Liver cirrhosis refers to the term in which the healthy tissues of the liver become scarred (fibrosis) to the extent that it can be life-threatening as it is the advanced stage ( 80-90%)of liver damage. The initial damage to the liver can be caused by various conditions such as hepatitis, excess alcoholism, and fatty liver (caused by diabetes and obesity). However, if initial offending factors of the liver damage are taken care of on time, then the cirrhosis stage of the liver can be halted.

Diagnosis before the Liver Cirrhosis Treatment

Liver Cirrhosis can be diagnosed using various ways such as medical history, physical examination, and several tests. The tests conducted are

  • Liver function tests through the blood sample
  • Liver biopsy
  • Test for viral infections
  • Imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI

The diagnosis and tests communicate the extent of the liver damage that can further be prevented and treated but rarely reversed.

Factors causing Liver Cirrhosis

Prior to the liver cirrhosis treatment, let's know the causative agents of this condition. Cirrhosis is caused commonly by

  • Long-term consumption of excess alcohol
  • Viral infections like Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol
  • Inherited conditions that include
  • Haemochromatosis - accumulation of excess iron in the body
  • Wilson disease - accumulation of excess copper in the body
  • Cystic fibrosis - accumulation of thick mucus in liver
  • Galactosaemia - the inability of the liver to process galactose
  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency-accumulation of abnormal protein in liver
  • Autoimmune hepatitis is when the body’s immune system attacks the liver and damages it.
  • Chronic heart failure which causes a fluid backup in liver

Whatever may be the cause of liver cell damage, cirrhosis happens gradually when the damaged cells start getting replaced by scar tissues if not treated on time.

Common symptoms of Liver Cirrhosis

The early symptoms of cirrhosis may be general and can be thought of as the symptom of other illnesses and diseases. These are

  • Anorexia which is the loss of appetite
  • Fall off weight
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue and tiredness
  • Unexpected fever

As the liver damage worsens, other symptoms may also occur. They are

  • Easy bruising and bleeding of the skin
  • Sudden hair loss
  • Dark yellow urine
  • Itchy Skin
  • Bloody Stool
  • Red palms of hands
  • Abnormal fluid retention in the abdomen area
  • Small red spots on the skin caused by spider-like blood vessels
  • Infecundity in males along with enlarged breasts and shrunken testicles
  • Premature menopause in women
  • Abnormal cognitive behaviour(memory loss, confusion, personality changes)

Liver Cirrhosis Treatment

Although there is no complete cure for cirrhosis, the goal of treatment is to stop further damage along with the prevention and treatment of symptoms and complications. Taking the right precautions and treatments can save a life. Treatment depends upon the cause of cirrhosis and the damage to the liver.

Alcohol Affected Liver treatment

Alcohol being a toxin makes the liver work hard to remove it. So to protect the liver one must stop drinking it. The doctor may suggest support and rehab programs to discontinue alcohol consumption.

Hepatitis-affected liver treatment

The hepatitis viruses both B and C are one of the causes of cirrhosis as they damage the liver. Antiviral drugs depending on the type of hepatitis are administered. Another treatment called Interferon makes the immune system active to fight against the hepatitis virus.

Non-alcohol fatty liver treatment

The treatment of fatty liver caused due to obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes include loss of weight with diet and exercise. In some cases, doctors suggest dieticians and trainers for intense weight loss and exercise.

Inherited diseases affected liver treatment

Treatment is disease-specific and varies from
  • Removing blood to lower iron in blood for hemochromatosis
  • Medicines for removing excess copper in Wilson disease
  • Medication and treatment for cystic fibrosis to improve lung function
  • Treatment for galactosemia to maintain the right level of glucose in the liver

Autoimmune hepatitis treatment

As the immune system attacks the liver and destroys the tissues, the treatment suppresses the immune system with steroid drugs and other medicines. These medications can cause weight gain or high blood pressure so exercise may be required to maintain weight.

Heart Failure

The treatment is based on both medicines and procedures as medication treats high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, and excess fluid accumulation from the body which improves heart pumping while the procedures unblock arteries and repair heart valves. If these don’t work then a heart transplant may be done.

Complications without medical treatment

If the liver cirrhosis treatment is not done on time then certain complications can arise that can additionally lead to the threatening of life. These are

  • Total liver failure due to complete loss of healthy liver cells and hence disrupted blood flow through the liver
  • Hepatic encephalopathy which impairs brain function due to an increase in blood toxins
  • Liver Cancer
  • Osteoporosis(brittle bones)
  • Fluid infection builds up in the abdomen.
  • Bleeding of the large blood vessels of the digestive tract due to increased pressure

Do’s and Dont’s for staying healthy with Cirrhosis

Although liver cirrhosis treatment is required to cure damage to the liver, but it is still possible to keep the damage to a controllable extent with few lifestyle changes

  • Making changes in diet by eating more fruits, and vegetables with low fat and sodium intake to overcome nutrition deficiency and regain muscle power.
  • Avoiding alcohol to prevent damage to remaining healthy tissues
  • Getting vaccinated against hepatitis B and C
  • Having regular medication as prescribed by the doctor along with timely medical check-ups

Conclusion

Liver cirrhosis causes irreversible damage to the liver but a person can have an active life for several years with timely treatments of the causes affecting the liver from a liver specialist. These treatments save the life of near and dear ones. Sarvhit Gastrocity has one of the best liver specialists in the city along with all the liver cirrhosis treatments available.