Alcoholic Liver - How To Treat It

Studies have shown that moderate consumption of alcohol has healthy benefits to the body, but with like most things, too much of a good thing can be harmful. The most common alcohol related disease is cirrhosis or alcoholic liver. This can include alcoholic hepatitis, liver inflammation, hepatitis, fever, jaundice and abdominal pain. In this article, we'll review the causes and symptoms of this life threatening illness and how it is treated.

As the name indicates, an alcoholic liver occurs when the organ is damaged and its functions are diminished due to alcohol abuse. Alcoholic liver disease usually occurs after years of excessive drinking. Almost all ingested alcohol is metabolized in the liver and excessive alcohol use can lead to acute and chronic liver disease. Liver cirrhosis resulting from alcohol abuse is one of the ten leading causes of death in the United States. From data obtained in autopsy studies, it appears that between 10% and 15% of alcoholics had cirrhosis at the time of death.

The symptoms of liver disease due to alcohol can vary according to the individual. Changes start in the liver as inflammation (hepatitis) and lead to fatty liver and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the final phase of alcoholic liver disease. Symptoms may not be present until the disease is advanced, and may include abdominal pain and tenderness, dry mouth and excessive thirst, fatigue, fever, jaundice, loss of appetite, mental confusion and nausea. Some patients also exhibit abnormally dark or light skin, dark bowel movements, breast development in males, redness on feet or hands and lethargic movement. Symptoms vary based on the severity of the disease and usually worsens after a period of heavy drinking.

Early recognition is important since an alcoholic fatty liver responds to alcohol withdrawal and a nutritious diet. Patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis should be admitted to hospital and complications of liver failure treated appropriately. These patients usually have significant metabolic abnormalities that have to be corrected. Hyperglycemia is a common manifestation of chronic liver disease because of insulin resistance. Cirrhosis is an irreversible process, and therapy is directed at the complications of liver failure and portal hypertension. An organ transplant is a treatment option for patients with end-stage alcoholic cirrhosis. However, liver transplantation is a reasonable option in patients with alcoholic liver disease providing there is prolonged abstinence (at least six months), good social supports and no evidence of severe damage to other organs due to alcoholism.

Most doctors recommend a drastic change in lifestyle when they are treating someone with alcoholism. Studies have shown that abstaining from alcohol and adhering to a healthy diet can greatly benefit patients. While the level of recovery is dependent on the stage of liver disease, patients who make these changes do experience a greatly improved quality of life. With a strong support system, they can live healthy, alcohol-free lives.

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Hepatitis C Symptoms

During the acute phase, the disease is mild and many people do not have hepatitis C symptoms. Only 25% of persons will appear jaundiced during this phase.