Liver Problems

The liver is a vital organ located beneath your ribs on your right side, about the size of a grapefruit. It weighs roughly 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms). This important organ plays many roles in your body. It helps break down food, remove waste products, and produces substances called clotting factors, which are crucial for healthy blood flow.

Liver problems can sometimes run in families, meaning they can be passed down from parents to children. However, many things can harm the liver, including infections (like viruses), heavy alcohol use, and being overweight or obese. These harmful factors can cause damage over time. This damage can lead to scarring of the liver tissue, a condition known as cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis can eventually lead to liver failure, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. But if caught early, treatment can give the liver a chance to recover.

Liver problems can sometimes hide without causing any noticeable symptoms. However, if symptoms do appear, they might include:

• Jaundice: This is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of your eyes. The yellowing might be less obvious in people with darker skin tones.

• Belly pain and swelling: This can be a sign of fluid buildup in the abdomen.

• Swollen legs and ankles: Similar to belly swelling, this can indicate fluid retention.

• Itchy skin: An uncomfortable itching sensation can sometimes be a symptom.

• Dark urine: Your urine might appear darker than usual.

• Pale stool: Your bowel movements might be a lighter color than normal.

• Constant tiredness: Feeling unusually fatigued or exhausted can be a sign.

• Nausea and vomiting: These are common digestive issues that can be related to liver problems.

• Loss of appetite: A lack of interest in eating might be a symptom.

• Easy bruising: If you bruise more easily than usual, it could be a sign of a problem.

If you experience any of these symptoms that last for a while and worry you, it's important to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if you're experiencing severe belly pain that prevents you from moving comfortably.

If you're experiencing any persistent symptoms that concern you, schedule a visit with your doctor. If you have severe abdominal pain that makes it hard to sit still, get medical attention immediately.

Liver problems can have many different causes. Harmful organisms like parasites and viruses can invade the liver, leading to swelling and irritation, which is called inflammation. This inflammation stops the liver from functioning properly.

These viruses that damage the liver can spread through contact with blood, semen, contaminated food or water, or close contact with someone already infected. Some of the most common viral liver infections are caused by hepatitis viruses, including:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C

Sometimes, the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the liver, leading to autoimmune liver diseases. These include:

• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Primary biliary cholangitis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis

In some cases, a faulty gene inherited from one or both parents can cause substances to build up in the liver, causing damage. These genetic liver diseases include:

• Hemochromatosis
• Wilson's disease
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Other conditions can also affect the liver. For example, tumors of the liver, such as:

• Liver cancer
• Bile duct cancer
• Liver adenoma

Liver problems can also stem from:

• Long-term alcohol use: Drinking too much alcohol over a long period can seriously damage the liver.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD): This happens when excess fat builds up in the liver. This can be related to things like being overweight or having other metabolic issues.
• Certain medications: Some prescription drugs, as well as herbal remedies, can be harmful to the liver if taken in excess or for extended periods.
• Exposure to toxic chemicals: Regular contact with toxic substances can damage the liver.

Several things can raise your chances of getting liver disease. One major risk factor is regularly drinking a lot of alcohol. This includes both moderate and heavy drinking. Being overweight or obese is another significant concern. Having type 2 diabetes can also increase your risk.

Getting a tattoo or body piercing can potentially expose you to infections that can affect your liver, though this isn't the main concern. Sharing needles for drug use is a very serious risk. Using needles that haven't been properly sterilized greatly increases the chance of infection. Before the early 1990s, blood transfusions posed a higher risk of liver disease due to the way blood was screened.

Contact with other people's blood or bodily fluids can transmit infections. This can happen in various ways, like sharing razors or having unprotected sex. Exposure to harmful chemicals or toxins can also damage the liver over time. Finally, a family history of liver disease can make you more susceptible to developing it. If someone in your family has had liver problems, you might be at a higher risk yourself.

Problems with the liver can lead to various complications, and how serious these are depends on what caused the liver issue in the first place. If liver problems aren't treated, they can get worse and eventually lead to liver failure. Liver failure is a serious condition that can be life-threatening.