Liver disease is a common term for different liver conditions that affect its function and structure. Liver disease can be apparent in various forms, from inflammation to critical situations, including liver cancer, cirrhosis, etc., which can be dangerous if not treated on time. The escalation of liver issues can be the cause of fibrosis of the tissue, affecting its functioning ability. Early treatment and suitable management are necessary to prevent liver disease and further complications.
Different Types of Liver Diseases
Various kinds of liver disease can be identified from their symptoms. The common diseases of the liver are viral hepatitis caused by jaundice. The other kinds of infections are Hepatitis C, A, B, and E. Additionally, the different kinds of liver disease are:
- Alcoholic Hepatitis—Intense inflammation in the liver due to overconsumption of alcohol resulting in intense liver damage.
- Cirrhosis of liver—Overconsumption of alcohol and hepatitis C and hepatitis B can be the reasons for liver cirrhosis condition.
- Non-alcoholic but fatty liver damage—An unhealthy diet can be the reason for fatty liver problems. If overlooked, this illness can cause heart attack and liver cirrhosis.
- Liver cancer—Liver cancer symptoms manifest with jaundice, weight loss, and abdominal pain.
- Liver cysts—The problem occurs when the damaged liver develops fluid-filled lumps called cysts. In this situation, there are no visible symptoms until the cysts become bulky and can cause itchiness and pain.
- Jaundice—Jaundice is caused by gallstones, pancreatic cancer, and so on. However, the disease is treatable if identified at the initial stage.
- Autoimmune liver disease—In some cases, the immune system attacks different body parts, which ultimately affects the liver with autoimmune hepatitis.
Stages Of Liver Disease
Liver disease worsening of symptoms is divided into different stages, every stage reflecting the level of damage to the liver. The stages are usually divided into various phases, listed below:
Initial stage: The initial stage shows that the liver has no scarring or fibrosis symptoms and is healthy.
Stage 2 – This stage shows the symptoms of minimal fibrosis, indicating the start of liver damage. In this stage, the liver is functioning normally, but little inflammation might be present.
Stage 3 – Stage three, indicating a high level of fibrosis, can damage the liver. This is the stage called bridging fibrosis, as it expands and combines with different parts of the body.
Stage 4 – Stage four is the cirrhosis stage, and it is considered the final or worst stage of liver damage. Its impact on liver functioning by increasing nodules. Cirrhosis can cause liver cancer, liver damage, and hypertension.
Meanwhile, it’s crucial to know that liver damage stages are not the same for everyone and can vary from person to person.
Early Signs and Symptoms of Liver Disease
Some various signs and symptoms can be experienced by individuals; a few common signs and symptoms are mentioned below:
- Abdominal swelling and pain
- Itching skin
- Bloody stool or pale-coloured stool
- Vomiting or nausea
- Yellowish eyes and skin
- Swelling ankles and legs
- Dark yellow urine colour
- Chronic fatigue
- Loss of appetite
Understanding the Causes and Risk Factors of Liver Disease
Liver diseases are caused by a variety of factors or can be genetic that affect the liver. There are various factors that include:
- Consumption of alcohol: Excessive consumption of alcohol over a long time can cause liver disease, which includes cirrhosis, fatty liver, and hepatitis.
- Hepatitis viruses: Hepatitis C and hepatitis B can cause severe liver damage. These viral infections are usually transferred through unprotected sex or contaminated blood.
- Metabolic syndrome: Fatty liver problems are caused by different health issues, including diabetes, obesity, and insulin resistance. This problem involves the aggregation of fat, which can increase inflammation and damage the liver.
- Dysfunction of the immune system: In this case, the immune system of the body attacks and damages the tissue of the liver. However, the exact reason behind autoimmune hepatitis is not clearly understood.
- Genetic disorders: Genetic health problems can also cause liver disease. These health issues include:
- Hemochromatosis
- Wilson’s disease
- Alpha-1
Methods for Diagnosing Liver Diseases
To identify the nature or stage of the disease, doctors always recommend going through a few health tests. Below are a few tests that can help in the diagnosis process:
- Test the functioning of the liver, which can identify the healthy or poor liver state.
- Serology tests rule out the symptoms of hepatitis infection caused by jaundice.
- In the case of hepatocellular cancer, AFP quantitative assessment is effective.
- Autoimmune factors if identified as the symptoms of autoimmune liver disease.
- Different kinds of imaging techniques, such as MRI, USG, and CT scans, provide detailed images of the internal structure and help to identify liver disease.
- The liver biopsy process is crucial in some cases to check the stage of the disease and aid in treatment.
Effective Treatment Approaches for Liver Diseases
There are a lot of medical treatments that can be helpful to treat most liver diseases. But in liver cancer situations, therapeutic approaches can treat the disease, like radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the appropriate method to completely cure liver diseases depends on the specific type of disease, its identified cause, and the level of disease. In the below section, some methods are mentioned to cure the liver disease:
- Identify the major cause: Liver disease treatment can start by identifying the main cause. For example, lifestyle modifications are recommended for alcohol-related issues. However, antiviral medications are necessary for hepatitis.
- Medications: Doctors recommend medications to identify the symptoms, slow the progression, and manage inflammation. Meanwhile, immunosuppressives can also be effective in autoimmune hepatitis.
- Antiviral therapy: This therapy is commonly used to cure viral hepatitis by reducing its progression and preventing damage.
- Lifestyle improvements: Improvements like forgoing alcohol, regular exercise, and eating healthy meals are important in treating liver diseases.
- Nutritional support: It supports individuals in the intake of enough nutrients in case of weight loss and malnutrition.
- Liver transplantation: Liver transplantation is recommended in cases of liver failure, where the damaged liver is replaced with a healthy one.
- Consistent health monitoring: Liver disease patients need regular checkups to analyse the functioning of the liver, identify complications at an early stage, and manage treatment accordingly.
- Treatment for alcohol addiction: Alcohol-related disease treatments usually include addressing habits through rehabilitation techniques and counselling.
Moreover, patients must discuss everything with their doctors to create an effective treatment plan and address their health conditions. Early diagnosis, improved lifestyle, and effective treatment are very essential to better results and improved liver health.
Conclusion
The connection between liver cancer and hepatitis is a pivotal health issue with profound implications. Understanding this link helps individuals to take necessary action towards early detection and treatment.