Posted on 25-09-2023 | 18:55
The organ liver serves a variety of purposes such as detoxifying and eliminating harmful substances from the human body to keep a person in a healthy functioning state. Imbalances in the liver can prove to be dangerous for individuals and can lead to various liver-related diseases, impacting the person’s health, body, and mind.
We all know one of the liver's functions includes breaking down molecules/chemicals of alcohol. Imbalance in the liver can become a problem in terms of when the liver cannot recreate its cells due to the damage caused by the amount of alcohol consumed by the person. Alcohol consumption over time causes the liver to be unable to break its harmful molecules causing fat to build up in the liver further leading to fatty liver or Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease (AFLD), Alcoholic Hepatitis, and Alcoholic cirrhosis, liver cancer (refer to the image for info)
Alcohol is one the most common reasons for liver diseases, alcohol surely affects other parts of the human physiology that we will talk about in our upcoming blogs.
Let’s talk about liver-related diseases due to Alcohol use.’
Fatty liver hardly shows its dangerous symptoms but can show up in ways such as pain and discomfort in the upper-right abdomen due to enlargement of the liver. Alcoholic Hepatitis is very dangerous and could prove to be fatal if not taken care of. It can develop over time when a person drinks alcohol regularly and excessively. Alcohol Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver and can show up in symptoms such as Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), nausea, or vomiting, weakness, and fever. The inflammation can lead to rapid cell death and in severe cases cause the liver to be unable to regenerate cells.
One of the late-stage and problematic diseases that could be caused due to alcohol is Liver Cirrhosis. It is a developing condition that gets worse when the tissues get scarred. At first, your body might attempt to adjust and compensate for the declining liver function, but it will be temporary, and with time the individual will begin to see noticeable symptoms of liver cirrhosis. The scarring of the tissues starts to cause problems in the blood flow to the liver, slowing down the toxins filtering process. The symptoms of liver cirrhosis may seem vague and mild at first but it can take a bad turn for the person’s health if they fail to take action against their regular drinking. Some people who believe themselves not to be regular drinkers. Note that alcohol in any amount is harmful to the liver and can prove hazardous for some.
Alcoholic Hepatitis or liver-related diseases can be diagnosed with diagnostic tools such as blood tests, Ultrasound scans of the upper abdomen, CT scans, Liver biopsy, etc.
An individual suffering from Alcohol related liver diseases such as Alcoholic Hepatitis may need to seek help for their excessive drinking such as signing up for alcohol addiction treatment programs to cut down on their use. It is also suggested that making significant lifestyle changes can reduce the symptoms and help the liver heal.
If a person is noticing such symptoms, it is recommended to get health checkups done and consult a specialist at first signs of symptoms .
Disclaimer: Our articles and resources do not constitute clinical or licensed therapy or other health care services. If you need counseling or therapy services please contact a licensed provider. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.
None
None