Cysts on Liver

Meredith has been sleepless for two nights. The reason being, that she has been suffering from acute abdominal pain since the last two days, making it impossible for her to sleep. It was only when her husband, John took her to the doctor, that they were able to know that Meredith has developed a small cyst on the upper part of the liver. She is going to have CT scan next week. The couple was concerned about the health. However, the doctor assured them liver cysts do not cause any harm and they can be cured easily. After few weeks, the doctor treated her liver cysts and she was able to get rid of her fear."

Like Meredith, many patients worry about one question: 'Are cysts on liver dangerous?' Well, the good news is, that liver cysts are not at all dangerous. Let's know what are cysts. Generally, cysts are defined as the closed sac like structures, that may or may not contain mucus. Cysts are very common in the body and they can develop on any part of the body, irrespective of the age and gender. The contents of cysts may include some gaseous, liquid or semi solid discharge. Cysts can be of various shapes. In extreme cases, the cysts can grow so large, that they can cover the whole tissue where they are formed. Cysts on liver is one of the most common forms of cyst, that affects the humans. Liver cysts usually range from a size of 2mm to 20cm.

Symptoms
As such there are no symptoms of liver cysts. Almost 95% of the cases of cysts on liver never show any symptoms. However, if the liver cysts have grown into a big size, then it may show certain symptoms. The most commonly observed symptoms of liver cyst is the abdominal pain. Yes, pain in the abdomen is mostly observed in people suffering from liver cysts. For some, the pain is very sharp while for some, it may occur in short intervals of time. There have been cases when the person feels sharp pain in the shoulders or upper right side of the abdomen, which can be an indication of bleeding of the liver cyst. A generally rare condition is the swelling in the liver, that causes discomfort to the person. Here is a list of some more possible symptoms of cysts on liver:

• The cysts erupt leading to bleeding and severe pain.
• Nausea and dizziness.
• Problems of the bile ducts.
• Enlargement of the liver.

Causes
The causes of simple cysts or liver cysts is not exactly known. However, medical experts say that liver cysts arise when cells of a certain part of the liver die or degenerate. This can possibly be due to poor lifestyle and unhealthy habits. Many people have a question in their mind, if liver cyst and alcohol have some connection. As said earlier, liver cysts are benign and they are not related to consuming of alcohol, however, it is advised not to consume too much alcohol as it has various other negative health benefits. Liver cysts as such are not categorized as diseases, because they never cause a problem to the liver function. However, if the pain and discomfort caused by the cysts increase, it should be taken care of. Health experts also believe, that various liver diseases can cause liver cysts. Polycystic liver disease, liver cancer, Caroli's diseases, Choledochal cysts and other liver diseases are believed to cause liver cysts.

Diagnosis and Treatment
Generally, liver cysts are detected while checking other problems of the digestive system. The doctor can perform a CT (Computed Tomography) or an ultrasound of the abdominal area, which will determine if the liver cysts are present or not.

Liver cysts that are very large, can be treated by surgical procedures. Often, the liver cyst that is filled with fluid or mucus is aspirated by the help of needle or catheter, that is inserted into the cavity of the cyst. If it is not easy to diagnose the cysts on liver, then radiologic imaging can be used in order to access the liver cyst easily. It is to be noted, that liver cysts are rarely problematic and they don't disrupt the normal liver functioning. So, unless the exact cause is not known, people should hurry and take medications without any medical supervision. It is advisable to visit the doctor and follow his prescription. A proper medical attention can easily cure liver cysts.