Liver Damage Symptoms
Liver is an important organ of human body and any liver disorder can hinder the normal functioning of the body as a whole. Therefore, it is necessary to understand liver damage symptoms, so that the necessary action can be taken well in time.
What are the Important Roles of Liver?
- Processes the nutrients produced by the digestion of foods
- Deals with the toxins and drugs absorbed via the intestine
- Recycles erythrocytes by breaking them down
- Produces essential proteins
- Regulates metabolism of cholesterol
- Produces blood clotting agents
- Removes excess of bile from the body
What are the Causes of Liver Damage?
- Alcoholism
- Hemachromatosis, i.e. excessive deposition of iron in the liver cells.
- Metabolic disorders
- Genetic disorders
- Infection by virus such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
- Primary biliary cirrhosis, mostly occurs in women.
- Body's immune system attacking and destroying the liver cells. This is quite uncommon.
- The early symptoms of liver damage include fatigue, weakness, lack of appetite, loss of energy, weight loss and nausea.
- A damaged liver cannot remove bilirubin from the blood. The skin and the white part of the eyes become yellow due to its presence in the blood. This condition is called jaundice, which is one of the major liver damage symptoms.
- Nails change in color and appearance. They become more curved (clubbing) and look white rather than pink.
- Loss of appetite, that eventually results in weight loss and anemia. There is indigestion or improper metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
- 20% of patients suffering from liver diseases, notice darkening of their skin color.
- Stool of the patient becomes lighter in color. This is due to the absence of bile in it.
- Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the common signs of liver damage.
- In many patients of liver damage, an enlarged liver is common. This is called hepatomegaly. There is dilation of the abdominal part beneath the lower ribs on the right side.
- The severity of the above mentioned problems may increase the pressure on the diaphragm. This may further result in breathing complications.
- Polydipsia (excessive thirst) and polyuria (frequent urination) are other important symptoms of liver damage.
- An important function of the liver is to remove excessive fluids with the help of kidneys, from the body. When the liver is damaged, the body starts retaining fluids, which is known as bloating.
- One of the most common liver damage symptoms is spider nevus. Spider nevus is a spot surrounded by fine blood vessels.
- There is a delay noticed in blood clotting as the liver is no more able to produce an important blood clotting protein.
- In more than 50% of male patients of liver damage, enlargement of the breasts and shrinkage of the testes is observed.
- In the advanced stages of liver damage, symptoms such as nose bleeding, presence of blood in vomit and stools is observed.

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