All You Need to Know About Cirrhosis of the Liver

by Sonam S. Professional Writer

The liver is a crucial internal organ and also an accessory digestive organ, which aids in digestion but is not a unit of the digestive tract. It is located in the upper right quadrant of the human abdomen. The liver performs a host of vital biological functions that are important for survival and well being of a person. Any major damage caused to the liver can have a major impact on a person’s health. Here are some of the most vital functions of the liver:

Metabolizing proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
Storing vitamins, glycogen, and minerals
Purification and detoxification of blood
Synthesizing plasma proteins like albumin
Excretion and bile production
Excretion of hormones, cholesterol, and bilirubin
Activation of enzymes

As the liver performs so many functions, it is important that people visit the hospital offering the best liver treatment in India in case they get the slightest indication of any ailment related to it. Liver cirrhosis is one of the most common ailments of the liver. It is a severe degenerative disease that develops when the healthy cells of the liver suffer damage, and are replaced by scar tissue. Cirrhosis of the liver usually develops as a result of alcohol abuse or chronic hepatitis. In case of this ailment, the liver cells give way to tough scar tissues, and it subsequently begins to lose its ability to function properly. Severity of this condition may even lead to liver failure.

Dense scarring in the tissue also slows the normal flow of blood through the liver, as a result of which, the blood has to find alternate ways to return to the heart. These pathways might include veins along the stomach and esophagus. This added pressure in the blood vessels may cause them to enlarge and even rupture in some cases. This factor becomes a problem, especially for the blood vessels in the esophagus.

Symptoms of Liver Cirrhosis

The symptoms of cirrhosis begin to develop as the liver becomes unable to break down toxins, purify blood, help with absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as produce clotting proteins.

Some of the early symptoms of this ailment include:

Decreased appetite
Nose bleeds
Jaundice (yellow discoloration)
Small spider-shaped arteries underneath the skin
Weight loss
Anorexia
Itchy skin
Weakness

As the cirrhosis of the liver becomes severe, more pronounced symptoms begin to develop. Some of them being:

Confusion and difficulty in thinking clearly
Abdominal swelling (ascites)
Swelling of the legs (edema)
Impotence
Gynecomastia (when males start to develop breast tissue)

At the hospitals offering the best liver treatment in India, cirrhosis is diagnosed with the help of:

A Physical examination of the liver; the doctor examines the shape and size of the liver
Blood tests
Biopsy
Endoscopy

After the diagnosis, the doctors proceed to treat the liver with the help of medications that target the abnormal cells present in the liver and strengthens the immune system. In some cases, the diseased liver is even replaced by a healthy donor liver.