|
The liver plays an important role in removing toxic substances from the blood as well as in the digestive process. Any kind of damage to the liver or liver disease affects the functioning of the liver, causing the toxic substances to build up in the body, eventually affecting other parts of the body. It is important to know that most of the times, there are no obvious symptoms of liver damage apart from fatigue, lack of drive and itching. It is only when the liver damage is serious and or the liver disease has progressed that symptoms start showing. Cirrhosis of the liver refers to the scarring of the liver due to liver damage. Cirrhosis of the liver is caused by excessive consumption of alcohol, chronic viral hepatitis, consumption of certain drugs and medications and certain metabolic and inherited disorders.
Early symptoms of liver damage include fatigue and weakness but as the disease progresses, there is a definite drop in energy, loss of appetite, nausea and even weight loss. The skin tone changes and darkens while nails become clubbed and white, losing their healthy pink tinge. Apart from this, nose bleeding and easy bruising is a common symptom since the liver does not make adequate clotting proteins and thus the clotting is delayed. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes occurs due to the failure of the liver to remove bilirubin from the blood. At a later stage of the disease, other symptoms such as vomiting of blood, ulcers in stomach and leaking varicose veins are noticed. The spread of the toxins to the brain can lead to hepatic encephalopathy which manifests in confusion, drowsiness and even coma.
|
