Liver Damage from Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the causes of a number of diseases and disorders, specially liver diseases. People are often advised to reduce the intake of alcohol in order to live a healthy and long life. Severe alcoholism occurs when a person consumes large amounts of it in a short period. Alcohol is also addictive and hence, it is difficult to give up the habit once a person starts having it in excess. However, one may or may not be aware, but, there are high chances of suffering from complete liver damage due to alcohol.

Causes of Liver Damage

All the blood in the stomach or the intestines goes to the liver before traveling to the other parts of the body. When a person consumes alcohol, it gets directly mixed with the bloodstream and goes to the liver. Here the alcohol can be broken down and excreted from the body through the excretory system. However, when the person consumes excess amounts of alcohol, it obstructs the proper functioning of the liver, resulting in liver diseases. The following are the major disorders caused by alcohol.

Alcoholic Fatty Liver
It is the most common condition caused due to excess alcohol consumption. In this disease, the liver gets inflamed due to excess accumulation of fat in the liver.

Alcoholic Hepatitis
It is a condition marked by liver inflammation caused due to excess consumption of alcohol. It is fairly serious as compared to the fatty liver disease. In severe cases, the alcoholic hepatitis can even lead to liver failure.

Liver Cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is the most severe condition caused due to prolonged abuse. In this condition, the healthy liver tissues are replaced by scar tissues which can lead to liver failure.

Signs and Symptoms

There are several identifying signs of liver damage which can help to diagnose this disease. The following are the early signs of liver damage from alcohol.

• Enlarged liver
• Jaundice
• Fever
• Increase in white blood cell count
• Enlarged spleen
• Ascites
• Vomiting blood
• Kidney failure
• Weight loss
• Confusion

Advanced signs and symptoms of alcoholic liver disease include spider-like veins, curling of fingers, coma, internal bleeding, etc. All the above mentioned are classic symptoms of liver diseases which help in quick diagnosis of the disease.

Treatment of Liver Damage

Complete abstinence from alcohol is the only method of treatment for liver damage caused due to alcohol. Alcoholic fatty liver is a comparatively less severe disease as compared to the other diseases. Alcoholic hepatitis can also be treated in the earlier stages with the help of medications. Liver cirrhosis cannot be reversed. However, if the person stops drinking alcohol after diagnosis of the disease, the disease stops progressing and there are chances of survival. Therefore, one should know about the liver problems and symptoms, and also consume alcohol in limited amounts.

Lastly, if one continues having alcohol even after he is diagnosed with liver damage, he may have minimal chances of survival. It is essential to note that this write-up is meant only for information purposes; and should not be used in place of proper medical advice.