Fatty Liver Symptoms

The liver is one of the most important organs of the human body. It is responsible for controlling and maintaining a good metabolism rate in our body. Various liver functions include the breaking down of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates in the food. Besides these, the liver also acts as a detoxifying agent in our body helping it to get rid of toxic wastes. The liver is a resilient organ and even after it loses some of its cells due to diseases, it functions at its best. However, fatty liver disease can cause permanent damage to the liver, if left unchecked for a long time.

The fatty liver disease is generally of two types-alcoholic and non-alcoholic. This is because this disease is majorly caused by alcoholism. When there is an accumulation of a large amount of fat in the liver, without any inflammation, it is called steatosis. However, when fatty liver is accompanied by inflammation or the liver cells are damaged, it is called steatohepatitis. If the steatohepatitis is not caused due to consumption of alcohol, it is called non-alcoholic fatty liver or steatohepatitis.

Causes
Diabetes, obesity, and uncontrolled consumption of alcohol are cited to be the major reasons for a majority of fatty liver cases in and around the US. Hereditary metabolism disorders, the inability to resist insulin, and high triglyceride levels in the blood are also some of the causes of fatty liver.

Diagnosis and Symptoms
In the initial stages, the disease goes unnoticed and this increases the complications as it further evolves into a major problem. Various commonly observed symptoms of fatty liver diseases are:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Appetite loss
• Erratic weight loss
• Memory lapses and forgetfulness
• Pain under the rib cage
• Dry mouth
• Fever
• Swollen legs and feet

The problem with fatty liver disease is that there are hardly any symptoms in the initial stages of this disease. Once the problem of fatty liver medical condition comes into light, it is mandatory to take necessary precautions. Diagnosis involves going for blood tests, CAT scan (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and liver biopsy. Blood tests help medical experts to determine possible causes of fatty liver in the initial period of the disease. For instance, through a blood test it can be checked whether the person is suffering from any inflammation in the liver. This helps in reducing the risk of severe fatty liver disease and other related problems, like finding the symptoms of liver cirrhosis.

Treatment of Fatty Liver
Treating a fatty liver involves eliminating the possible causes of the disease. For example, if alcohol and drug abuse is the cause of fatty liver, then the patient has to make sure that he/she stops consuming alcohol and drugs completely. If the person is addicted to these unhealthy habits, then he or she should be kept in an alcohol rehab center and treated with care. Once the consumption has been stopped completely, the symptoms of fatty liver disappear within a period of 6 to 8 months. If the patient is obese, he should attempt losing weight and gaining control over his diet.

Fatty liver is a not very difficult to cure unless the case is extreme. By adopting a healthy lifestyle, one can easily reduce the risk of fatty liver. Protecting your liver is totally in your hands, so you should not ignore it at any cost. That way, you can achieve good health and happiness.