The liver plays a vital role in our body. When the liver gets damaged, it affects all body functions.
Many reasons cause liver damage. Among them, we are going to discuss liver cirrhosis, which is one of the main causes of liver damage.
What is Liver Cirrhosis?
Liver Cirrhosis occurs when the liver becomes severely scarred or permanently damaged. It is a long-term condition that damages the liver over many years.
Liver cirrhosis is a severe type of condition that can be caused by the Hepatitis -B virus, chronic alcoholism, and many other factors, which can lead to liver cancer and liver failure. The main concerning aspect of this condition is that it does not show any signs or symptoms in the early stages until it gets worse.
Liver cirrhosis is the last stage of liver damage because once the liver is damaged due to cirrhosis, it cannot be recovered at any cost. This condition is called long-term hepatitis, which means your liver is inflamed. In the initial stage, the liver tries to heal the scars, but when cirrhosis worsens, more scars form and the liver gets damaged too much, making it difficult for the liver to work properly. This becomes life-threatening and leads to liver failure or liver damage.
Types of Liver Cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is mainly divided into two types according to its complication level:
Compensated Cirrhosis
This is the stage of liver cirrhosis when the liver is damaged but still manages to function. People may not get any severe symptoms at this stage but can experience some common symptoms like fatigue, nausea, etc. It can be diagnosed through blood tests. The life span of having this issue can be more than 12 years.
Decompensated Cirrhosis
This is a symptomatic and high-level liver health condition. This condition presents many symptoms like jaundice, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy. It can lead to life-threatening complications unless your sick liver can be replaced with a healthy liver through a liver transplant. The lifespan of people with this issue is about 2 years.
Signs or Symptoms of Liver Cirrhosis
The symptoms of liver cirrhosis depend on the advancement of the disease. Generally, liver cirrhosis doesn’t show any symptoms until it becomes a severe condition.
Some of the symptoms are:
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Ascites—This condition occurs when fluid accumulates in the abdomen, causing swelling and discomfort.
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Nausea and Vomiting—People with cirrhosis may experience nausea and vomiting, especially after meals.
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Jaundice—Due to liver issues, the bilirubin level in the blood rises, which causes the skin and eyes to turn yellow.
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Weight loss—When the weight effortlessly goes down, it can be a sign of liver failure.
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Loss of appetite—When the liver gets damaged, the appetite stops working.
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Itchy skin—Liver issues can cause bile buildup, which causes itching and discomfort.
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Swollen in leg and hand—Fluid retention can cause swelling in the legs and hands.
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Dark Urine—Dark urine can be a sign of liver dysfunction, which is caused by the presence of excess bilirubin.
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Pale stool—Bile problems of the liver can cause pale or clay-colored stool, which can lead to liver failure or liver damage.
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Pain and Discomfort—During liver issues, there will be mild pain, and the discomfort may occur in the upper right direction of the abdomen.
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Bleeding: Due to blood clots, people can experience bleeding during brushing.
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Red patches on hand: Redness or red patches on the palm can be a sign of liver issues.
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Spider angiomas: This can happen when red spider-like blood vessels occur on the skin's surface.
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Feeling tired: Feeling tired and weak all the time can be a sign of a liver issue.
Causes of Liver Cirrhosis
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Heavy Drinking—Having too much alcohol for a very long period is one of the main reasons for liver damage or liver cirrhosis. Alcohol damages the liver cells, which leads to inflammation.
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Alcoholic Hepatitis—This is a severe liver condition caused by long-term alcohol consumption, leading to liver inflammation. If left untreated, it can progress to liver cirrhosis and ultimately result in liver failure.
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Hepatitis B or C—In this situation, the liver gets affected by the virus called Hepatitis B or C. This virus gradually affects the liver and leads to liver cirrhosis. It takes years for the liver to get badly affected without any severe symptoms.
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Genetic Reason—Genetic reasons can be an important cause to affect the liver and cause liver cirrhosis.
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Fatty Liver—Fatty liver in its severe condition can turn into liver cirrhosis. When too much fat accumulates on the liver cells due to obesity, diabetes, poor diet, or many more, it must be controlled within the period before it gets worse.
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Bile duct issue—Problems in the bile duct can lead to liver issues, can affect liver function, and in severe cases, it can cause liver cirrhosis or liver failure. The bile duct stops the flow of bile to the small intestine, and the collection of bile in the liver can cause liver cirrhosis.
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Poor immunity—When the immune system is not able to work properly, it can’t stop the attack on liver cells and causes inflammation. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease caused by the immune system itself that damages the liver cells and leads to cirrhosis.
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Medication—There are certain medicines like methotrexate or isoniazid that can cause liver cirrhosis or liver failure. Using these kinds of medications over time accumulates infection and leads to severe conditions like cirrhosis.
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Toxic Chemicals—Exposure to certain toxic chemicals can affect the functioning of the liver and lead to liver damage.
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Hemochromatosis—It is a condition where the accumulation of iron in the body increases, which may cause organ failure. This condition may occur during the treatment of some kind of disease, like chronic hepatitis or excessive alcohol use, which can cause liver failure or liver damage.
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Poor Nutrition—Poor nutrition can also be a reason for liver issues. Not getting enough nutrients and certain vitamins can affect the liver over time.
Prevention of Liver Cirrhosis
If cirrhosis is in the initial stage, it can be prevented in some ways. There are some preventive methods to prevent the liver problem from getting more severe:
Get vaccinated
It is important to get vaccinated to avoid liver cirrhosis. Hepatitis B is one of the main causes of liver cirrhosis. The virus gradually affects the liver and leads to cirrhosis.
To prevent this, it’s important to get tested and vaccinated, especially if you are a healthcare worker, a person who injects drugs, or someone who has multiple sexual partners.
Manage hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is another major cause of liver cirrhosis if it is left untreated.
If you are at high risk, get tested for hepatitis C and vaccinated to prevent further complications.
Control alcohol consumption
Consuming alcohol over many years can affect liver function. Although mild effects on the liver can be repaired by the liver’s self-healing ability. But heavy consumption of alcohol over the years reduces the liver’s ability to regenerate.
So, it’s important to control alcohol consumption to prevent liver failure and other liver issues.
Manage healthy weight
Weight management is one of the effective ways to prevent fatty liver, which is one of the main reasons for liver cirrhosis. Obesity, diabetes, and cholesterol can promote the inflammation and progression of liver cirrhosis.
So, it’s important to manage your weight and avoid excessive fat accumulation in the liver to prevent fatty liver disease.
Understand family history
Many families have a history of liver issues, such as fatty liver, liver cancer, hemochromatosis, or Wilson’s disease. These conditions may have a genetic component and increase the risk of liver disease.
Being aware of your family history can help you take preventive steps to stop liver issues at an early stage.
Follow a healthy lifestyle
A well-balanced diet can help to prevent severe liver issues. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats supports liver health. Staying hydrated is also helpful in detoxification.
Avoid foods that are high in added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats, which can lead to fatty liver and other liver issues.
Stay active and exercise regularly
Engaging in regular physical activity is important to maintain a healthy liver and overall well-being.
Exercise helps to manage weight gain, improve circulation, and reduce the risk of fatty liver disease and diabetes, which can be a reason for liver damage or liver cirrhosis.
Conclusion:
Liver cirrhosis is a serious and progressive condition that occurs when the liver is scarred and permanently damaged. It can be caused by many factors, such as chronic alcoholism, viral infections like Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, and many other conditions. The disease often develops silently, showing only a few symptoms until the liver is seriously damaged.
Early detection and immediate medical attention can help manage the condition before it develops to more advanced stages. Preventions that can be taken to avoid reducing alcohol consumption, getting vaccinated against hepatitis, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and regularly monitoring liver health can reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis. Early meditation and lifestyle changes can improve effects and prevent severe complications such as liver failure or liver cancer.
References
Schuppan, D., & Afdhal, N. H. (2008). Liver cirrhosis. The Lancet, 371(9615), 838-851. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60383-9
Suva, M. A., Patel, J. R., & Jani, G. K. (2014). A brief review on liver cirrhosis: Epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and its management. ResearchGate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262944038
Tsochatzis, E. A., Bosch, J., & Burroughs, A. K. (2014). Liver cirrhosis. The Lancet, 383(9930), 1749-1761. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60121-5
Asrani, S. K., Devarbhavi, H., Eaton, J., & Kamath, P. S. (2019). Burden of liver diseases in the world. Journal of Hepatology, 70(1), 151-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2018.09.014
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (2019). Liver Cirrhosis: Pathogenesis and Management. PMC. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6372357/
