Symptoms
Some of the causes include:
- Chronic alcohol abuse
- Chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis B, C and D)
- Fat accumulating in the liver (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease)
- Iron buildup in the body (hemochromatosis)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Copper accumulated in the liver (Wilson's disease)
- Poorly formed bile ducts (biliary atresia)
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Causes
What problems can cirrhosis cause?
- People with cirrhosis bruise easily because their blood does not clot the right way. ...
- Blood vessels around the esophagus (in the throat) and the intestines can stretch and become thin. ...
- Because the liver is not working right, toxins build up in the blood. ...
- If the cirrhosis is so bad that the liver stops working, the only treatment is a liver transplant.
Prevention
Natural cures for cirrhosis of the liver
- Causes and Symptoms. In the early stages of the disease, there may be nothing more than frequent attacks of indigestion, with occasional nausea and vomiting.
- Cirrhosis of the Liver Natural Remedies. ...
- Dietary Considerations. ...
Complications
You can reverse liver cirrhosis naturally by adopting the following ways: Increase fluid consumption: You need to drink plenty of water throughout the day as it would help the ailing liver to perform its detoxification function well.
What are the main causes and types of cirrhosis?
What problems can I get from cirrhosis?
How to cure liver cirrhosis naturally at home?
Is it possible to reverse liver cirrhosis naturally?
What is the main cause of cirrhosis of the liver?
The most common causes of cirrhosis are: Hepatitis and other viruses. Alcohol abuse. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (this happens from metabolic syndrome and is caused by conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and high blood pressure)
What is the best way to treat cirrhosis of the liver?
The main treatments are cutting out salt from your diet and taking a type of medicine called a diuretic, such as spironolactone or furosemide. If the fluid in your tummy becomes infected, you may need antibiotics. In severe cases, you may need to have the fluid drained from your tummy area with a tube.
What foods should you avoid if you have cirrhosis of the liver?
Foods to avoid Highly processed foods: fast food, convenience meals, canned soups, packaged snacks. Unhealthy fats: margarine, vegetable shortening, fried foods. Salty snacks: chips, crackers, pretzels, microwave popcorn. Processed meats: hot dogs, sausage, deli meats, bacon, beef jerky.
Can the liver recover from cirrhosis?
Is there a cure for cirrhosis of the liver? No, there is no cure for cirrhosis. The damage already done to your liver is permanent. However, depending on the underlying cause of your cirrhosis, there may be actions you can take to keep your cirrhosis from getting worse.
How to stop cirrhosis from getting worse?
What can I do to help keep my cirrhosis from getting worse? 1 Do not drink alcohol or use illegal drugs. 2 Talk with your doctor before taking#N#prescription medicines#N#prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids#N#over-the-counter medicines, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and acetaminophen#N#NIH external link#N#dietary supplements#N#NIH external link#N#, including herbal supplements. 3 Take your medicines as directed. 4 Get a vaccine for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, flu#N#NIH external link#N#, pneumonia#N#NIH external link#N#caused by certain bacteria#N#NIH external link#N#, and shingles#N#NIH external link#N#. 5 Get a screening blood test for hepatitis C. 6 Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. 7 Avoid raw or undercooked shellfish, fish, and meat. 8 Try to keep a healthy body weight#N#NIH external link#N#.
How to get rid of liver cancer?
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Avoid raw or undercooked shellfish, fish, and meat. Try to keep a healthy body weight. Talk with your doctor about your risk for getting liver cancer and how often you should be checked.
When do doctors consider liver transplants?
When do doctors consider a liver transplant for cirrhosis? Your doctor will consider a liver transplant when cirrhosis leads to liver failure. Doctors consider liver transplants only after they have ruled out all other treatment options. Talk with your doctor about whether a liver transplant is right for you.
Can you stop taking cirrhosis medicine?
The only specific treatment for most cases of cirrhosis caused by certain medicines is to stop taking the medicine that caused the problem . Talk with your doctor before you stop taking any medicines.
Can cirrhosis be cured?
Some of the diseases that cause cirrhosis can be cured. Treating the underlying causes of cirrhosis may keep your cirrhosis from getting worse and help prevent liver failure. Successful treatment may slowly improve some of your liver scarring.
Can you drink alcohol with cirrhosis?
Doctors most often treat the causes of cirrhosis with medicines. Your doctor will recommend that you stop activities such as drinking alcohol and taking certain medicines that may have caused cirrhosis or may make cirrhosis worse .
Can chronic hepatitis C be treated?
Chronic hepatitis C. If you have chronic hepatitis C, your doctor may prescribe one or more medicines that have been approved to treat hepatitis C since 2013. Studies have shown that these medicines can cure chronic hepatitis C in 80 to 95 percent of people with this disease. 5.
What causes cirrhosis in the liver?
Causes. A wide range of diseases and conditions can damage the liver and lead to cirrhosis. Some of the causes include: Chronic alcohol abuse. Chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis B, C and D) Fat accumulating in the liver (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) Iron buildup in the body (hemochromatosis) Cystic fibrosis.
What are the complications of cirrhosis?
Complications. Complications of cirrhosis can include: High blood pressure in the veins that supply the liver (portal hypertension). Cirrhosis slows the normal flow of blood through the liver, thus increasing pressure in the vein that brings blood to the liver from the intestines and spleen.
What is the scar tissue in the liver?
In cirrhosis (right), scar tissue replaces normal liver tissue. Cirrhosis is a late stage of scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by many forms of liver diseases and conditions, such as hepatitis and chronic alcoholism. Each time your liver is injured — whether by disease, excessive alcohol consumption or another cause — it tries ...
Why does my urine turn yellow?
Jaundice occurs when the diseased liver doesn't remove enough bilirubin, a blood waste product, from your blood. Jaundice causes yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes and darkening of urine. Bone disease. Some people with cirrhosis lose bone strength and are at greater risk of fractures.
What is the genetic disorder of the liver?
Genetic digestive disorder (Alagille syndrome) Liver disease caused by your body's immune system (autoimmune hepatitis) Destruction of the bile ducts (primary biliary cirrhosis) Hardening and scarring of the bile ducts (primary scleros ing cholangitis. Infection, such as syphilis or brucellosis.
What causes yellow spots on the skin?
Yellow discoloration in the skin and eyes (jaundice) Fluid accumulation in your abdomen (ascites) Spiderlike blood vessels on your skin. Redness in the palms of the hands. For women, absent or loss of periods not related to menopause. For men, loss of sex drive, breast enlargement (gynecomastia) or testicular atrophy.
Can cirrhosis be undone?
Advanced cirrhosis is life-threatening. The liver damage done by cirrhosis generally can't be undone.
How to stop cirrhosis?
Your doctor can suggest a treatment program for addiction. Lose weight if you are obese, especially if your cirrhosis is caused by fat buildup in your liver. Take medications if you have hepatitis B or C. Keep all your doctor's appointments. Eat enough protein.
What do doctors say about cirrhosis?
Depending on how well your liver is working, they'll say it's either "compensated" or "decompensated.". Which one it is makes a difference in the kind of treatment you get.
How do you know if you have decompensated cirrhosis?
Your doctor will know you have decompensated cirrhosis if you show signs of one or more of these conditions: Jaundice. It's caused when your liver can't get rid of bilirubin, a blood waste product, which can make your skin and eyes yellow. Ascites. This is fluid buildup in your belly.
What does it mean when your liver is scarred?
Cirrhosis and Your Liver. If your doctor tells you that you have cirrhosis, it means you have a condition that causes scar tissue to gradually replace your healthy liver cells. It usually happens over a long period of time because of infection or alcohol addiction.
Why does cirrhosis get worse?
Cirrhosis always develops because of another liver problem or disease. If you don't treat the cause of your cirrhosis, it'll get worse, and over time your healthy liver cells won't be able to keep up. You might start to get tired, feel like you don't want to eat, and lose weight without trying.
What is the procedure to remove liver tissue?
Your doctor may also do an imaging test of your belly, like an MRI or ultrasound. You may also need a procedure called a biopsy, which removes a sample of your liver tissue to see how much damage has been done and potentially learn the cause of your liver disease. (Get more information on tests for cirrhosis .)
Why is my liver not working?
It's important to know the cause of your cirrhosis so you can get the right treatment and keep it from getting worse. The most common causes are: Alcohol abuse . If you have a drinking problem, it's important to get help. Alcohol harms your liver.
What causes cirrhosis of the liver?
The most common causes of cirrhosis of the liver are: Alcohol abuse (alcohol-related liver disease caused by long-term [chronic] use of alcohol). Chronic viral infections of the liver ( hepatitis B and hepatitis C ). Fatty liver associated with obesity and diabetes and not alcohol.
What happens if you have cirrhosis?
If you have been told you have cirrhosis, you have a late-stage liver disease and the damage that is already done is permanent. There are many liver diseases and complications of liver diseases that can lead to cirrhosis.
What is the term for a liver disease where the liver is damaged?
Cirrhosis is a late-stage liver disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue and the liver is permanently damaged. Scar tissue keeps your liver from working properly. Many types of liver diseases and conditions injure healthy liver cells, causing cell death and inflammation. This is followed by cell repair ...
What causes a person to lose weight?
Malnutrition: Your liver processes nutrients. A damaged liver makes this more difficult and leads to weight loss and general weakness. Liver cancer: Most people who develop liver cancer have cirrhosis of the liver. Liver failure: Many diseases and conditions cause liver failure including cirrhosis of the liver.
What is the term for the abnormal deposits in the liver of an abnormal protein called?
Rare diseases, such as amyloidosis, in which abnormal deposits in the liver of an abnormal protein called amyloid disrupts normal liver function. Changes from liver diseases that lead to cirrhosis are gradual. Liver cells are injured and if injury – from whatever cause – continues, liver cells start to die.
How does scar tissue affect the liver?
The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through the liver and slows the liver’s ability to process nutrients, hormones, drugs and natural toxins (poisons). It also reduces the production of proteins and other substances made by the liver. Cirrhosis eventually keeps the liver from working properly.
How long does cirrhosis last?
Median survival in patients with compensated cirrhosis is approximately nine to 12 years. (Median is the middle point in set of numbers, so an equal number of individuals survived less than 9 to 12 years as the number of individuals who survived over this time range.)
What is the treatment for cirrhosis?
Treatment of cirrhosis is designed to prevent further damage to the liver, treat complications of cirrhosis, and preventing or detecting liver cancer early. Transplantation of the liver is an important option for treating patients with advanced cirrhosis.
What is cirrhosis of the liver?
Readers Comments 23. Share Your Story. Cirrhosis is a complication of liver disease that involves loss of liver cells and irreversible scarring of the liver. Alcohol and viral hepatitis B and C are common causes of cirrhosis, although there are many other causes.
Why is cirrhosis considered a cryptogenic disease?
It is termed called cryptogenic cirrhosis because for many years doctors have been being unable to explain why a proportion of patients developed cirrhosis. Doctors now believe that cryptogenic cirrhosis is due to NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) caused by long-standing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance. The fat in the liver of patients with NASH is believed to disappear with the onset of cirrhosis, and this has made it difficult for doctors to make the connection between NASH and cryptogenic cirrhosis for a long time. One important clue that NASH leads to cryptogenic cirrhosis is the finding of a high occurrence of NASH in the new livers of patients undergoing liver transplant for cryptogenic cirrhosis. Finally, a study from France suggests that patients with NASH have a similar risk of developing cirrhosis as patients with long-standing infection with hepatitis C virus. (See discussion that follows.) However, the progression to cirrhosis from NASH is thought to be slow and the diagnosis of cirrhosis typically is made in people in their sixties.
How long does cirrhosis last?
The life expectancy for advanced cirrhosis is 6 months to 2 years depending on complications of cirrhosis, and if no donor is available for liver transplantation The life expectancy for people with cirrhosis and acholic hepatitis can be as high as 50%.
What is the primary liver cancer?
Primary refers to the fact that the tumor originates in the liver. A secondary liver cancer is one that originates elsewhere in the body and spreads (metastasizes) to the liver.
Why do I have difficulty breathing with cirrhosis?
These patients can experience difficulty breathing because certain hormones released in advanced cirrhosis cause the lungs to function abnormally. The basic problem in the lung is that not enough blood flows through the small blood vessels in the lungs that are in contact with the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs. Blood flowing through the lungs is shunted around the alveoli and cannot pick up enough oxygen from the air in the alveoli. As a result, the patient experiences shortness of breath, particularly with exertion.
What happens to the bile in cirrhosis?
At the same time, toxic substances contained in the bile enter the intestine and then are eliminated in the stool. In cirrhosis, the canaliculi are abnormal and the relationship between liver cells and canaliculi is destroyed, just like the relationship between the liver cells and blood in the sinusoids.
What happens when your liver is scarred?
When the enire liver is scarred, it shrinks and gets hard. This is called cirrhosis, and usually this damage cannot be undone. Any illness that affects the liver over a long period of time may lead to fibrosis and, eventually, cirrhosis.
Can fatty liver disease cause cirrhosis?
Some people inherit genes for certain conditions that cause liver disease, such as genes that will cause iron buildup in the liver. In other diseases, bile collects in the liver and causes damage that can lead to cirrhosis.
Diagnosis
Clinical Trials
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Alternative Medicine
Preparing For Your Appointment
- People with early-stage cirrhosis of the liver usually don't have symptoms. Often, cirrhosis is first detected through a routine blood test or checkup. To help confirm a diagnosis, a combination of laboratory and imaging tests is usually done.
Overview
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Symptoms
- If you have cirrhosis, be careful to limit additional liver damage: 1. Don't drink alcohol.Whether your cirrhosis was caused by chronic alcohol use or another disease, avoid alcohol. Drinking alcohol may cause further liver damage. 2. Eat a low-sodium diet.Excess salt can cause your body to retain fluids, worsening swelling in your abdomen and legs. Use herbs for seasoning your foo…
Causes
- A number of alternative medicines have been used to treat liver diseases. Milk thistle (silymarin) is the most widely used and best studied. However, there is not enough evidence of benefit from clinical trials to recommend use of any herbal products to treat liver cirrhosis. In addition, some alternative medications may harm the liver. Talk with your doctor if you're interested in trying alt…
Risk Factors
- If you have cirrhosis, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the digestive system (gastroenterologist) or the liver (hepatologist). Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor.
Complications
- Cirrhosis is a late stage of scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by many forms of liver diseases and conditions, such as hepatitis and chronic alcoholism. Each time your liver is injured — whether by disease, excessive alcohol consumption or another cause — it tries to repair itself. In the process, scar tissue forms. As cirrhosis progresses, m...
Prevention
- Cirrhosis often has no signs or symptoms until liver damage is extensive. When signs and symptoms do occur, they may include: 1. Fatigue 2. Easily bleeding or bruising 3. Loss of appetite 4. Nausea 5. Swelling in your legs, feet or ankles (edema) 6. Weight loss 7. Itchy skin 8. Yellow discoloration in the skin and eyes (jaundice) 9. Fluid accumulation in your abdomen (ascites) 10…