Liver damage can be a very uncomfortable condition, causing considerable illness or even death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that, in 2007, over 29,000 people died from chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, scarring of the liver. The function of the liver is to produce bile necessary for digestion and to purify the blood and remove toxins from the body. You cannot live without your liver.
Step 1
Note your symptoms. Compare the color of your skin with someone else's skin color. A damaged liver will sometimes cause a yellowing of the skin, called jaundice. Jaundice can also occur in the whites of the eyes. Other symptoms can include itchy skin that won't go away, abdominal pain and nausea. You may feel tired all the time and have lost interest in food. Examine your stool and urine- liver damage can cause pale, blood or tarry stools and dark urine, according to MayoClinic.com.
Step 2
Talk to relatives to find out if liver damage runs in your family. Some liver diseases are genetic, like hemochromatosis, which is a disorder that allows excess iron to build up in the body and causes damage to internal organs like the liver, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Step 3
Recall if you have had any recent viruses or bacterial infections. Symptoms of liver disease can be mistaken for other illnesses like the flu. Parasites can also cause liver damage; tell your doctor if you have traveled overseas and could have been exposed to parasites.
Step 4
Make a list of any factors that may put you at a higher risk of developing liver disease such as unprotected sex, tattoos, injecting drugs with shared needles, alcohol use or body piercing. A job history of exposure to blood and body fluids or working with chemicals or toxins without proper safety precautions should also be recalled in detail to determine if you have been exposed to substances that can cause liver damage.
Step 5
Review all medications you are taking, including herbs and supplements, that may cause liver problems. Include even over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen, which has been linked to liver damage, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Step 6
Consult with your doctor. She will gather a detailed medical history and perform a medical examination. She will feel your stomach and note any swelling or tenderness, especially in your upper right abdomen where your liver is located.
Step 7
Have your blood tested for signs of liver damage. LabTestsOnline.org names several laboratory blood tests that can determine liver function through testing of certain liver enzymes such as ALT, ALP, AST and GGT. Other tests measure bilirubin and certain types of proteins. A hepatitis test may be ordered, as well as other tests to rule out cancer or drug overdose.
Step 8
Consent to other types of testing such as CT or MRI scans. A liver biopsy may be performed which is a procedure where a surgeon removes a small piece of liver and sends it to a medical laboratory for testing.
Tips and Warnings
- Seek immediate medical assistance of abdominal pain does not go away or if it is so unbearable you cannot stand it.
- Avoid activities that can cause liver damage, like excessive drinking, unprotected sex or taking medications outside of the recommended use.
