and drugs, as well as radio radiation.
We will talk about what the symptoms of toxic liver damage look like and how to treat this disease later in the article.
Degrees of liver toxicity
Before we know what the symptoms of toxic liver damage are, let's look at the severity of intoxication. It is determined by the following indicators:
- Increase in the blood of enzymes that promote detoxification, 2-4 times.
- Increase of enzymes by 5-10 times.
- Increased enzymes more than 10 times.
The disease itself can be both acute and chronic.
In the first case, liver poisoning occurs as a result of too much load on the organ with harmful substances. Symptoms may appear as early asthird day. This form of the disease can last for about six months;
Chronic form of intoxication lasts more than six months. It develops as a result of harm caused by hazardous substances in smaller progressive doses. Symptoms of pathology may not appear at all. This form of the disease can lead to serious complications in the form of cirrhosis or liver failure.
Toxic Liver Damage: Symptoms
Signs of liver toxicity are most often masked behind any stomach problems. A specialist shares the main manifestations of intoxication as follows:
- Cytolysis. It is characterized by the fact that hepatocyte cells become less permeable. The level of vitamin B and iron in the blood changes dramatically.
- Cholestatic syndrome - characterized by a decrease in the flow of bile into the body. The following symptoms can be identified here:
- visibly changes the color of the skin and the whites of the eyes;
- itchy skin appears;
- liver enlarges;
- piss darkens.
3. Dyspeptic symptoms of toxic liver damage are characterized by a violation in digestion. In this case, the following manifestations can be traced:
- appetite sharply worsens:
- swollen belly;
- common vomiting and nausea;
- liver enlarges.
4. Hepatocellular insufficiency is represented by certain manifestations of the body, which can be expressed:
- appearance of spider veins on the skin;
- reddening of the skin of the palms or feet;
- testicular atrophy in men, hair loss and erectile dysfunction;
- reddening of the skin of the face;
- the presence of bruises on the body, which were not preceded by any injuries;
- the presence of white spots on the nails;
- deformity of the tendons in the arms;
- jaundiced skin color.
5. hepatargic syndrome. It is a particularly dangerous symptom, because it is an acute form of the disease. Its manifestations affect, first of all, the central nervous system and the brain. They are hard to miss:
- the patient has mental disorders;
- a special liver smell comes from the mouth.
- coma develops in severe cases.
Alcohol liver damage
Toxic liver damage from alcohol is a consequence of long-term use of alcoholic beverages. The degree of manifestation of this disease depends on the duration and volume of alcohol consumed. Usually the first signs of this problem appear after the age of thirty.
What are the symptoms of toxic liver damage from alcohol? The first signs of intoxication will be:
- excessive dry mouth;
- constant thirst;
- fatigue;
- appearance of icteric spots on the skin;
- periodic tingling in the right side where the organ is located.
If any of thesemanifestations made themselves felt, you should immediately be examined for the presence of this disease.
Often the patient is faced with loss of appetite, he may be tormented by nausea or vomiting. In the presence of this disease, changes in the color of urine occur - it becomes dark or bloody in color. So-called spider veins can appear on the skin. However, their location is not specified.
Toxic liver damage from alcohol can also manifest itself in a change in the mental state of a person, expressed by frequent irritability, and in some cases even hallucinations.
Help in the early stages of alcohol intoxication
If we are not talking about any complex forms of the course of this disease, then something can still be corrected here. First of all, it is worth completely eliminating the consumption of alcohol.
The patient should enrich his diet with enough minerals and vitamins, be sure to follow a special diet and consume food rich in proteins.
Also corrected with medications. Here you can try glucose solution therapy or the use of phospholipids, which help restore cell membranes.
Toxic liver damage: treatment with folk remedies
To alleviate or cure the course of the described disease, there are several folk recipes.
- Among the main folk remedies, sauerkraut juice is distinguished, whichhas healing substances for liver cells. If we are talking about the chronic course of this disease, then the treatment time should be brought up to a month, taking half a glass of juice a day.
- The horseradish is no less useful. To make a tincture from it, you need to grate the root to get a total of 2 tablespoons of this potion. Then pour the resulting mass of milk and boil. The cooled decoction should be used throughout the day in small sips.
- Mint also helps. From its leaves you need to prepare a decoction. To do this, just pour mint with water and boil. Let it brew for exactly a day, then use the resulting solution about three times a day.
Toxic liver injury with fibrosis and cirrhosis
Launched intoxication can cause cirrhosis - serious processes in the body that lead to the transformation and fibrosis of liver cells, in which a kind of nodes are formed on the organ. This disease involves end-stage liver disease.
With cirrhosis, the patient develops fibrosis - an increase in the number of connective tissues on the organ. The following factors may contribute to its occurrence:
- hepatitis B, C, D;
- congenital fibrosis;
- metabolic disorder;
- parasites;
- bacteria;
- impaired blood flow in the liver;
- toxic and medicinal substances;
- drinking alcohol.
Symptoms of liver fibrosis appear only with complications. At the time of the process itself,no significant changes are observed. The patient may experience increased bleeding, gastric varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and in severe cases, internal bleeding.
Liver damage in children
Toxic liver damage in children is quite rare in practice. This is where drug abuse comes into play most of the time. The development of this type of disease can be influenced by factors both internal (for example, congenital predisposition) and caused by the influence of the external environment:
- First of all, the risk of age. Children younger than 3 years of age are susceptible to similar diseases;
- using multiple medications at the same time;
- obesity or, conversely, a sharp weight loss;
- chronic liver disease.
Experts identify 2 types of drug-induced liver injury in children:
- Toxic - they are characterized by a direct effect on the body of drugs.
- Idiosyncratic - more unpredictable - can develop over a period of one week to a year.
Liver and kidney damage
Toxic damage to the liver and kidneys can be the result of poisoning or improper use of antibiotics. Such cases often occur in the treatment of infections or any inflammatory processes in the body. With improper distribution of medicines or their overdose, too many toxins enter the bloodstream, which adversely affect all organshuman body.
The following symptoms can be distinguished with this lesion:
- increase in body temperature to 39-40 degrees;
- severe headaches;
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- increased heart rate;
- excessive sweating;
- joint pain.
When poisoning the kidneys, there may be a decrease in the amount of urine or its complete absence. Kidney failure is sometimes the result of excessive use of sulfonamides and aminoglycosides.
Drugs for liver damage
If an organ has suffered from the active effects of poisons or toxins, a medical course should be taken to detoxify the diseased organ. What drugs are prescribed for toxic liver damage?
A good helper in case of poisoning of any organ with toxins can be drugs of the hepatoprotector class. But remember, in no case should you self-medicate! It is necessary to start taking any drug after consulting a doctor.
Hepatoprotectors
This group of drugs has a restorative effect on liver cells, normalizing its work, and improves the condition of tissues. These drugs are recommended for use not only in liver diseases - they are actively used by athletes who need to protect the mentioned organ during colossal physical exertion. After all, the liver cannot sustain such an active lifestyle on its own, so it needs help.
Use suchdrugs can also be used by older people who want to improve the functioning of the liver. In addition, these may be groups of people who work in hazardous industries.
When liver cells are intoxicated, "Sibektan" and "Silimar" are often used, which effectively help the detoxification process.
Treatment methods
Treatment of toxic liver damage is carried out in the following ways:
- Diet. Patients should normalize their diet, which is important for the normal functioning of the body. The diet involves the rejection of fatty and spicy foods, be sure to quit smoking and alcohol. You should consume more vegetables and fruits, less s alt in food. If a person works in a hazardous industry, it is necessary to consume at least a glass of milk every day.
- Conservative treatment. It involves a non-surgical detox, which can last from several weeks to several months. This type of treatment implies the rejection of the use of drugs, the use of antidotes that help to remove all kinds of toxic substances from the body, and the use of the above-mentioned hepatoprotectors.
- Surgical treatment. Includes liver transplant. Most often, the material of a close relative is taken. This is done in extreme advanced cases of acute course of the disease.
Drug damage to the liver
If a person has toxic liver damage with drugs, then he should immediatelyprescribed bed rest or hospitalization. In a hospital setting, a number of procedures are carried out to detoxify and remove poisonous and toxic substances from the body.
The patient must adhere to bed rest and a sparing diet. Patients are often given intravenous glucose solution.
In addition to hepatoprotectors, attention should be paid to the consumption of substances such as:
- glucose and vitamin B, C intravenously;
- lipotropic drugs that reduce liver fat;
- inhibitors that prevent protein breakdown;
- amino acids;
- antimicrobial antibiotics;
- antihistamines.
- tranquilizers.
Diet
A necessary component in the treatment and restoration of the functioning of the described organ is a special diet that can weaken the negative effects on the body and slightly unload the work of the organ.
What should be the diet for toxic liver damage? Doctors advise to consume food in small doses several times a day - the entire diet should be divided into 5-7 times. We offer a list of products that you should pay attention to first of all:
- We need to eat more soups: both vegetable and dairy. If we are talking about meat products, then they should be steamed. Experts also advise eating black caviar. As for dairy products, they should be consumed no more than 200 g per day.
- So-called complex carbohydrates are useful. They suggest more stale bread, crackers, cereals onwater or pasta.
- Protein. You can eat one boiled egg every day or an omelet.
- It is worth drinking various decoctions, weak tea, natural juices, coffee with milk.
- Dill, parsley, cloves, cinnamon can be used as seasoning.
- Marmalade, marshmallows and jam are suitable as a dessert.
Not recommended to eat: soda, fatty foods, legumes, muffins, ice cream, chocolate, garlic, sorrel, canned food. And be sure to limit the dose of s alt.
Be he althy!
