Fatty Liver

Fatty liver is liver with buildup of fat in the liver cells. Although it can be benign (i.e. harmless), sometimes it may contribute to the development of more serious liver conditions, such as inflammation (hepatitis) and scarring of liver tissue (cirrhosis).

One of the causes of fatty liver could is alcohol consumption. It can occur with inflammation or liver cell damage. There is also a possibility of getting this problem without alcohol with the main causes being obesity and diabetes. Other causes may include pregnancy and medications such as corticosteroids.

Although fatty liver often produces no symptoms sometimes symptoms like fatigue, malaise or abdominal tenderness could be apparent. When fatty liver develops into a more serious condition, symptoms may include jaundice, weight loss and swelling (edema) in the legs and feet.

Treatment of fatty liver includes abstinence from alcohol losing weight with exercise. However, any cell death or scarring that results from untreated fatty liver disease is permanent and can impair liver function if severe (e.g., cirrhosis). Supplements such as vitamins E and C, milk thistle and omega-3 fatty acids could also help.

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms of liver cancer:

Fatigue,Mild fever, A yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice), Muscle or joint aches, Nausea, Dark colored urine, Vomiting, Loss of appetite, Abdominal pain or swelling.

Liver Disease Symptoms

Whether it is a disease of the gall bladder or the liver itself, jaundice is one of the main symptoms of liver disease. When the skin becomes jaundiced, there is most likely an issue with the Liver or Gall Bladder. Jaundice can either turn the skin yellow or orange depending on the type.

The whites of the eyes often turn yellow. Jaundice is the result of the liver not properly breaking down old blood and transforming it into bile. It is important to consult medical doctor to identify if the jaundice is being caused by acute hepatitis or severe infection in the gall bladder. Symptoms could last several weeks and they could include the following:

1) Flu like symptoms
2) Light coloured stool
3) Yellowing of the skin and eyes
4) Dark urine
5) Extreme fatigue
6) Nausea
7) Vomiting and abdominal pain

One should also take note that a Chronic Active carrier could continue to damage the liver. Symptoms of chronic liver disease include malaise, weight loss, loss of appetites, and often jaundice. Although passive carriers show no symptoms, they could infect others. Milk thistle is traditionally recommended by health care providers for chronic liver disease.

Risk factors of liver cancer

Factors that increase the risk of developing primary liver cancer include the following:

1) Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. There are different types of hepatitis caused by different virus i.e. A, B, C, D, E and G. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are responsible for most cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis A does not increase your risk of developing liver cancer.

2) Cirrhosis, which is the scarring of liver cells that has several causes. In the United States, the most common causes of cirrhosis are hepatitis C and drinking too much alcohol. Fifty percent to 70% of liver cancers in the United States are associated with cirrhosis.

3) Direct contact with vinyl chloride (polyvinyl chloride or PVC)

4) Exposure to arsenic, a chemical used as a wood preservative, herbicide, insecticide, and in manufacturing some glass and metallic alloys. Some drinking water is contaminated by arsenic. It also exists in natural mineral deposits.

5) Anabolic steroids, which are male hormones used to treat certain conditions, and are sometimes used illegally by athletes to enhance performance. Long-term use may slightly increase the risk of liver cancer.