The liver, the largest organ inside the body, changes food into energy, removes toxins from the blood and produces bile, which aids in digestion. The spleen, part of the lymphatic system, fights infection and maintains the fluid balance in the...
The liver is involved with many functions in the body, including the control of infections, the removal of toxins and bacteria from the bloodstream, the making of proteins that assist in the clotting of blood, the production of bile, and helping...
The liver is responsible for breaking down glucose and making proteins. Unfortunately, an enlarged liver, medically known as hepatomegaly, can be a sign of an underlying medical problem. Typically, a physician discovers this upon physical...
Numerous conditions can cause elevated liver enzymes and an enlarged liver. According to MayoClinic.com, elevated liver enzymes indicate problems with your liver, including inflammation or damage to your liver cells. Damaged liver cells leak...
The liver is responsible for making a variety of proteins, including those important for blood clotting. It also processes certain chemicals and toxins in the blood. Some illnesses can cause the liver to become enlarged, which is also known as...
The liver and spleen share common blood circulation pathways. Due to the circulatory link between the liver and spleen, many disease processes affect both organs. Infections, blood cell diseases, liver diseases, cancer and inherited disorders can...
Herbal supplements have long been used to treat conditions associated with hepatomegaly, or enlarged liver. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that the edge of your liver is usually thin and firm and cannot be palpated, or felt, with...
Approximately 3 to 4 percent of all babies are born with a genetic disease or birth defect, according to information provided by Net Wellness. Genetic diseases are those that are passed down from parent to child through damaged or defective genes,...
The liver is an ingenious biological filtering system that absorbs blood from the stomach and intestines and processes it. In doing so, the liver produces proteins for blood plasma and for carrying fats throughout the body, converts glucose into a...
Certain herbal remedies may be helpful in treating your enlarged liver. According to MedlinePlus, enlarged liver, also known as hepatomegaly, occurs when your liver swells beyond its normal size. Possible causes of enlarged liver include alcohol...
Many herbs may be helpful in treating your enlarged liver, or hepatomegaly. According to MayoClinic.com, hepatomegaly describes a liver -- a large organ in your right upper abdomen -- that is larger than usual. Hepatomegaly is not a disease,...
Hepatomegaly means "enlarged liver." Dietary changes can sometimes help manage this condition, depending on the cause of the enlargement. The liver aids in digestion, produces important blood proteins and cleans the body of toxins. An enlarged...
The liver is an important organ because it produces bile, detoxifies the blood and manufactures proteins needed for blood clotting. Several different conditions can cause an enlarged liver, also known as hepatomegaly.
Your liver is a large organ, about the size of a football, located in your abdominal cavity near your stomach. The liver is responsible for metabolizing nutrients and filtering waste in your blood. An enlarged liver is a liver that is larger than...
If you are experiencing abdominal pain upon exertion or when you exercise, finding the exact cause is a priority. Most people associate upper stomach pain with their liver, which is located just under your rib cage and extends to the right side of...
Fatty liver is characterized by the buildup of fat cells in the liver, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This condition may be caused by excessive use of alcohol, prescription drugs or accumulation of environmental toxins....
The liver is a vital organ that lies beneath the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen. The liver plays an essential role in many body functions, including digestion, nutrient absorption, metabolism, energy production, immunity, waste...
Propofol is also known as Diprivan and belongs to a class of drugs known as general anesthetics. The National Institutes of Health states that propofol induces and maintains anesthesia in patients undergoing surgery or painful procedures. Propofol...
Iron is an essential element that performs a number of functions in the body, including oxygen transport. Too much iron in the body, called hemochromatosis, can cause serious health problems, particularly in the liver. Hemochromatosis occurs both...
Alcoholism is a disease that has detrimental physical, psychological and social effects. One of the severe physical effects of excessive alcohol use is scarring of the liver, also called cirrhosis of the liver. According to Medline Plus, alcohol...
Malaria is a disease caused by an infection of organisms from the genus Plasmodium. According to MedlinePlus, there are between 300 million and 500 million cases of malaria each year, of which 1 million will be fatal. Malaria most commonly occurs...
As with medications, taking high doses of certain vitamins can put stress on the liver and even cause in liver damage. Some vitamins, such as B-3, are especially hard on the liver, such that your physician may recommend periodic liver function...
Salmonella is a general term for a group of bacteria that normally live in the intestines of humans and animals. However, if you eat food that is contaminated with this bacteria, you may develop an infection in your small intestine. While in many...
Alcohol is a commonly consumed chemical that has potent effects on the nervous system. Although alcohol is safe when it is consumed in moderation, heavy alcohol use can be toxic to the body. Alcoholic liver disease is the result of chronic alcohol...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance located in your body's blood that assists in producing steroids, vitamins and digestive acids. Hypercholesterolemia, excessive levels of low density lipoproteins or LDL, can cause numerous health conditions such as...
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in blood clotting. Dietary sources of vitamin K include beef liver, broccoli, spinach and kale. Vitamin K is available in three forms: Vitamin K1 is also called phylloquinone. Vitamin K2...
The Epstein-Barr virus, a member of the herpes family, causes mononucleosis, an infection common in childhood and young adulthood. Around 95 percent of Americans have antibodies to EBV by age 40, indicating past exposure, according to the Centers...
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body. Although the bones contain 99 percent of the calcium, the remaining 1 percent in the blood must remain within a very narrow concentration range to support vital physiological functions. In...
The Johns Hopkins Gastroenterology and Hepatology website reports the incidence of alcoholism in the United States is 7 percent as of 2010. A common consequence of alcoholism is chronic liver disease, which begins with increased fat deposition in...
