The liver is one of the largest and most important organs of the body. The liver has more than 500 functions. It regulates most chemical levels in the blood and, by excreting bile, helps to break down fats. The blood leaving the intestines, with digested food, passes through the liver. The liver breaks down blood into nutrients that are easy for our body to digest. Other important functions include: production of certain proteins for blood plasma; production of cholesterol and special proteins that carry fats through the body; conversion of glucose into glycogen for storage; processing of hemoglobin for use of its iron content in the blood; conversion of poisonous ammonia to urea; clearing the blood of harmful substances; and regulating blood clotting. Unfortunately, many diseases can affect the liver. There are many early signs liver damage.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. It damages liver cells and is caused by a variety of viruses, including at least six types of hepatitis virus, cytomegalovirus, rubella and parvovirus. It can also be caused by cirrhosis, alcohol, pregnancy, genetic factors, drugs or autoimmune factors.
The three main types of hepatitis are A, B and C. Type A is spread by fecal-oral contact. That is one good reason to wash one's hands. Type B is spread by blood to blood contact. Type C is spread by blood to blood, sexual and mother-infant contact. Symptoms of acute (early-onset) hepatitis may include the following: fever, muscle or joint aches, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, fatigue, joint pain, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, itchiness, red skin hives, flulike symptoms, dark urine, light-colored stools that may have pus and diarrhea. An enlarged spleen is a symptom of alcohol-induced hepatitis. Symptoms of toxic or drug-induced hepatitis are drowsiness, headache, dizziness and circulation problems.
Cirrhosis
In cirrhosis, the liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions, and scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue. The blood flow through the liver is impaired, and it cannot fulfill its various functions. One common cause of cirrhosis of the liver in the United States is drinking an excess of alcohol. For a while, the liver can replace its sick cells with healthy ones, but in end-stage cirrhosis, it cannot. Symptoms include weakness and fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, unexpected weight loss, spider vessels, abdominal pain and bloating, and itching. In addition, fluid collects in the legs (edema) and abdomen (ascites). Other complications are jaundice, bruising, bleeding, immune system weakness, hepatocellular cancer, gallstones, type 2 diabetes and sensitivity to medication. Portal hypertension can give way to splenomegaly: Blood and platelets stay trapped in the spleen, which becomes enlarged. Blood platelet count is low. Hepatic encelopathy results from toxins unremoved from the liver, building up in the brain. Symptoms of this are confusion, change in personality, memory loss, trouble concentrating and a change in sleeping habits.
Liver Cancer
Liver cancer is common in the world but not in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, incidences of liver cancer are increasing in the United States. Most people with liver cancer do not have symptoms during the early stages of the disease. Symptoms include unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, upper abdominal pain, weakness and feeling tired, nausea and vomiting, enlarged liver and abdominal swelling, and jaundice.
