Liver disease: Its causes, symptoms and treatments

Did you know liver disease isn’t only caused by alcohol?

All too often, people hear “liver disease” and jump to conclusions around alcohol abuse. But that’s not always the cause. In fact, there are many causes of liver disease and lots of different factors that can affect this complex organ.

Unfortunately, due to some misconceptions and stigmas, some people may ignore the signs and symptoms of liver disease, not realizing that it isn’t only caused by alcohol – therefore not considering the disease as an option for what might be affecting them. This can lead to delays in seeking medical assistance and treatment.

So, to help, we’re exploring the truth about liver disease. Read this blog to learn:

• The causes of liver disease
• Its signs and symptoms
• How liver disease is diagnosed, including questions your doctor may ask
• An overview of treatment options

The causes of liver disease [most aren’t alcohol related]

The liver is an incredible organ. It’s around the size of a football and is essential for digesting food, getting rid of toxic substances, controlling cholesterol levels, and helping to fight infections and illnesses. Yet the liver isn’t immune to complications. In fact, there are more than 100 different types of liver disease and several causes.

So, let’s take a look at them:

Infection:

There are certain viruses and parasites that can infect the liver, cause inflammation and stop it from doing its many jobs properly. These include viruses such as Hepatitis A, B and C, which can be spread through blood, semen, contaminated food and water, or close contact with an infected person.

Genetics:

Some liver diseases can be caused by an abnormal gene you could inherit from one or both of your biological parents. The inheritance patterns aren’t always clear, but if you’re aware of genetic liver disease in your family, it could be worth speaking to your doctor.

Immune system abnormalities:

Sometimes, a person’s immune system can have an abnormality which results in it attacking certain parts of the body – you may have heard of these conditions called autoimmune diseases. There are several liver diseases that can be caused by an immune abnormality, including primary biliary cirrhosis.

Lifestyle and other factors:

We can’t ignore that some diseases, including liver diseases, are caused by lifestyle factors. Heavy alcohol consumption is one well-known factor. Other factors include obesity, unsanitary tattoos and piercings, unprotected sex, some herbal supplements, injecting drugs with shared needles, and exposure to certain chemicals or toxins, such as vinyl chloride. In addition, other conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, can also put a person at risk of developing a liver disease.

As you can see, consuming lots of alcohol may be one cause of liver disease, but it’s one of many.

What to look out for: the signs and symptoms of liver disease

Amazingly, the liver can develop new cells, but early and effective treatment is needed to help it regenerate. So what are the warning signs of liver disease that you can look out for?

While liver disease doesn’t always cause noticeable signs, if it does, the symptoms you might experience include:

• Jaundice (yellow) skin and eyes
• Tendency to bruise easily
• Itchy skin
• Dark urine
• Abdominal pain
• Feeling extremely tired
• Feeling sick and vomiting

You may have noticed that lots of these symptoms could also be caused by other diseases, so be sure to see a doctor or nurse if you have any persistent signs that worry you or get worse. They’ll be able to help diagnose your condition and start you on any necessary treatment or refer you to a specialist. It’s often handy to go prepared to a doctor’s appointment, so here are some questions they may ask you, and others that you might want to ask them.

Questions your doctor may ask you

• What symptoms are you experiencing, and for how long have you had them?
• What medicines and supplements do you take?
• Has anyone in your family been diagnosed with liver disease?
• Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
• How much alcohol do you drink a week?
• Does anything improve your symptoms or make them worse?

Questions to ask your doctor

• What are the signs of liver damage I need to look out for?
• How will you test to see if my liver is damaged?
• (If already diagnosed) How severe is the damage? Can it be reversed?
• What has caused the damage?
• Are there any lifestyle changes I need to make or that could help? (E.g. diet, supplement use).
• What treatment options are available? Are there any ongoing clinical trials that could be a treatment option for me?

Treating liver disease

Before recommending a treatment plan, your doctor will likely ask you several questions, and may complete blood tests or imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan. This is because it’s important that they find the cause and extent of the liver disease so they can be confident they’re recommending the best treatment for you.

Depending on the cause and severity of your liver disease, your doctor may suggest:

• Lifestyle changes such as losing weight
• Medication
• Surgery

In the most extreme cases, though this is very rare, your doctor could propose a transplant. In addition, you could be a candidate to participate in a clinical trial.

Clinical trials: The future of liver disease diagnosis and treatment

Today, there are scientists and clinicians around the world who are committed to finding ways to better detect, treat, manage, and prevent liver disease. Clinical trials are a crucial part of their efforts. Trials are needed to test the effectiveness of new therapeutics and diagnostic tests, and for learning about health conditions. Without them, we wouldn’t have the tests and treatments we do today.

With over 100 types of liver disease, there’s still so much for scientists and clinicians to learn about the disease and better treatments to be made. The number of clinical trials is increasing, and more volunteers are needed. Some trials are exploring how diet changes could impact your condition, while others are testing new drugs that may help treat some types of liver disease, which as of today we can only try to stop from progressing.

Taking part in a clinical trial is completely voluntary. It’s up to you if you’d like to join, and you can change your mind at any time. By taking part in a clinical trial, you could:

• Receive close monitoring of your liver disease
• Receive an investigational treatment not available elsewhere
• Help shape the future of new treatments and diagnostic tests that could improve health outcomes for you and for other patients like you.

If you’re interested in joining a liver disease clinical trial and being part of the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments, ask your doctor what ongoing clinical trials are available to you.