The liver is an organ that plays an extremely important role in the body. The liver provides over 500 functions, including processing digested food, fighting infections, producing bile, regulating hormones, and counteract and killing drugs and toxins. Any abnormality in the liver must be addressed thoroughly since the liver provides so many important purposes in the human body. Hence, it is imperative that an understanding of the symptoms of a diseased liver be common knowledge.

Jaundice: Jaundice is a primary result of an ailment in the liver. Jaundice is the yellowish discoloration of the skin and/or the whites of the eyes and a dark yellow coloration to the urine. One of the liver’s functions is to remove toxins from the blood. Bilirubin is a waste product and is taken into the liver. When there is too much bilirubin in the blood, jaundice can occur.

Light colored stools and some bowel problems can be a result of liver abnormalities. The dark color of stools comes, for the most part, from bile. When there is not enough bile being produced, or when the bile ducts are blocked, the color of the stool is pale.

Sometimes the nails can reveal liver problems. White nails, nails with a blue linula, or white lines that travel across the nail, can all be symptoms of liver disease.

Weight loss, anemia , and chronic nausea can be signs that the liver is not functioning properly. Cirrhosis of the liver is the disease of the liver that presents these symptoms most often.

A swollen abdomen often accompanies liver ailments. Pain and distention under the right lower ribs is an indication that testing of the liver are appropriate.

Excessive thirst and frequent urination are often signs of liver disorder. Though they are not exclusively related to liver diseases, they certainly should not be ignored as related symptoms.

Increased bruising and nose bleeding might be a signal of liver problems. Liver disease can cause a decrease in the blood’s ability to clot.

Some other less common, but sometimes reported liver disease symptoms are: irritability, depression, headaches, and dizziness.

The most important step in recognizing any disease is, of course, a thorough medical examination. Doctors will run the appropriate tests and use their diagnostic skills to ascertain the nature of the malady. Are there preventive measures that can be taken to aid
in keeping the liver healthy? Yes, there are.

Drink alcohol moderately. Women are even more prone to liver conditions related to alcohol consumption than men.

Sometime, liver malfunctions do not become apparent for many years. Ask your doctor to run any tests necessary to keep track of liver health.

Watch your diet. Obesity is one of the main causes of Fatty Liver Disease.

Stop smoking. Smoking has been linked to the development of liver cancer.

Take protective measures to avoid Hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis can be spread through sexual activity, and contact with an infected person’s blood.

It is absolutely vital that the liver is taken care of, because your liver does so much to take care of you.

Liver ailments, or hepatic disease, include, but are not limited to, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, hepatitis, cancer, gilbert’s syndrome, and budd-chiari. Many of the diseases of the liver are accompanied by jaundice, and high levels of bilirubin.

Jaundice is indicated when the skin takes on a yellow pigmentation. This discoloration is caused by an increased amount of bilirubin in the body’s blood system. Bilirubin is produced when heme ( an important component in hemoglobin) breaks down and produces a yellow by-product. The liver, when it is functioning properly, removes bilirubin from the blood and removes it in the form of bile.

Cirrhosis occurs when liver tissue is replaced with fibrous scar tissue and lumps. Excessive use of alcohol, hepatitis B and C, and fatty liver disease can cause cirrhosis. There is no cure for cirrhosis, but there are treatments that can slow down its progression and reduce further complications. Treatment is different according to the cause of the cirrhosis. If cirrhosis is alcohol related, then, of course, the patient should desist in all alcohol consumption.

Hepatitis is a viral infection which may be contracted from human blood or bodily excretions. The infection can cause cancer of the liver, cirrhosis, inflammation of the liver, and acute illness. Acute viral hepatitis does not have a medical treatment, at this time, however, hepatitis B and C can be treated with interferons. Medications are used to attempt to build up the immune system so that it is better equipped to fight the viruses.

Cancer of the liver can be a result from hepatitis A or B, or cirrhosis of the liver. Treatment for liver cancer can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and several other state of the art therapies.

Gilbert’s syndrome is a hereditary disease of the liver and manifests in an increased level of bilirubin. GS is not a dangerous condition, but could be confused with other liver diseases when a diagnosis is being made.

Budd-Chiari is a blockage of the hepatic vein. Budd-Chiari, depending on its progression and severity, can be treated with anticoagulant drugs, stents, shunts, and liver transplants.

There are alternative treatment options that have been used to care for liver disease patients. They include:

Controlling a patients intake of amino acids through a diet that is is scientifically supported to be high in amino acids. Fructose and vinegar are added as supplements to the this diet because of their acetic acid properties that help stop glycolosis, thereby omitting cancer cells’ energy supply and causing cells to be removed.

The addition of nutritional supplements to the diet.
The addition of herbal supplements to the diet.
If overweight, lose the pounds.
Participate in regular exercise.

Symptoms of liver disease can include the following:

Jaundice
Coated tongue
Dark urine
Brown spots on skin
Rosacea
Skin blemishes
Itching
Excessive bleeding
Enlarged spleen
Metabolic issues
Immune disorders
Sugar cravings
Depression
Poor concentration
Excessive weight gain
Pale stool

The liver is an extremely important organ and a preventative regimen should be in place to ensure that the liver remains healthy and viable. Good diet, regular exercise, and moderation in all things can all contribute to a healthy, robust body.

Except for the skin, the liver is the largest organ in the body. It is located in the right side of the body behind the rib cage. The liver has several functions, which include, but are not limited to: storing energy in the form of glucose, detoxifying or cleaning the blood of toxins and other poisons, regulating the clotting of the blood, producing cholesterol, producing immune factors and removing bacteria. The liver is an extraordinary organ, which can often regenerate itself, but care must be taken to ensure that the liver remains viable.

One of the dysfunctions that can take place in the liver is Fatty Liver or Fatty Liver Disease (FLD). It occurs when large amounts of triglyceride fat accumulate in the liver cells. Although, fat in the liver does not always cause damage to the organ, it can be a sign of other harmful conditions that might need to be addressed by a medical professional. Inflammation of the liver, for example, can lead to a hardening of the liver, which is called cirrhosis, and this condition can become quite serious. Other health issues which can develop from FLD include sleep apnea, gallstones, and several types of cancer.

The most common causes of FLD, especially in the United Sates, are excessive alcohol consumption, the presence of toxins in the liver, disorders of the metabolism, some types of drug usage, obesity, insulin imbalances, and abnormal triglyceride levels.

Fatty Liver Disease can be avoided if a regular exercise routine is maintained and a moderate, well-balanced diet is in place. This disease also seems to be exacerbated by consuming excessive amounts of sugar and carbohydrates.

Unfortunately, reversing this disease is more difficult than avoiding it. However, studies have shown that a moderate diet which will facilitate weight loss, avoidance of foods that contain high amounts of sugar, incorporating low fat/high protein foods into the diet , and an increase in daily exercise will all assist in slowing or stopping the progression of this disease.

As with many of the diseases which plague the people of today‘s culture, a nutritional, moderate diet, along with exercise and the correct amount of sound sleep can prevent or often reverse the organ damage that occurs in bodies. Regular visits to the doctor and a healthy regimen are imperative.