Cirrhosis of the liver

The liver is easy to ignore. It works quietly in the background, even when it is damaged by the scar tissue of cirrhosis. The liver compensates so well that many people don't know they have cirrhosis until the late stages of the disease, when they suddenly ask, "What is cirrhosis and how is it treated?" The liver performs over 500 functions in the body, from the digestion of fats and sugars to blood coagulation. It works with the immune system to help resist infection and cleans toxins like alcohol, chemical, and drugs from the blood. Cirrhosis of the liver is the liver's response to other diseases or conditions that cause chronic damage. It results from the liver's own attempts to repair cells damaged by chronic alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis, fatty deposits in the liver, exposure to chemicals, or genetic or autoimmune diseases. The liver has a remarkable ability to heal itself but with chronic abuse and damage, healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue or new liver cells form in nodules inside the scar tissue. The nodules may have functioning liver cells but the scar tissue and nodules disrupt the flow of blood. Liver cells that don't have good contact with the blood supply cannot do their job. Cirrhosis is irreversible. The treatment goal is to stop any further liver damage and treat the symptoms as they occur. People with cirrhosis must avoid alcohol and any medications or chemicals toxic to the liver to prevent any further liver damage. The liver will also benefit from a healthy diet and a multivitamin every day. Doctors treat the symptoms of cirrhosis as they occur. Some of the early symptoms include yellow skin (jaundice), itching, easy bruising, loss of appetite, weakness, and fatigue. Symptoms in late stage cirrhosis include an enlarged abdomen due to fluid retention (ascites), increased blood clotting times which make bleeding difficult to stop, bleeding from enlarged veins in the throat (esophageal varices), an enlarged spleen, and changes in brain functioning leading to confusion, coma, and death (encephalopathy). People with cirrhosis are also at higher risk of developing liver cancer. In cirrhosis of the liver, it is vital to do everything possible to avoid further damage to the liver. It is irreversible but with treatment and lifestyle changes its progression can be slowed. People with cirrhosis can live long healthy lives if they take good care of their health.