The liver is exposed to negative effects almost daily. Therefore, it is very important to know the signs of liver disease symptoms and treatment. Due to lesions of this organ, people die every year, while the number of deaths from liver pathology is growing. What to do if the liver hurts, the pain in the liver is long-term? You need to contact a specialist for help.

Description of the disease

The liver plays a very important role in the human body. Thanks to it, the digestion process is fully carried out, all cells receive a sufficient amount of vitamins.

Most liver diseases are provoked by unbearable loads that are placed on this organ, a violation of the recovery process. The danger of any pathology of the liver lies in the risk of developing cancer, complications that are incompatible with life. Many names of diseases of this body are known to people. It is very important to know how liver disease develops, the symptoms and treatment of each of the pathologies.

Autoimmune diseases of the liver are provoked by an attack of immunity, the destruction of the cells of this organ. This starts the inflammatory process. This group of diseases includes:

1. Autoimmune hepatitis (type 1, 2). Type 1 disease is more often recorded in young women due to a genetic predisposition. Type 2 is fixed in girls, young women.
2. Cholangitis. This pathology usually occurs along with colitis, ulcers.
3. Biliary cirrhosis (primary). This pathology is most often recorded in women. It is characterized by severe itching, jaundice, ulcers, deterioration in the performance of various internal organs.

• trichinosis;
• ascariasis. This disease is often fixed in people inhabiting the zones of tropical, subtropical climate;
• opisthorchiasis;
• giardiasis;
• echinococcosis. This disease more often affects those whose work is connected with animals.

Each of the above pathologies is accompanied by a strong allergic reaction, a disorder of the basic processes of the body, and a violation of the stool (diarrhea).

Also, chronic diseases often develop, which are characterized by periods of exacerbation, remission. These include:

• viral hepatitis;
• cirrhosis.

Viral hepatitis has 6 varieties:

1. a (Botkina. Affects children due to poor sanitation. Can be spread through the household).
2. b (serum. The disease spreads through the blood).
3. c (the most severe type of the disease. This form of pathology can be transmitted from mother to child).
4. d ((similar to species b. Transmitted through blood, sexually).
5. e (Often recorded in areas with poor water, hot climate. Its appearance is provoked by insufficient hygiene. It can be spread by household).
6. g (This form is poorly understood).

Usually liver tissues recover very quickly. Its cells can resist the effects of many harmful factors. But there are a lot of factors that provoke liver diseases:

To avoid dangerous complications, you need to know how inflammation of the liver manifests itself, the symptoms of the treatment of this disease. Any liver disease is considered dangerous. Its insidiousness lies in the fact that there are practically no symptoms. The patient notices the pathology only when it is at an advanced stage, it becomes very neglected.

We indicate the main signs that appear in almost any liver disease:

• intense sweating (sweat has an unpleasant odor);
• severe heartburn;
• yellowness of the dermis;
• liver enlargement;
• darkening of urine;
• light feces;
• diarrhea.

In addition to the main symptoms that indicate liver problems, experts have identified a number of additional signs:

• sleep problems;
• the presence of acne (this applies to adults);
• frequent convulsions;
• color blindness (this symptom manifests itself in rare cases);
• development of atherosclerosis;
• increased contractions of the heart muscle;
• hair loss, eyebrows (has a gradual character);
• the appearance of papillomas.

The characteristics of the manifestations (symptoms) of the disease are influenced by many factors: the causative agent of the disease, the type of disease, the severity of the lesion. Given these features, the patient may experience the following symptoms:

• lethargy, loss of strength, very fast fatigue;
• rash on the dermis;
• liver enlargement (most organ diseases are accompanied by hepatomegaly);
• weakening of blood vessels;
• discomfort, pain in the liver area;
• change in the color of urine, urine;
• sharp weight loss;
• the presence of cracks, plaque on the tongue;
• frequent bleeding;
• an increase in the size of the abdomen;
• hypovitaminosis.

There are a number of symptoms that experts distinguish into a separate group. They appear from the dermis. This group includes:

• rash;
• jaundice;
• cracks (they usually occur in the corners of the lips);
• subcutaneous hemorrhages;
• darkening of the dermis in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe armpits, groin (the dermis becomes almost brown);
• redness of the dermis in the phalanges;
• the occurrence of stretch marks;
• the appearance of vascular branches;
• strong scratches;
• swelling of the veins coming from the navel;
• the presence of spots, white dots, dashes on the nails.

Given the fact that any liver disease also affects the digestive system, patients often have:

• nausea;
• violation of the stool (diarrhea, constipation);
• the smell of fish from the mouth;
• discoloration of the stool;
• feeling of fullness in the stomach;
• darkening of urine;
• having a sweet taste in the mouth.

In women with liver diseases, not only all of the above symptoms are noted, but also peculiar signs appear:

• violation of the menstrual cycle;
• hemophilia (weakening of the ability of blood to clot);
• stretch marks.

In men, the effect of liver disease on the hormonal background is also observed. It manifests itself in:

• breast augmentation;
• hairline change;
• testicular atrophy;
• impotence;
• infertility.

The pathology of the organ in question is accompanied not only by an increase in the liver, jaundice, upset stool, but also by pain. Pain in diseases of the liver are of a different nature:

• slight pain in the region of the right hypochondrium. The pain is aching, bursting. It indicates a sluggish pathological process. Pain inside the body is provoked by such factors : liver enlargement, overstretching of the hepatic capsule;
• severe pain. They are usually point, appear in the projection of the affected organ;
• intense pain that is felt in the right hypochondrium. They indicate a purulent, traumatic, inflammatory process.

Also, with liver diseases, nervous disorders can appear. They appear in:

• personality changes;
• memory loss;
• convulsions;
• tremor of fingers;
• epilepsy.

Diagnostics

To diagnose a large number of liver diseases, specialists use the following methods:

1. Ultrasound procedure.
2. Blood test (biochemical, general).
3. Magnetic resonance imaging.
4. Biopsy.
5. Immunological testing.
6. genetic tests.

Treatment

In the treatment of liver diseases, it is very important to change your lifestyle. The patient is advised to switch to a healthy diet, forget about bad habits. You also need to take prescribed medications (hepatoprotectors). It is possible to treat liver pathologies with medication, if desired, patients use traditional medicine (after discussion with a specialist).

For liver diseases, specialists usually prescribe such drugs:

1. "Heptral". It acts as an antidepressant. It is often used in the treatment of chronic alcoholics, drug addicts. It helps with severe intoxication of the body.
2. FanDetox. A medicine is made on the basis of plant extracts. It activates metabolism, improves liver function, strengthens the heart.
3. Karsil. This tool improves metabolism, reduces weight.
4. Liv 52. Use the drug in the treatment of cirrhosis, hepatitis.
5. "Essentiale forte". Used in the treatment of liver diseases. It is often prescribed to pregnant women.

Estimated price tags for treatment in the main centers

City name	Medical institution	Procedure name	Price
Permian	Perm Center for Immunoprophylaxis on Ekaterininskaya Street	Hepatologist appointment	900 rub.
Kyiv	Optima Pharm	Hepatologist appointment	600 UAH
Volgograd	YugMed	Hepatologist appointment	700 rub.
Yekaterinburg	MC "Chance"	Hepatologist appointment	600 - 1000 rubles.
St. Petersburg	SM Clinic	Hepatologist appointment	2 150 rub.
Novosibirsk	Healthy family	Hepatologist appointment	2 200 rub.
Odessa	Yanko Medical	Hepatologist appointment	600 UAH
Omsk	West Siberian Medical Center of FMBA of Russia	Hepatologist appointment	600 rub.
Minsk	SM Clinic	Hepatologist appointment	1 450 Bel. rub.
Almaty	st. Nauryzbai batyr, corner of st. Kurmangazy	Hepatologist appointment	7150 tenge
Samara	Hepatologist	Hepatologist appointment	1 100 rub.
Chelyabinsk	LOTUS	Fibroscanning + hepatologist appointment	6 000 rub.
Nizhny Novgorod	Guarantee	Hepatologist appointment	2 000 rub.
MSC	Asteri Aesthetic	Hepatologist appointment	7 000 rub.
Kharkiv	Milner Medical	Hepatologist appointment	190 UAH

Prevention

Not always preventive measures can prevent the development of liver disease. Often diseases are hereditary. Preventive measures include simple recommendations from experts:

1. Do not abuse alcohol.
2. Monitor the absence of unprotected sex.
3. Monitor the quality and freshness of purchased products.
4. Lead a healthy lifestyle.
5. It is correct to take any medication.
6. If there is a predisposition to the development of liver diseases, hepatoprotectors should be taken.
7. Experts recommend using hepatoprotectors in the presence of liver diseases. These medicines are made on a natural plant basis.
8. It is very important to give up bad habits, the use of fatty, fried, hot, spicy foods. Experts recommend avoiding heat, sunburn.
9. Vegetables are recommended to eat raw.
10. You can't eat too many dairy products.
11. Sweet tea should help with pain in the liver.
12. The use of astringent food is recommended.
13. If the liver hurts, pain in the liver has just appeared, you need to undergo a diagnosis in a medical institution. Early detection of pathology is the key to a speedy cure, preventing the development of dangerous complications.

In an adult, the liver weighs one and a half to two kilograms. This is the largest gland. In the body, it combines three functions, participating in the processes of blood circulation, digestion of food and metabolism. The work of the body is associated with numerous exchanges in the body: lipid, carbohydrate, water-salt, protein, bile, vitamin. It performs neutralizing enzymatic, protective and excretory functions that support the autonomous coordinated functioning of the body.
The key causes of liver diseases are infectious lesions, poisoning of the body with toxins, circulatory disorders, immune system disorders, malnutrition and metabolism.

Symptoms of liver damage

Symptoms of acute liver damage are quite obvious and help the doctor almost immediately assume that the gland is involved in the pathological process. This is pain under the right rib, sharp jumps in body temperature, jaundice, colorless feces, dark urine.

Chronic diseases do not manifest themselves, and for a long time the signs of a diseased liver are characterized by common symptoms: loss of strength, fatigue, sleep disorders, depressed mood. However, with consistent detailed questioning, it will not be difficult for a doctor to suspect liver disease with a minimum of symptoms.

The main symptoms of liver disease

Significant, but less frequent signs of a diseased liver are yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes, an enlarged spleen, and itching. The skin acquires an icteric shade when infected with hepatitis in the acute period, with toxic hepatitis and with cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis often occurs without this symptom.

Simultaneous yellowness and itching of the skin indicate a disorder in the outflow of bile. This is how sclerosing cholangitis, biliary cirrhosis manifest, and stones in the bile ducts are also indicated, especially if there is additional pain under the right rib (liver hurts), an increase in body temperature.

Liver cells do not have nerve fibers, and therefore, even severe damage to the liver by cirrhosis does not make itself felt with pain. Occasionally, pain under the right rib can be triggered by simultaneous damage to the gallbladder, bile ducts, or nearby intestines.

Nerve fibers are in the connective capsule covering the surface of the gland. The liver hurts only with a significant increase in the organ due to stretching of the membrane - there is a heaviness in the right side, a dull pain. An increase in liver volume is sometimes the only, but one of the key symptoms of chronic organ pathologies.

Nonspecific symptoms of liver disease

Chronic liver disease is accompanied by less obvious signs of pathology. But a combination of several non-specific symptoms can indicate problems with the gland:

• • expansion of small vessels - meshes or asterisks - on the skin in the upper part of the body;
  • redness of the palms;
  • smooth, without papillae crimson tongue;
  • trembling of the fingers, protruding tongue;
  • yellowed shell of the eye;
  • shortened tendons of the flexor fingers of the hand, which do not allow the finger to fully straighten;
  • flat benign growths in the form of plaques, located most often on the upper eyelid;
  • drumstick-like fingers;
  • an increase in the mammary gland in men, a violation of the growth of hair on the chin and under the arms.

The simultaneous presence of several of the above symptoms suggests that the patient has alcohol-related liver disease.

Common Symptoms of Chronic Liver Disease

Chronic liver disease is often accompanied by common symptoms that are characteristic of other diseases. In some cases, they are not diagnosed immediately, since there is no pain in the liver, the patient comes to see doctors of a different profile. Non-specific signs of a diseased liver: lethargy, painful condition, rash or hemorrhage on the skin, muscles and joints hurt, dry mouth, dry eyes, deterioration in the general blood test, signs of kidney disorder (poor urine test).

Infectious diseases of the liver

Infectious pathologies of the liver include viral hepatitis - inflammation of the liver that affects its cells. Inflammation is caused by various viruses. Viral hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, G are known and described. The greatest threat to health is posed by parenteral infections (bypassing the digestive tract, through blood, mucus, subcutaneously, muscularly, during pregnancy) by transmission of ¬– B, C and D.

Acute viral hepatitis A

The causative agent is spread by the fecal-oral route in close contact if the basic rules of personal hygiene are not observed, through raw water containing the virus. Also, infection occurs among drug addicts who inject drugs intravenously - the virus tends to penetrate into the blood for a short time. The latent period of the disease lasts 15 to 40 days.
Symptoms of the disease: loss of appetite, vomiting, sore throat, fever, lethargy, fatigue. After 2 - 5 days, dark urine, discoloration of feces, yellowness of the skin may join.

The virus mainly infects children 5-14 years old, extremely rarely adults. The disease is usually mild. Jaundice is more common in adults. The transition of hepatitis A to the chronic stage and cirrhosis is impossible, but there have been cases of a long (up to 4 months) course of infection.
Viral hepatitis A is an acute disease. It requires isolation of the patient, as it has high contagious properties. Treatment of the disease involves the elimination of symptoms, compliance with bed rest.

Acute viral hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is spreading in tropical and subtropical countries. The virus more often penetrates through water, mainly recorded in adults.
The signs of the disease are similar to those of hepatitis A. The disease is mild, but dangerous for pregnant women. Fatal cases are known among this category of women.

Acute viral hepatitis B

The infection is spread through sexual contact, from mother to newborn during childbirth, through blood (transfusion, use of contaminated needles, tattoos). The latent period of the disease is 1-6 months.
This viral inflammation takes place in an icteric or anicteric form. The appearance of jaundice rather has a favorable prognosis for recovery. The disease without jaundice flows latently, the percentage of transition to the chronic stage is high. The disease is detected in a laboratory blood test.

Treatment for acute hepatitis B is usually not carried out, since in 80% of cases the body copes with itself and spontaneous recovery occurs. About 5% of patients become inactive carriers of the virus without obvious signs of inflammation in the liver.

In severe or rapid viral inflammation, lamivudine, telbivudine, and entecavir are prescribed. Many patients with an early infection require a liver transplant.

Hepatitis B can be prevented by getting vaccinated.

Chronic hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B is an inflammation of the liver that has developed when the hepatitis B virus has been in the body for more than six months. Infection leads to tissue necrosis (death).
The course of the disease varies from asymptomatic and slowly progressive stages to aggressive, with rapid cirrhosis and liver failure. Resumption of inflammation in inactive carriers of the virus is possible. The chronic stage of the B virus proceeds with general manifestations of infection up to the development of an inflammatory lesion of small and medium-sized blood vessels with the development of arterial hypertension, multiple nerve damage, damage to the kidneys, and the brain.

The severity of the course of the disease for the most part depends on the state of the immune system of the human body and the degree of load of the viral infection. The tactic of therapy is the suppression of the DNA of the virus to a very low, preferably undetectable level in the laboratory. A constant practice for the patient is the quantitative determination of the DNA of the virus at various stages of the disease.
When diagnosing chronic hepatitis B in a particular patient, it is justified to vaccinate all his relatives, especially those who have sexual contacts with the infected person.
Standard therapy is prescribing interferon-α. It stimulates the immune system, has an antiviral effect, and supposedly prevents tissue from regenerating.

Chronic hepatitis B+D

Viral hepatitis D (delta) is ubiquitous. It is transmitted parenterally. The source of infection is a virus carrier or a sick person.
Viral hepatitis D becomes active only in conjunction with the hepatitis B virus. When co-infected, chronic hepatitis B + D spreads, leading to cirrhosis. The clinical course of the disease is similar to infection with hepatitis B, but in a more severe form.
The latency period lasts 3 to 7 weeks. Interferons-α are prescribed in high doses. The duration of treatment is 12 months. Often, after discontinuation of treatment, relapses of the disease occur. The hepatitis B vaccine is also effective against hepatitis D infection.

Acute hepatitis C

The virus is diverse, has more than 90 subtypes. The main route of transmission is through the blood, very rarely - sexually. The latent course of infection is from 1 to 5 months.
Risk group for acute hepatitis C infection:

• • • prosthetics and extraction of teeth;
    • tattoo, piercing;
    • blood transfusions, surgical operations;
    • artificial termination of pregnancy, especially done in the twentieth century, when testing for the hepatitis C virus was not carried out;
    • elderly people;
    • people who abuse alcohol, carriers of HIV, hepatitis B virus;
    • patients with impaired blood coagulation;
    • intravenous drug addicts;
    • people who have multiple sexual partners;
    • patients with extrarenal blood purification;
    • babies born to infected mothers;
    • medical workers, employees of nail salons.

Infection with the virus occurs without symptoms and is taken as fatigue from work, lack of vitamins, the consequences of a cold. There is lethargy, decreased activity, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance.

A third of patients get sick with obvious signs of infection: jaundice, dark urine, fever, increased activity of liver enzymes. With a strong yellowness of the skin, the feces become light, there may be itching, the volume of the liver increases. The preicteric stage of the disease can begin with nausea, lack of appetite, weakness, pain under the right rib and lasts about a week.
Signs of the disease are present for 1 to 3 weeks. With recovery, appetite appears, other signs of the disease gradually disappear.
Therapy for acute hepatitis C:

• • • semi-bed rest in the acute period with its gradual relaxation as you recover and restore the liver;
    • eating foods rich in proteins;
    • exclusion of alcohol and sexual contact.

Subject to bed rest and diet, the cure occurs soon enough. In severe cases, the patient is hospitalized.

Chronic hepatitis C

In the majority of patients (75 - 80%), acute hepatitis C flows into the chronic stage. The infection does not manifest itself for years, sometimes decades, but inflammatory processes in the liver develop. Cirrhosis is found in 15-30% of patients after 20 years. The progression of the pathology is facilitated by alcohol abuse, co-infection with other hepatitis viruses and

Pathology can manifest itself only with general symptoms: low performance, depressed mood up to depression, increased fatigue. There are patients in whom, despite infection, clinical signs of liver damage are completely absent for many years. Only a laboratory study of blood serum by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allows timely detection of the disease.

Signs of organ damage appear only when there is already cirrhosis or at least degenerative tissue changes have begun. Antiviral therapy in this case is often meaningless.
The hepatitis C virus has a systemic effect. Not only the liver can suffer, but also hematopoiesis, blood vessels, the nervous system, kidneys, lungs, thyroid gland, skin, joints, heart.
In the twentieth century, the treatment of patients was reduced to controlling the course of the pathology, ascertaining the presence of its deterioration, detecting the onset of life-threatening complications, and prescribing treatment that alleviates the signs of inflammation.

Over the past two decades, the treatment of the disease has advanced significantly. The therapy has changed. Its goal is to neutralize the virus in the early stages of infection. A number of circumstances are analyzed that are taken into account for the appointment of therapy: the duration of infection, the age of the patient, his gender, the presence of other diseases. The characteristics of the hepatitis C virus itself are considered: not all virus genotypes respond to therapy.
A favorable response to treatment is given by the following indicators:

• • • short period after infection;
    • absence of fibrosis and cirrhosis;
    • low levels of hepatitis C viruses in the blood;
    • genotypes 2 and 3;
    • female;
    • young age;
    • lack of obesity.

The choice of drugs, the duration of treatment depends on the genotype of the virus, the number of copies in 1 ml of blood. Sometimes a liver biopsy is needed.
An important factor for achieving a positive result of therapy is the desire of the patient to be cured. It is necessary to exclude the use of alcohol, normalize excess weight, correct metabolic processes in the body. This will slow the progression of the disease and increase the chances of success.

Viral hepatitis G

Viral hepatitis G is transmitted parenterally through its carriers and from patients with acute or chronic hepatitis G. Inflammation occurs in an asymptomatic form, is found in the blood and saliva. Risk factors are blood transfusion and intravenous drug use.
A characteristic feature of viral hepatitis G is a rare detection as a single infection. Most often it is registered with viruses B, C and D in acute and / or chronic form.
The disease is treated with interferon. The frequency of transition from acute to chronic varies from 2 to 9%.

Liver diseases resulting from intoxication of the body. alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic beverages and some of their decay products (acetaldehyde) poison the liver cells. An intensifying unfavorable factor may be a lack of protein and vitamins in the diet. The disease progresses in the following stages:

• • • fatty degeneration - alcoholic steatosis, an early stage of the disease;
    • tissue inflammation - acute and chronic hepatitis;
    • proliferation of connective tissue - fibrosis;
    • atrophy and degenerative changes in the gland - cirrhosis;
    • malignant tumor - hepatocellular carcinoma.

Even a short intake of alcoholic beverages forms fatty degeneration of the liver. The progression of the disease depends on individual susceptibility, body constitution and hereditary characteristics of the organism.

Fatty degeneration develops not only as a result of alcohol abuse, but also with various metabolic disorders: with an increased concentration of insulin in the blood plasma, flowing with excessive deposition of adipose tissue, with impaired breakdown and excretion of fats from the body, with type 2 diabetes.
Alcoholic liver disease is asymptomatic and is diagnosed when determining the state of chronic alcohol poisoning. Often, patients do not admit that they constantly take alcoholic beverages, fearing inattentive attitude towards themselves on the part of the medical staff, therefore, doctors have a certain method of clinical and laboratory signs for determining poisoning with alcoholic toxins, which makes it possible to establish the cause of organ damage - alcohol intake.

Clinical course of the disease

Fatty degeneration of the liver is characterized by an increase in its size. Pain is not felt, jaundice is usually absent. Sometimes discomfort is present on palpation. Laboratory tests do not show hepatic lesions. A biopsy of the gland can confirm the diagnosis, but is usually not done. A balanced diet for several weeks, avoiding alcohol eliminates steatosis.

If alcohol continues to poison the liver cells, the disease progresses to alcoholic hepatitis - inflammation followed by necrosis (death) of the cells. Fibrosis develops, which also proceeds without external symptoms of the lesion.

Taking ursodeoxycholic acid (Ursosan) at this stage will reduce and prevent liver toxicity. The effect is confirmed by studies in the fields of cardiology and oncology. An additional mild antidepressant effect is given by a drug that has proven itself in narcology, ademetionine (Heptral, the Russian counterpart is Heptor).

Alcohol experience from 5 to 15 years forms severe fibrosis or cirrhosis of the liver in 10-50% of patients with steatohepatitis.

The main signs of cirrhosis are increased pressure in the portal vein system detected by ultrasound, impaired liver function (liver failure). Additional signs of cirrhosis that may be complicated by bleeding:

• • • varicose veins of the esophagus and hemorrhoidal veins;
    • abdominal dropsy;
    • enlargement of the spleen.

Liver dysfunction is accompanied by the following hepatic signs: spider veins, redness of the palms, breast enlargement.
After a long alcoholic binge, jaundice may appear - acute alcoholic hepatitis. The defeat is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, temperature fluctuations, loss of appetite and an increase in the number of leukocytes. Acute alcoholic hepatitis is manifested, as a rule, with already formed cirrhosis and threatens the patient's life.

Liver diseases resulting from intoxication of the body. Drug-induced liver injury

Cirrhosis from drug poisoning is rare. And yet there are medicines (including those that are sold without a prescription) that are toxic to the gland and contribute to the development of its other chronic pathologies.
Most drugs are well absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and enter the liver, where they are converted into simpler components (metabolized) that are more easily excreted from the body.

About 1000 drugs - both well-studied and new - can damage the liver. The degree of toxicity can be different - from a slight increase in enzyme activity to inflammation and cirrhosis. The same drug causes different types of reactions.

When taking high doses of drugs, paracetamol, amiodarone, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, methotrexate, niacin, oral contraceptives, tetracycline can have a toxic effect on the liver. The toxicity of the drug increases with the simultaneous use of alcohol and other drugs. Liver damage caused by drugs with direct dose-dependent toxicity can usually be predicted and therefore easier to diagnose.
But much more often there are reactions of individual intolerance that cannot be predicted, and they appear much later after taking the tablets in the usual therapeutic doses - after 5 to 90 days. Most of these reactions occur in women - 70% of cases.

Drugs that have been reported to cause reactions include quinidine, oral contraceptives, diltiazem, sulfonamides, anabolic steroids, carbamazepine, isoniazid, diclofenac, venlafaxine, lovastatin, macrolides, chlorpromazine, tetracycline, methyldopa, methotrexate, amoxiclav, cyclosporine, and some others.

Drug intoxication can occur in different ways, but most drugs have a specific mechanism of action. Liver necrosis develops with intoxication with halothane and isoniazid, a decrease in bile flow in combination with hepatitis occurs when taking chlorpromazine and erythromycin. Mild jaundice can result from the drug-induced destruction of red blood cells. In this case, the liver does not become inflamed, and liver enzymes are produced normally.
There are no special external signs of drug intoxication of the liver. Treatment of a diseased organ affected by drugs is the urgent withdrawal of drugs that could cause damage. Usually, this is enough to restore the function of the gland in mild cases.

Liver disease in cardiovascular diseases

The main causes of liver damage in cardiovascular diseases are chronic heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, and shock states.
In chronic heart failure, the following clinical forms of liver damage are distinguished:

• • • congestive hepatopathy - stagnation of venous blood in the liver;
    • ischemic hepatitis - a decrease in the oxygen content in the gland;
    • cardiac fibrosis;
    • cirrhosis of the liver.

Symptoms of venous stasis - an increase in the size of the liver, the accumulation of free fluid in the abdominal cavity, an increase in the size of the spleen.
Venous congestion in 25 - 56% of cases develops ischemic hepatitis. Clinical signs of ischemic hepatitis:

• • • nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, malaise;
    • pain in the upper right sector of the abdomen;
    • jaundice.

The end stages of congestive liver damage are cardiac fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver.

autoimmune liver disease

Autoimmune diseases are caused by a malfunction of the immune system. Immune cells attack their own tissues, causing them to become inflamed and damaged. Autoimmune liver diseases include primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis.

autoimmune hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis is a progressive inflammation of the liver tissue, in which autoantibodies are formed to the structural components of the gland and an increased amount of immunoglobulins in the blood.

The causes of the disease are unknown. The disease develops after viral infection with hepatitis (A, B, C, D), human herpes virus type IV, chicken pox. Immune organ damage can develop after interferon therapy prescribed for viral hepatitis. There is also an opinion about the alleged development of an immune failure by the breakdown products of drugs (halothane, ticrinophen, isoniazid, alpha-methyldopa, diclofenac, dihydralazine), toxins, and some bacteria.
The disease is more common in women, at a young age (15 - 25 years) or during menopause. Pathology gradually progresses, often relapses. Manifestations range from mild elevation of liver enzymes to severe liver failure.
Clinical symptoms of the disease:

• • • jaundice, the degree of which gradually increases;
    • constant pain in the liver;
    • small and larger hemorrhages on the skin;
    • enlargement of the liver and spleen;
    • red palms;
    • spider veins;
    • prolonged rise in temperature is possible.

The pathological process is not limited to changes in the liver. Often there are symptoms of a systemic inflammatory process: swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, inflammation of muscle fibers, skin rashes. In 38% of patients, other immune diseases occur in parallel. Autoimmune hepatitis proceeds without symptoms, so in 25% of patients the diagnosis is established already at the stage of cirrhosis.
During the acute period of inflammation, patients are hospitalized to assess the severity of the process and limit the physical activity of the sick. The sooner treatment is started, the better.

Primary biliary cirrhosis of the liver

Primary biliary cirrhosis is a slowly progressive autoimmune pathology of the small bile ducts of the liver. The disease develops mainly in middle-aged women, more often during menopause.
The cause of the pathology is a prolonged violation of the outflow of bile from the liver, which is associated with disorders at different levels of the biliary system. In this case, a chronic inflammatory process takes place.
Signs of the disease:

• • • excruciating itching of the skin;
    • unexpressed jaundice;
    • possible pain and a feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
    • pain in the limbs;
    • weight loss progresses.

In the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis, ursodeoxycholic acid is prescribed for life. In 25 - 30% of patients, an improvement in liver function is noted. The achieved effect of therapy persists for 8-10 years.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a disease characterized by a chronic violation of the production of bile or its outflow associated with inflammation of the bile ducts.
Among men, the disease occurs twice as often. Pathology often debuts at the age of 25 - 45 years, but it also happens in young children. In most cases (70%), it occurs in parallel with ulcerative colitis, a chronic autoimmune inflammation of the colon mucosa.

The disease develops without symptoms, progresses. The first sign of the disease is changes in biochemical parameters in the blood serum - an increase in the activity of enzymes.
There is no effective therapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis. The appointment of ursodeoxycholic acid reduces the activity of the disease, improving biochemical parameters. Liver transplantation remains the most effective, but it does not exclude the recurrence of the disease.

Liver diseases associated with metabolic disorders

The primary form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the organic manifestations of a complex of metabolic, hormonal and clinical disorders associated with obesity.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is defined as a separate disease, but the pattern of liver damage in it is similar to intoxication with alcohol abuse: with an increase in excess fat deposition, the amount of free fatty acids in the liver increases. This forms inflammatory-necrotic processes in the organ. The disease can develop into cirrhosis, develop liver failure and liver cancer.

Pathology proceeds without any external signs, without making itself felt until the development of the final forms of liver damage. In the majority of patients, liver dysfunction is detected by chance.
The basis of therapy is the elimination or reduction of factors provoking the disease:

• • • diet change;
    • weight loss;
    • reduction of elevated levels of fats and glucose;
    • withdrawal of drugs that are potentially toxic to the liver.

The most effective treatment is gradual, moderate weight loss. Statins, lipid-lowering drugs, are used to lower cholesterol levels. Their safety and low toxicity have been confirmed by numerous controlled studies in tens of thousands of patients.

The liver is the factory of the human body, the largest gland that produces all the necessary nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals. She is responsible for the production of bile. This substance plays a role in the emulsification of fats entering the body and their absorption.

The body performs a cleansing function: it works like a filter, retaining poisons, dyes, harmful additives that enter the body with food and alcohol. Experts speak about the regenerative abilities of the liver with surprise: the organ is able to fully recover, remaining with 10% of its volume.

The liver is quite patient and is designed to serve for a period of a lifetime. It functions in a serious load mode (up to 1 million chemical reactions occur in 1 minute). Wrong lifestyle, frequent consumption of harmful products leads to liver disease.

Symptoms of liver disease

According to statistics, most often men turn to doctors with complaints about the liver. A person can detect symptoms both independently and by contacting a specialist. Classic signs of liver disorders:

• unpleasant taste in the mouth;
• asthenia, fatigue, irritability;
• pain in the abdominal cavity on the right;
• yellowing of the sclera of the eye, tongue, skin;
• the formation of bruises-stars on the skin;
• nosebleeds;
• changes in the color of feces, urine;
• nausea, vomiting, flatulence, stool problem;
• limb edema.

It is often said that the liver suffers silently. It has no pain receptors. But with a violation of its work and an increase in volume, the organ stretches the enveloping capsule and puts pressure on neighboring structures, which causes discomfort.

Jaundice is associated with a disorder of bile formation and an increase in the level of bilirubin in the blood. Hepato-diseases have a bad effect on the quality of blood clotting. This entails the formation of bruises, hematomas, bleeding. Violations of the liver also hit the gastrointestinal tract.

Important! Pain will not immediately alert you to the problem, because there are no pain receptors in the organ.

Diseases of organs working in conjunction with the liver will become background signs of disorders. The specialist will identify additional symptoms:

• dysfunction of the gallbladder (symptom of Courvoisier - an enlarged gallbladder is detected on palpation);
• violation of the digestive tract;
• pressure on the lower corner of the right shoulder blade causes discomfort;
• symptom of Pasternatsky (pain occurs when tapping the lumbar region).

Important! The liver is patient. It does not give warning "alarm bells". Symptoms are shown only in advanced cases.

Causes of liver disease

The liver is similar in structure to a sponge. This structure allows you to filter and purify the blood from toxic substances. The accumulation of harmful elements is the main factor in liver disorders. Causes of liver disease belong to the so-called. diseases of civilization

• uncontrolled use of drugs;
• poor quality food and water;
• malnutrition;
• overweight;
• viruses;
• wrong way of life;
• liver injury (chemical, physical, etc.).

25-35% is the figure of those who go to the doctor with a complaint about the liver due to alcohol consumption. The human body perceives alcohol as a poison. Once inside, alcohol through a series of intermediate stops (stomach, intestines) with the bloodstream undergoes detoxification and purification through the liver.

An overdose of alcohol causes liver disease. In case of their excessive use, liver cells (hepatocytes) die.

Important! An adult man can consume no more than 24 g of alcohol per day (60 ml of vodka, 90 ml of wine, 240 ml of beer). This figure is two times less for women.

A narrow specialist hepatologist deals with the liver. What methods does he use to diagnose diseases?

Polyhepatography detects liver disorders in time and makes it possible to assess the state of metabolism in the organ. This method allows you to compare the results of other studies:

• ultrasonic;
• computer;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• blood test for alpha-fetoprotein.

Hepatologists cooperate with gastroenterologists, surgeons, therapists in matters of liver disorders. If we are talking about hepatitis, then infectious disease specialists are involved in the treatment.

In children

Frequent liver disease in children is associated with Hepatitis A. It is transmitted between children in violation of hygiene standards. It proceeds easily with symptoms of a cold. Hepatitis B causes complications in children. Experts advise conducting medical examinations for a sick child, thereby ensuring his round-the-clock supervision.

Hepatitis

Diseases in which viruses multiply exclusively in liver cells (hepatocytes) are called viral hepatitis. Cause inflammation of the body. Classic symptoms:

• temperature rise;
• dark feces;
• light urine;
• jaundice.

Hepatitis A (Botkin's disease) belongs to the category of "dirty hands" diseases, that is, it is of a contact nature. Occurs with an infectious lesion of the organ, proceeds in an anicteric form, without consequences, quickly ends. There are no subjective symptoms, it is revealed only during the examination. In adulthood, it is difficult to tolerate.

Important! A person is able to independently develop immunity against hepatitis A, having been ill with it once.

Hepatitis B is transmitted through the blood. The disease drags on for a long time, leads to serious consequences (cirrhosis, cancer). In adults it is easier than in children. It is more likely to get infected with this type of hepatitis due to the low infectious dose required to start the disease. It is transmitted through household and sexual contacts. One carrier of the virus infects the whole family within a year.

Important! One third of the world's population is a carrier of the hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis C is transmitted, like hepatitis B, through the blood-sexual route. The infectious dose is higher than that of hepatitis B, that is, it is more difficult for them to get sick. The disease proceeds latently, suddenly manifesting itself as sharp complications. Leads to fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The percentage of patients is less. It has the character of a chronic infection.

Important! Not transmitted by contact: through kisses, handshakes, hugs, etc.

Hepatitis E is a more severe type of hepatitis A. It develops against the background of lack of hygienic conditions, violation of sanitary standards. The disease requires an increased infectious dose.

Important! Hepatitis E is common in Southeast Asia.

Hepatitis D develops only against the background of hepatitis B. A malignant form of the disease with a high probability of ending in death.

cirrhosis

In this disease, liver cells, hepatocytes, die, leaving useless connective tissue in their place. This is the last stage of many liver lesions. Main reasons:

• alcohol;
• virus;
• fat loss.

The main reason is the abuse of alcohol, which does not allow the liver to recover. The other half go into cirrhosis from advanced hepatitis. Against the background of classical symptoms, it manifests itself in the later stages.

Destruction of liver tissue occurs. The body shrinks, ceasing to process body toxins.

Important! There are no reliable statistics on liver cirrhosis in Russia. It is possible that more people die from it than doctors believe.

Liver failure

Applies to any age. With this disease, the liver loses the functionality of its cells. Accompanied by encephalopathy (impaired brain function). Doctors classify this disease according to the time it takes to develop:

• hyperacute (7 days);
• acute (7-21 days);
• subacute (from 21 days to 26 weeks).

Every fifth appeal to a specialist leaves the question of the pathogenesis and causes of the disease unanswered. Can lead to liver failure:

• trauma;
• drug damage;
• chemical damage;
• viral hepatitis.

Faced with this pathology, the liver is affected completely, less often in isolation. Leads to necrosis, steatosis, inflammation of the organ.

Important! The disease is accompanied by emotional depression.

The disease is terrible by the suddenness of its appearance. She is asymptomatic. Pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen appear even when the tumor has grown in size. Patients often end up in the hospital with inoperable cancer.

There is a risk group, which includes patients with hepatitis B, C, liver cirrhosis. By undergoing annual examinations, these people will be able to prevent the onset of cancer. And when it occurs, get rid of the disease surgically.

Important! Cancer can develop in the liver both initially and be a metastasis from a neighboring organ.

liver cyst

A liver cyst is characterized by the presence of a fluid-filled cavity in the liver. Specialists tend to see in such cavities inside the organ the bile ducts that have worked out their own, but not overgrown, growing with the body.

Important! Most often, women aged 40-50 years old experience this disease.

There are no symptoms. Detected by ultrasound. The doctor sends the patient to a specialized clinic to clarify the issue of the tumor nature of the cyst. It often signals more serious illnesses.

The cyst is not inherited, but with the polycystic nature of the disease (the formation of a large number of cavities), a tendency to the disease is transmitted to children.

Important! A liver cyst never develops into cancer.

In the liver there are passages that merge into ducts through which bile flows to the gallbladder. It is secreted at each meal and enters the intestines to dissolve the fats received from food.

The nature of the disease is autoimmune, that is, the body itself attacks the ducts, deforming them, inflaming them and causing a violation of the movement of bile. The fluid stagnates, leading to the death of the liver tissue.

Of the symptoms noted:

• pain in the right hypochondrium,
• general weakness,
• yellowing of the sclera of the eye and skin,
• discoloration of feces and urine.

Important! With cholangitis, the bile ducts narrow and become sclerotic. This can lead to cirrhosis.

Hepatosis

Fatty liver cells. A common problem among overweight people. Alcohol intoxication exacerbates the course of the disease.

The metabolic process that occurs in the body is disrupted. Hepatocytes cease to perform their function, die, leaving behind connective tissue. Pathological changes occur at the cellular level, which leads to the degradation of the organ:

• increase;
• loss of pigmentation;
• cyst formation.

The patient's complaints are associated with mild heaviness, murmur in the intestinal area, flatulence and slight liquefaction of the stool. After a biochemical blood test and an ultrasound examination, the specialist more accurately determines the degree of liver fibrosis. And fibrogatroscopy is performed to exclude esophageal varicose veins from the list of causes of the disease.

Important! Omission of the disease will lead to death.

Treatment of liver diseases

"Healthy people do not exist, there are only underexamined." This adage applies to people with liver disease. Hiding behind the absence of symptoms, organ disorders often have to be treated in the later stages.

Medical

Traditionally, in the treatment of all liver ailments, specialists use hepatoprotective drugs. They are classified according to their origin:

• vegetable (silymarin, allochol, carsil);
• animals (sirepar, hepatosan);
• synthetic (ACC, ursodeoxycholic acid);
• amino acids (methionine, ademetionine, ornithine);
• phospholipids (essentiale, phosphogliv, essliver);
• vitamins (B, E, lipoic acid).

When developing these drugs, doctors adhere to the principles of preserving the natural base, reducing impurities, flavors, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The drugs restore liver cells, normalize lipid metabolism, lower cholesterol levels.

Important! If instead of medical treatment you decide to seek help from dietary supplements (BAA), remember that they do not always have the claimed effect. Rely on your doctor's advice.

Of particular note are the following diseases.

Crayfish

To combat liver cancer, a group of "targeted" drugs have been developed that have minimal side effects.

Appeal to the centers of early diagnosis of the tumor, allows you to minimize surgical intervention. The destruction of small tumor nodes (up to 3 cm) by high-frequency electricity is carried out without surgery. Cancer is a protein formation, which during this procedure will be literally cooked. After that, the body itself gets rid of the remnants of a malignant tumor.

In transarterial chemoembolization, the tumor is deprived of its blood supply. Through the artery of the liver, a drug with an embolus is injected into the vessel supplying the tumor. This tactic minimizes the spread of cancer.

Hepatitis

The success of hepatitis treatment depends on the person's genotype (I-50%, II and III-80%). The patient is undergoing drug therapy. He is prescribed drugs interferon (protein to fight the virus) and riboverin (enhancing the effect of interferon). Antibiotics (neomycin, vancomycin) are used in combination.

Therapy continues for 24 weeks. There are side effects (depression, sleep disturbance, appetite). They are temporary, end with treatment.

cirrhosis

In advanced cases, a radical method is used - organ transplantation. A new technique is being developed - stem cell treatment, which will replace the dead liver tissue.

Cyst

A cyst measuring 4-5 cm does not require surgery. From 5 cm, the cyst must be removed surgically. Drainage is in progress. There is no medical treatment.

Inflammation of the bile ducts in the liver requires surgical intervention. There is an endoscopic expansion of the channels to ensure the uninterrupted flow of bile.

Hepatosis

With it, the doctor prescribes a mandatory diet, excluding:

• alcohol;
• coffee;
• carbonated drinks;
• fatty food;
• fast carbohydrates (bread, sweet);
• spicy and salty foods.

The patient's menu includes dietary meat, bran, vegetables, fruits, cereals, seafood, and delicate dairy products. The therapy is carried out in combination with hepatoprotectors.

Treatment at home

A person is able to independently approach the treatment of the liver. In such cases, we often hear the phrase "liver cleanse". As you work on this, remember that you are dealing with a whimsical organ. What can make him happy?

• balanced protein diet;
• the use of vitamins;
• reducing the load on the body (reducing fatty foods and alcohol).

One common detox program is to buy and take Allohol herbal pills. Every day for 10 days in the morning, afternoon and evening before or after meals, drink 1-6 tablets. Increase the dose of the medicine from 1 to 7, so that on average you drink a course of 24 tablets per day. The therapy opens the bile ducts, making it easier for the liver to work.

Important! Allohol lowers blood pressure. Stock up on a blood pressure monitor and a cup of coffee.

Cleansing with oils is also aimed at unloading the liver from toxins. This procedure is carried out at any age all year round. This is a long process that creates conditions for self-purification of the liver. All you need is vegetable oil. In the morning, the mouth is rinsed and a small amount of oil (5 g) is ingested. Add oil to food or consume it separately before each meal. Apply oil enemas. Such a diet will lead to a choleretic effect, which will have a beneficial effect on the liver.

Liver cleansing is effective in combination with gastrointestinal lavages. Use both rough methods (enemas) and more gentle ones (1 tablespoon of magnesia per glass of boiled water diluted with the juice of one lemon).

Important! Carry out cleansing under the supervision of a physician. There is a risk of disrupting the systems associated with the liver: gallbladder, intestines, kidneys.

Treatment with folk remedies

Drug therapy of the liver leads to the appearance of side effects. This fact creates a tendency for hepato-patients to turn to folk remedies for help.

Exercises

The vagaries of the liver can be soothed by exercise. There is a respiratory system aimed at enriching the body with oxygen. In addition, with this approach, his massage takes place. So, with diaphragmatic breathing, a person concentrates not on the expansion of the chest, but on the navel. Make sure your belly rises as you inhale. Help with your hands by applying reasonable pressure to the liver area and making glancing blows. It is best to do this exercise while lying on your back.

Important! In the presence of stones in the bile duct, exercises of this kind are contraindicated.

Products

Persimmon is actively used in the treatment of the liver. Thanks to the fiber and sugars contained in it, the body is protected from toxic overload. The coarse fibers of the berry remove toxic substances from the body.

Dereza common or goji berry removes excess fat from liver cells.

The complex of active substances-flavonoids contained in buckwheat does not allow blood vessels and liver cells to collapse. Therefore, products based on it help against cirrhosis and fibrosis.

Herbs

The following herbs have a beneficial effect on the body:

• immortelle;
• agrimony;
• chicory;
• yarrow;
• arnica;
• horsetail;
• sage.

Drink infusions of these herbs. Brew like tea. Take a third cup three times a day for a month. The collection has a preventive effect on cholelithiasis, cirrhosis and hepatitis.

Prevention

Regular visits to the doctor can help prevent liver disease. Even if the body does not hurt, this does not mean that it is healthy. An annual visit to a specialist will identify diseases in the early stages, which will facilitate their subsequent treatment.

Doctors advise taking hepatoprotectors. They are good in both treatment and prevention. Resolut remains a popular drug. It will protect against alcohol damage, lower cholesterol.

Improvement of the liver begins with streamlining the mode of life and nutrition. A person can reduce the load on the liver as follows:

• lose weight
• cut down on fatty foods and alcohol;
• fight a sedentary lifestyle;
• limit the uncontrolled use of drugs;
• beware of viruses;
• with age, be observed by a specialist;
• donate blood for biochemical analysis.

Take care of strengthening your immunity: get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B viruses. Get comprehensive vaccinations. At the birth of a child, experts suggest vaccinating even in the hospital.

Cirrhosis of the liver is a degenerative disease in which healthy cells of the organ die and are replaced by scars that can completely reduce the performance of the organ. The liver plays an important role in...

Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious disease characterized by destruction of the liver. The tissues of this organ are subjected to destructive action, as a result of which nodular formations and scars appear. causes of cirrhosis...

Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious disease that is characterized by damage to this organ. Its tissues are destroyed, instead of them specific nodes and scars are formed. The disease has 4 stages, ...

All organs are important in their own way, but there are also those without which a person simply cannot exist. The liver is one of the main "elements" of the body, it performs many useful functions. Given the strong load, this body often suffers from inflammatory processes of varying severity. Symptoms of liver disease depend on the specific type of ailment and its stage. Today, cirrhosis, hepatitis, toxic lesions, and stone formation are often diagnosed. The symptoms of these diseases vary. If the liver hurts, what symptoms are observed in a person?

What are the symptoms of liver disease

There are common symptoms of liver disease:

• painful, aching sensations under the ribs, which are aggravated by physical exertion, eating fried, spicy, fatty foods;
• nausea, vomiting;
• significant deterioration in appetite;
• severe heartburn, frequent belching;
• lethargy, weakness, decreased performance.

The first signs of a diseased liver

Signs of a diseased liver in a woman and a man have some distinctive features. In general, the disease in both sexes proceeds in the same way. Symptoms are divided into internal and external manifestations of hepatic inflammation. Internal signs:

• sharp pain on the right side under the ribs;
• disruptions in digestion;
• an increase in the abdominal cavity;
• nausea;
• hair loss;
• dark urine;
• the appearance of a feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium, which is preceded by the absorption of fried, spicy food with a high content of calories.

External symptoms of a diseased liver, which can be seen in the photo, appear on the skin:

• jaundice: the mucous membranes and skin acquire a yellowish unhealthy tint that is visible to the naked eye;
• rashes, itching;
• psoriasis, eczema: spots, with a rough surface, which occur mainly on the head and upper body.

Liver diseases and their symptoms

Liver ailments is a large list of diseases that differ in causes and symptoms. In this article, lesions of an important organ, which are more common than other ailments, will be considered. Let's talk about the symptoms of liver disease in hepatitis, cirrhosis, toxic ailments, the formation of stones. If there are signs that indicate liver problems, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Cirrhosis of the liver in men and women

Hepatic cirrhosis refers to extensive lesions, due to which healthy tissues atrophy, gradually turning into cicatricial ones. Due to such a replacement, nodes of different sizes are formed, which significantly modify the structure of the “filtering” organ. Men get sick much more often than the fair sex. What are the symptoms of cirrhosis of the liver - this question is of interest to many. These include:

• the first signs of liver cirrhosis are yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, as well as rapid weight loss against the background of a decrease in appetite;
• severe weakness, increased fatigue, drowsiness;
• the appearance on the skin of "stars" from the vessels, which turn pale when pressed;
• skin itching, worse at night;
• dark yellow urine;
• frequent bruising on the skin;
• how the liver hurts with cirrhosis: sharp, severe pains are felt under the ribs on the right side of the body;
• symptoms of liver disease in women are complemented by dysfunction of the menstrual cycle, in men - impotence.

Toxic defeat

The complex of diseases associated with the damaging effects of various factors is toxic liver damage. Substances that cause poisoning can be drugs, household chemicals, foods (for example, mushrooms), radiation, and so on. Due to the influence of the factors described above, changes are observed that become a catalyst for disrupting the proper functioning of the liver and can lead to failure. Liver problems of this nature are characterized by signs combined into syndromes. Varieties of hepatic intoxication syndromes:

1. Cytolysis - failure of the permeability of hepatocyte walls, liver cells die with prolonged exposure to toxic substances. Signs:

• the activity of AST, ALT, LDH enzymes increases;
• the amount of vitamin B and iron in the blood changes.

1. Cholestatic syndrome is characterized by an interruption in the flow of the required amount of bile into the intestinal system. Symptoms:

• the liver is enlarged;
• irritation, itching appears on the skin;
• urine darkens, feces lighten;
• yellow skin, eye mucosa, saliva;
• aggravated general well-being.

1. Signs of dyspeptic syndrome:

• pain in the abdomen, under the ribs, near the pancreas, bloating;
• nausea, vomiting;
• loss of appetite;
• enlargement of the liver.

1. The specificity of hepatocellular insufficiency is as follows:

• the appearance of "stars" on the skin;
• redness of the face, hands, or feet;
• jaundice;
• expansion of the salivary glands;
• in men, there is an increase in adipose tissue, testicular atrophy, erectile dysfunction and breast enlargement;
• white dots on the nails;
• bruising;
• curvature of the tendons in the arms.

1. Hepatargia is a severe stage of liver failure that affects the functioning of the central nervous system and the brain. Hepatargia can manifest itself as follows:

• various mental disorders;
• peculiar, bad breath;
• coma.

stones

The appearance of stones is considered a consequence of cholelithiasis. Signs of this type of malaise do not manifest themselves over a long period, up to 2-3 years. Symptoms of liver disease, which is caused by the formation of stones, include the following manifestations:

• hepatic colic, often occurring when stones move along the path of the gallbladder capillaries or inflammation of the ducts;
• feeling of dryness in the oral cavity;
• nausea;
• stool disorders (constipation);
• darkening of urine, feces become light, acquire a sour smell;
• a yellowish coating appears on the tongue;
• restlessness, pain in the region of the heart, convulsions may occur periodically.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis of various types are ailments that primarily affect the human liver, leading to inflammation in the organ. There are three groups of hepatitis:

• viral diseases: A, B, C, D, E, F;
• toxic hepatitis;
• autoimmune.

All common signs of liver damage by any type of hepatitis are classified into early and late manifestations of the disease. Optional, the first symptoms of hepatitis:

• temperature rise;
• pain under the ribs on the right;
• the appearance of rashes on the skin;
• loss of appetite;
• pain and aches in the joints, severe weakness.

Later signs of inflammation of the liver:

• jaundice;
• clear darkening of urine;
• lightening, sometimes complete discoloration of feces;
• nausea, vomiting;

Which doctor to contact if the liver hurts

If the above symptoms associated with liver diseases are observed, then it is necessary to undergo a mandatory examination by specialists. It is necessary to seek help from a therapist, talk with a gastroenterologist and a surgeon. It is also worth visiting the main specialist in hepatic ailments - a hepatologist. The therapist conducts a general examination and, if necessary, writes out referrals for tests and other doctors.

A gastroenterologist deals with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the work of the digestive system. He prescribes therapeutic measures when a patient is diagnosed with cirrhosis and abscess in the liver, hepatitis B and C. The hepatologist has a narrow specialization, is responsible for the functioning of the liver, the rehabilitation period after organ transplantation. Sometimes the therapist recommends visiting an oncologist who can determine liver cancer, advanced stage cirrhosis.

Video about alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver

The inflammatory process, often caused by excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, needs mandatory treatment. An advanced form of cirrhosis can lead to serious consequences and even death. After watching the video, you can learn about the full symptoms, the main causes of the disease, the diagnosis of cirrhosis and how to treat it.

Attention! The information provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give recommendations for treatment, based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Signs of liver disease

The liver is one of the most important organs of the human body. All blood passes through it, it is involved in metabolic processes, the synthesis of hormones, enzymes and bile. Therefore, any liver disease negatively affects other organs and systems.

There are a large number of different pathologies of the liver, but many of them are hidden, without specific symptoms, and it is not always possible to suspect the presence of the disease until it passes into a severe stage. Therefore, it is extremely important to respond to even the most minor disturbances in the body.

Violations in the liver and its structure affect all organs and systems of the human body. But even experienced doctors don't always find a link between liver disease and bowel problems, mood changes, or skin problems. And only after a complete examination, the primary source of the disease is revealed.

Viral hepatitis is considered the most common liver disease. Their symptoms very often resemble SARS or influenza: the temperature rises, the head hurts, there is a feeling of nausea, sometimes vomiting.

With the progression of the process, pain occurs in the right hypochondrium, the skin and sclera of the eyes turn yellow, skin itching begins to torment. Against the background of hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver often develops, but it can also be an independent disease. The symptoms of hepatitis and cirrhosis are very similar, but with cirrhosis they become more pronounced and more disturbing to the patient.

Often there is such a disease as fatty degeneration of the liver - fatty hepatosis. The acute form of the disease begins with symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, heartburn, abdominal pain, weakness. In almost all cases, there is mild or severe jaundice. In the future, ulcers form in the stomach and esophagus, which causes vomiting with blood impurities. Various skin rashes, blurred vision, bloating, and impaired coordination may occur.

Benign and malignant tumors in the liver usually develop without any special manifestations. Symptoms appear with extensive lesions, when the neoplasm greatly increases in size. You can suspect the presence of the disease by increased fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, but few people pay attention to these symptoms.

Against the background of some diseases, purulent inflammation develops in the liver cavity - an abscess. Its symptoms resemble hepatitis or cirrhosis:

1. Feverish state.
2. Jaundice.
3. Pain under right rib.
4. Appetite disturbance.
5. Sudden weight loss.
6. Signs of intoxication.

In general, it can be said that almost all liver diseases have similar signs, especially at the initial stage. Symptoms of liver diseases are divided into two groups - hepatic and extrahepatic (Table 1).

Table 1 - Manifestations of disorders in the liver

Very often, extrahepatic manifestations are considered independent diseases and remain without proper treatment. Therefore, it is very important to examine not only the diseased organ or system, but the whole organism as a whole in order to make the correct diagnosis.

Features of manifestation in men and women

There are some features of the development of liver diseases in men and women (Table 2).

It has been proven that the female body is more prone to liver diseases due to the use of oral contraceptives, hormonal changes, displacement of internal organs during pregnancy.

But liver disease is still more common in men due to a tendency to bad habits, malnutrition and promiscuity, provoking infection with hepatitis. Also, most experts believe that the symptoms of diseases in men and women can occur with different symptoms.

General symptoms:

1. Heaviness, discomfort and pain under the right rib.
2. Jaundice.
3. Temperature rise.
4. Skin itching.
5. Dyspeptic disorders.
6. Constant fatigue.
7. Irritability.

Table 2 - Comparison table of symptoms depending on gender

Meaning	Men	Women
First signs	Increased fatigue. Vertigo. Insomnia. Bitterness and bad smell in the mouth. Decreased appetite. Spasms in the gastrointestinal tract after fatty foods.	Constant fatigue, decreased performance. Constant desire to sleep, but unable to sleep. Headache. Forgetfulness. Depression. Regular rise in temperature.
Symptoms of disease progression	Apathy. Drowsiness or insomnia. Hyperpigmentation or redness of the skin. Flabbiness of the skin. "Spherical" belly. Decreased protein in the blood. Increasing iron levels.	Bad smell and bitterness in the mouth. Hypertension. A sharp decrease or increase in body weight. development of varicose veins. Nausea and vomiting. Vertigo. Violation of the menstrual cycle. Uterine bleeding. endocrine disorders. Decreased appetite. Slow protein release. Elevated cholesterol.
external symptoms	Creases between the eyebrows. Hyperpigmentation of the face. Jaundice of sclera with whitish spots. The smell of acetone from the mouth. White-yellow coating on the tongue. A strong increase in the abdomen in size.	Puffiness. Damaged hair and nails. Cellulite. Pigmentation disorders on the body (more often - vitiligo). Dry skin, cracks. Raspberry color of the tongue, and immediately after sleep - with a touch of green.

The table shows that the symptoms in men and women with liver diseases are approximately the same, but some signs appear earlier in men, and vice versa. This table shows average data, because the symptoms depend not only on the stage of the disease, but also on its cause, as well as the condition of the patient's body.

Expert opinion:“Symptoms of one disease, at the same stage with the same test results, are different in each patient. One may not be aware of his illness, the other will be tormented by a variety of symptoms.

First signs

Very rarely, liver diseases develop with pronounced clinical signs, so most of the disease is diagnosed when extensive lesions develop in the liver in the liver tissues, complications join, and the organ does not cope with the functions assigned to it. Therefore, even minor signs should not be ignored and require examination - this way you can not only prevent severe liver damage, but also avoid death.

Experienced specialists know that the skin reflects the state of the patient's body, so an external examination is necessary, especially if there are complaints about the liver. The patient can independently determine that something is wrong with his liver by the following manifestations:

Very often, these signs appear before all the others, but many patients do not pay attention to them, and the disease continues to progress and cause other symptoms:

1. Dyspeptic disorders.
2. Irritability, depression, decreased performance, poor sleep, absent-mindedness.
3. Skin itching.
4. Discomfort and pain in the abdomen.
5. Temperature rise.

Sometimes the symptoms of the disease are so obvious that the patient can notice them on their own:

People with a diseased liver constantly feel tired, want to sleep, and cannot work in their usual mode. People around notice their mood swings, depression, irritability. Self-diagnosis does not give a 100% result. If 2 or more symptoms are found, it is necessary to visit a doctor as soon as possible and undergo an examination.

Nikolai writes: “At the medical examination, they accidentally discovered heart problems and drank various drugs for more than a year. I recently did an ultrasound of the digestive tract. According to the results - an increase in the liver, signs of fatty degeneration, a violation of the vascular pattern.

The doctor said that this is a consequence of heart disease and long-term use of pills. The most interesting thing is that nothing bothers me, the appetite is normal, there is no pain, the skin is not yellow, although everywhere they write that the symptoms should already be.

Symptoms of slagging of the liver

The liver is the largest gland in the human body and performs several hundred different functions. In order for the body to work stably, toxins and other substances harmful to the body should not accumulate in it. But with a modern lifestyle, it is very difficult to ensure the correct and stable functioning of the liver due to the strong slagging.

It is very simple to determine that the liver is full of metabolic products - just listen to the body and look in the mirror. Signs of slagging of the liver:

With such symptoms, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he can prescribe how to properly cleanse the liver of slagging without harming the body. Self-cleansing is not recommended, as these signs may indicate the presence of serious problems with the liver..

How to identify complications?

Like any disease, liver pathologies are often accompanied by life-threatening complications. Sometimes patients do not know about their diseases until severe consequences develop, so it is important to know what symptoms accompany complications in order to start their treatment in a timely manner.

The main complications and their symptoms:

Hepatic pathologies are dangerous because they often occur without severe symptoms. Therefore, people prone to liver damage and at risk of developing such diseases need to visit a doctor once a year and undergo examinations.

Diagnostic methods

If symptoms of liver disease appear, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible, as some diseases develop very rapidly. Based on complaints and examination of the patient, the patient is assigned to undergo laboratory and instrumental diagnostics in order to identify what abnormalities have developed in the liver, the type, size and localization of the pathological process.

The very first studies are a general blood test, a general urinalysis, a blood test for viruses and biochemistry. What indicators of biochemical analysis are important:

It is on these indicators that the primary diagnosis is based, and if the results deviate from the norm, a repeated and more in-depth examination is prescribed.

Instrumental Methods:

1. Ultrasound of the liver + fibroscan.
2. Laparoscopy.
3. Elastometry and elastography.
4. MRI and CT.
5. X-ray studies.
6. Scintigraphy.
7. Biopsy.

Only the attending physician, who has all the data on hand, can decipher the results of the examination. It is impossible to make a diagnosis using only one study - many hepatic pathologies have the same clinical signs, and even in the results of the analyzes, there may be a similarity of data.

Nadezhda writes: “A year ago I began to feel constant weakness, indifference to everything, nausea. At the doctor's appointment, she was diagnosed with vegetovascular dystonia, a neurologist and a psychiatrist confirmed the diagnosis. I took both nootropics and antidepressants, nothing helped, and some pills only made it worse.

They appointed me to take tests, when I started itching wildly, it turned out that I had high bilirubin, ALT and AST. The cause has not yet been found out, but the doctor said it was liver problems. Looking forward to other results."

The main signs of liver pathologies occur in many people, but not everyone pays attention to them in a timely manner and end up in the hospital with severe complications. Doctors recommend that you pay close attention to your health - it is better to visit a doctor on time and quickly treat the disease at an early stage than to subsequently suffer from serious consequences.