Alcohol abuse and cirrhosis of the liver
The most common explanation for this disease in North America is alcohol abuse. The ultimate stage of the disease (when the liver sustains severe scarring and cannot regenerate replacement tissue), is widely known as cirrhosis which results in around 25,000 deaths in North America per year.
The classic symptoms of liver disease
The most frequent and common symptoms of liver disease include:
- Pain – felt in the uppermost right hand quadrant of the abdomen
- Coated tongue
- Discolored stool
- Flushed facial appearance
- Brown blemishes on the skin
- Inflamed palms and soles of feet
- Black circles around the eyes
- Swollen eyeballs
- Bad breath
- Jaundice-the yellowing of the skin which can often be noticed in the whites of the eyes
- Nausea
- Bad body odor
- Increased tendency to perspire excessively
Some people also suffer from weight loss and fatigue
These symptoms are normally related to hepatic disease. However ,there are so many different diseases or illnesses that have an effect on the liver, and every one of them has its own specific symptoms
Gallstones
The symptoms of liver disease that are related to gallstones, embody pain within the higher right quadrant of the abdomen; vomiting, (having eaten up a fatty or greasy meal); and if the bladder itself becomes infected, this could additionally cause fever.
Cirrhosis of the liver
As hepatic disease progresses and reaches the stage of cirrhosis of the liver, the below mentioned symptoms of liver disease appear frequently :
• A tendency to bruise easily. This is often a result of the liver’s inability to clot the blood in an efficient manner.
• Itchiness. The results of digestive fluid salts being deposited within the skin will cause itchiness
- Enlarged male breasts. This is a state known as gynecomatia and can be brought about by ruining the balance of sex hormones
- Erectile dysfunction. The disconnecting of the balance of sex hormones can also bring reduction in sex drive and cause shrinking of the testicles.
- Feelings of confusion will arise once the degree of ammonia within the blood becomes too high
- Feelings of lethargy. this is often probably caused by the rise in blood ammonia.
- Decrease in muscle tissue. A compromised liver will reduce the protein production. This can lead to the wasting of muscle.
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