Liver disease constitutes a broad scope of conditions within the liver; an organ of vital functions responsible for detoxification, storage of nutrients, and production of bile to aid digestion and regulation of metabolism. Conditions that affect this organ can stem from various origins, be relatively mild or quite severe, and last from a momentary period of time to for years. Prevention is possible by some forms of lifestyle modification but other forms have genetic or infectious causes. Knowing the various types, causes, symptoms, and methods of prevention of this disease will keep your liver healthy.
Types of Liver Disease
There are several ways liver disease can present, and each has its specific way of affecting the organ. The most common types include;
Alcohol-Related Liver Disease (ALD):
- Cause: Alcohol-related liver disease is caused by regularly drinking too much alcohol over an extended period. Alcohol is broken down in the liver, and excessive consumption can overwhelm the liver’s capacity for processing. This will eventually result in liver damage.
- Progression: Alcohol consumption causes fatty liver (the first stage of ALD), inflammation, liver scarring (fibrosis), and cirrhosis or advanced scarring. In the worst cases, it can result in liver failure.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD):
- Cause: NAFLD is most often associated with very significant overweightness or obesity. It occurs in the absence of alcohol when there is fat that builds up within the liver. Other contributing factors for NAFLD include a bad diet, cholesterol, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
- Progression: Just as alcohol-related liver disease does, NAFLD can advance from simple fatty liver, a benign condition, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a form of inflammation within the liver and potentially eventually into cirrhosis.
Hepatitis:
- Cause: Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver resulting from viral infections, autoimmune disease, or alcoholic liver disease. Hepatitis is acute and can be chronic. Chronic hepatitis especially from hepatitis B and C has a higher possibility of liver damage, cirrhosis, and even cancer of the liver.
- Progression: If untreated chronic hepatitis causes the long-term damages of the liver and predisposes the person to liver cancer or cirrhosis.
Haemochromatosis:
- Cause: Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition where the body absorbs too much iron from food. Excess iron gets deposited in the liver and other organs, which can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Progression: If untreated, haemochromatosis can result in severe liver damage and other complications. Treatment typically involves regular blood removal (phlebotomy) to reduce iron levels.
Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC):
- Cause: PBC is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system attacks the bile ducts of the liver, leading to the buildup of bile and liver damage. The exact cause is unknown but thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
- Progression: If left undiagnosed and untreated, PBC can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
- Other Types of Liver Disease: Besides these diseases, liver disease encompasses cirrhosis, which is brought about by multiple causes such as alcohol, viral hepatitis, and fatty liver. In addition, there is liver cancer and damage because of toxins or medications.
Causes of Liver Disease
Liver diseases may be caused by a wide variety of factors, ranging from lifestyle to infections, genetics, and environmental factors. Common causes of liver disease include:
- Excessive alcohol consumption: Chronic alcohol abuse is the most common cause of liver disease, which can result in fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
- Obesity and Poor Diet: Being overweight or obese with a diet rich in fats and sugars may cause NAFLD, which may later cause liver damage.
- Viral Infections: The infections include the hepatitis viruses (A, B, and C) as the main causes of inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis B and C are known for long-term liver disorders and cirrhosis.
- Genetic Factors: Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition, where absorption of iron is excessive; Wilson’s disease is an inherited condition that causes excess buildup of copper. Such conditions may cause chronic damage to the liver.
- Autoimmune Diseases: Autoimmune liver diseases include primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), autoimmune hepatitis, wherein, the immune system of the body attacks liver cells, causing inflammation and scarring.
- Medications and Toxins: Prolonged use of certain medicines or environmental toxins can cause damage to the liver. For example, high doses of acetaminophen also known as paracetamol, as well as some classes of antibiotics are known to cause liver poisoning.
- Environmental Factors: Exposition to harmful chemicals, for instance, in an industrial environment or polluted water, can cause a liver disease.
Symptoms of Liver Disease
In most cases, liver disease is asymptomatic in its early stages, especially in conditions such as fatty liver disease or mild hepatitis. However, when the disease progresses, damage to the liver can lead to noticeable symptoms. One of the most advanced stages of liver disease is cirrhosis, where the liver becomes severely scarred. Symptoms of liver disease usually appear at this stage or in more advanced cases.
Some of the very common symptoms for liver disease are:
- Fatigue: This feeling of tiredness or weakness without any improvement during rest. Most people feel fatigued once the liver ceases to effectively perform its function.
- Loss of Appetite: Reduced desire for food intake due to weight loss because it is unable to process food as well or breaks down toxins inside the body.
- Jaundice: jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes due to the liver’s inability to metabolize bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cell breakdown.
- Itching: Itchiness due to the backup of bile into the bloodstream from an impaired flow out of the liver.
- Nausea and Vomiting: Most patients with liver disease complain of nausea or, more severe, actually vomit during toxic accumulation in the body.
- Swelling of Abdomen or Legs: Ascites due to fluid buildup by progressive cirrhosis may cause swelling in the abdomen or lower extremities.
- Changes in Skin and Nails: At times, liver disease triggers spider-like blood vessels in the skin, known as spider angiomas, or changes in the nails, such as white nails or clubbing.
- Easy Bruising: In the case of liver damage, the organ is not able to produce enough clotting factors. As a result, easy bruising or bleeding is a common complaint.
- Confusion or Mental Fog: Advanced liver disease leads to the accumulation of toxins in the blood that affect the brain. This condition is known as hepatic encephalopathy.
Prevention and Management of Liver Disease
Even though some liver conditions are genetic and unavoidable, several types of liver disease can be prevented or minimized through lifestyle interventions and early medical intervention. There are a number of key ways of maintaining liver health:
- Limit alcohol intake: It is possible to stay within guidelines on alcohol consumption and prevent alcohol-related liver disease. For most adults this is no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over several days.
- Maintain ideal weight: The biggest risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is being overweight or obese. Maintain ideal weight through balanced diet, and regular exercise.
- Eat a Balanced Diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can support liver health. Reducing the intake of processed foods, excessive sugar, and unhealthy fats can also help prevent liver disease.
- Get Vaccinated: Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and getting vaccinated can help protect against these viral infections.
- Avoid Hepatitis C: Hepatitis C is mainly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. Use clean needles, ensure that the medical equipment used is sterile, and use protection when having sex to minimize the chances of infection.
- Reduce Exposure to Toxins: Minimize exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals in the workplace or environment. Also, refrain from using over-the-counter drugs that can harm the liver, such as acetaminophen, unless advised by a doctor.
- Regular Medical Check-Ups: Regular blood tests and liver function tests can help identify early problems with the liver. Those with risk factors, including family history of liver disease, should have regular screenings.
- Living with a Chronic Condition: Those diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure should work with their providers to control these chronic conditions, which are precursors to liver disease.
Conclusion
Liver diseases are a wide range of pathological conditions that affect the liver and can prove fatal if diagnosed and treated late. Although some diseases in the liver are either inherited or caused by infections, many can be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle, such as avoiding alcohol use, being in the ideal weight range, and not exposing oneself to toxins. Regular check-ups and early diagnosis are what make avoiding the development of further advanced liver damage such as cirrhosis possible. Any symptom of liver disease should be consulted with a doctor as soon as possible to determine the right treatment
