Sure Signs You May Have Liver Damage, Says Expert

Many people with liver disease do not look or feel sickeven though damage is happening to their liver. At a certain point in the progression of liver disease damage can become irreversible and lead to liver failure,liver cancer, or death. Cirrhosis describes liver damage and bruising a condition where scar tissue gradually replaces healthy liver cells. People with liver failure usually have jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and generally failing health. Jaundice makes the skin and whites of the eyes look yellow.

You will likely have a test for alpha-fetoprotein and a liver ultrasound or a magnetic resonance imaging test . Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram , to look inside the tubes that drain the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. ERCP may be done if your doctor thinks that a condition called primary sclerosing cholangitis might be leading to your liver problems. Looking at liver tissue also may reveal signs of inflammation. Partial thromboplastin time or prothrombin time/INR. These tests measure blood-clotting factors that are produced in the liver. Kidney failure can occur in cases of advanced liver disease.

How is cirrhosis of the liver diagnosed?

MyTuftsMed is our new online patient portal that provides you with access to your medical information in one place. MyTuftsMed can be accessed online or from your mobile device providing a convenient way to manage your health care needs from wherever you are. This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information liver damage and bruising is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms, medical history, how you were injured, and examine you. “All of these compounds, whether they’re supplements or things we prescribe, are metabolized in the liver,” says Lammert.

Milk thistle will not reverse existing liver damage, and it will not cure infection with the hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus. Milk thistle should not be used by people who have complications from cirrhosis . Talk to your doctor about whether you should try milk thistle . So it’s important to see your doctor for regular checkups and lab tests. You may also need testing to check for possible problems such as enlarged veins in your digestive tract or liver cancer. Early diagnosismay prevent damage from occurring in your liver. If you’re diagnosed when some scar tissue has already formed,your liver can repair and even regenerate itself. Because of this, damage from liver disease can often be reversed with a well-managed treatment plan. The life expectancy of a person with alcoholic liver disease reduces dramatically as the condition progresses. Doctors may also recommend weight loss and quitting smoking as excess weight and smoking have both demonstrated a role in worsening alcoholic liver disease.

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In acute liver failure, people may go from being healthy to near death within a few days. Acute liver failure is a medical emergency and if possible people should be evaluated at a liver transplant center. In chronic liver failure, the deterioration in health may be very gradual until a dramatic event, such as vomiting blood or having bloody stools, occurs. Blood in vomit Sober Home or stool is usually caused by bleeding from varicose veins in the esophagus and stomach. Inflammation hurts the liver by way of a condition known as non -alcoholic steatohepatitis , which damages and kills liver cells. Being obese increases your risk of conditions that may lead to cirrhosis, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.