The liver, found in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, acts as the body's initial filtering system as well as a manufacturing center for a number of necessary substances. The liver, which can repair itself up to a certain point, is often damaged by toxins such as alcohol, cancer or infections. Around 10 percent of people in the United States have or have had some form of liver disease, and many have no obvious symptoms, notes the Saint Louis University Liver Center. Liver disease does have recognizable physical signs.
Ascites
While ascites, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, doesn't occur only in people with liver damage, it occurs most often in people with severe liver disease, states The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Ascites may appear to be just fat accumulation in the abdomen, but makes a dull sound when tapped on. Fluid is easily seen during an abdominal ultrasound. The abdomen becomes very tight and the navel may be flat or pushed out. People with ascites may lose their appetite and have difficulty breathing due to the pressure on internal organs.
Skin Changes
Jaundice, a yellowish discoloration of the skin and whites of the eye, is the skin change most often associated with liver disease. Jaundice develops if bile flow from the liver is blocked, and can cause itchy skin and small yellow bumps around the eyelids. Other skin changes often associated with liver damage include small broken blood vessels on the face, chest, back and shoulder called telangiectasia or spider veins. The palms of the hands may turn red, a condition called palmar erythema, while the nail beds of the fingernails may turn white and the fingertips may enlarge. The veins on the abdomen may appear more prominent than usual. The salivary glands on either side of the cheeks may enlarge.
Muscle Changes
People with severe liver disease often develop muscle wasting. Tendons in the hand may shrink, causing fingers to curl up, a condition known as Dupuytren's contracture. Tremors, involuntary shaking that often affects the hands, may develop.
Feminization in Men
Men with liver disease can't break down estrogen in the liver, so they begin to lose male sex characteristics. The testes atrophy, pubic and axillary hair decreases and breasts enlarge, a condition called gynecomastia.
Gastrointesinal and Urine Changes
If jaundice occurs, urine may turn dark, while stools become clay-colored and often greasy and foul smelling. Blood in the stool or vomiting of blood occurs if blood vessels within the gastrointestinal tract become dilated and rupture, causing intestinal bleeding.
