Apart from producing substances that are useful for digesting food, the function of the liver or liver is to carry out the detoxification process of substances produced by the body's metabolism. Therefore, if there is damage to the liver, various symptoms can certainly interfere with health and daily activities. If you've been feeling tired very easily lately and often have a bloated stomach, it could be a sign that you have a liver problem. Don't underestimate the symptoms of liver disease and see the full explanation below!
Causes of liver disease and types of liver disease
The cause of liver disease can come from infection by viruses or parasites. So far, the viruses that often cause liver disease are Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses. The long-term impact of hepatitis is cirrhosis of the liver where the liver tissue turns into scar tissue and has impaired function and can cause various complications.
There are many types of liver disease. Until now, around 100 types of liver disease have been identified with different causes. Some of them are alcohol-related liver disease, fatty liver, hepatitis, cholestatic liver disease, inherited liver disease, and liver cancer.
Symptoms of liver disease
The symptoms experienced vary, depending on the severity of the liver disease itself. However, here are some signs of liver disease that sufferers often feel:
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes/jaundice
- Often feel tired
- The color of the urine turns dark
- Nausea and vomiting
- Upper abdominal pain
- Swelling of the ankles, legs or abdomen
- Pale, black, or blood-colored stools
How to deal with liver disease
For some people, especially those diagnosed with fatty liver, lifestyle changes alone can control various symptoms of liver disease. The lifestyle change in question is like stopping consuming alcohol and maintaining an ideal body weight.
For liver disease caused by the hepatitis virus, patients can be treated with antiviral drugs.
In the case of liver cancer, treatment options include surgery, interventional radiology, liver transplantation and chemotherapy. All types of treatment are adjusted to the diagnosis, severity of liver disease and liver function.
Those are some things to pay attention to about liver disease, its symptoms, how to handle it. If you have experienced some of the symptoms of liver disease as listed above, and have lasted for several weeks or become worse, immediately visit a doctor at a trusted hospital. Never underestimate the symptoms that appear.
Article written by dr. Rabbinu Rangga Pribadi, Sp.PD, KGEH (Internal Medicine Specialist - Gastro Entero Hepatology Consultant at EMC Pulomas Hospital).