Liver Inflammation Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Inflammation of the liver is a condition that is also called hepatitis.

There are a number of different types of liver inflammation. The most common form is caused by a virus and is therefore known as a viral infection. These infections can either be acute or chronic. When hepatitis is triggered by one of these viruses, it is generally described with an alphabetical name: For example, hepatitis, A or hepatitis C. The names of the viruses themselves are usually shortened to HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV and HEV HFV and HGV. HGV has only recently been discovered.

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Hepatitis B and C can be particularly harmful, possibly leading to serious, even critical diseases like cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Alcohol is another cause of liver inflammation. Alcohol is toxic to the liver and frequently leads to inflammation and then cirrhosis. Three times as many people suffer from alcohol-induced hepatitis as from hepatitis C, which is one of the more common viral forms.

Liver inflammation can also be caused by a variety of chemicals and drugs. Even legal drugs like pain killers and pain relievers can be toxic to the liver when they're used improperly or excessively. The amount of damage drugs and chemicals can do varies, naturally, with the type of drug used, how much was taken for how long, and the user's overall state of health. Recreational and illegal drugs are very dangerous.

Various diseases are also the cause of inflammation of the liver. Some of these diseases are related to the liver, but others aren't. Among the most common are Wilson's disease, which comes from an excessive amount of copper in the body, and hemachromatosis, which results from too much iron. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever and certain auotimmune conditions also contribute to inflammation of the liver.

Signs of inflammation of the liver vary depending on the cause. But generally speaking, four symptoms are predictable.

Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Because of this discoloration, many people call this condition yellow jaundice.

Another typical symptom is a lack of interest in food, which id usually followed by weight loss. This symptom of inflammation of the liver is especially typical with forms of acute hepatitis. Nausea and vomiting often follow shortly afterwards.

You also get tired easily when you have hepatitis. Fatigue can be chronic and profound. One of your liver's main function is to help control your metabolism and energy levels, so when it is inflamed, your energy is reduced. This also leads to a feeling of weakness.

Hepatitis is also characterized by muscle and joint pain. It could go on for several weeks. Besides muscle and joint tenderness, you might feel pain in the area of the liver itself. In fact, pain could reach as high as the right shoulder. The intensity of this pain will depend on the progress of the inflammation.

Treatment for acute viral hepatitis is usually unnecessary due to the fact that it heals on its own in time. However, certain medications and antivirals may be useful for hepatitis B and C. Drugs called interferon and ribavirin are usually recommended for these disorders. When liver inflammation is caused by autoimmune hepatitis, it is usually treated with corticosteroids.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with hepatitis should avoid drinking alcohol and talk to their doctor before taking drugs or medications of any kind.

Liver Inflammation Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

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Why Is Liver Inflammation So Dangerous?

Liver inflammation can be extremely dangerous to your health - even to your survival. If liver inflammation goes undetected or is left untreated, it can result in so much damage that your liver eventually fails. When liver failure occurs, there's only one way to survive, and that's through liver transplantation.

Liver inflammation is more commonly known as hepatitis. The word hepatitis comes from Greek, and it literally means inflamed liver.

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You might be surprised to learn that obesity is one of the biggest causes of liver inflammation. Health authorities in the United States and Canada have said liver problems caused by obesity are nearly at epidemic proportions. The reason is a condition called fatty liver disease. When you have this disorder, also known as fatty liver syndrome, it means there is excess fat accumulating in your liver. This fat causes irritation of liver tissue, which then becomes inflamed. This inflammation destroys liver cells. It's estimated that 10-20 percent of Canadians and Americans have fat growing on their liver.

Use - or abuse - of alcohol is another of the most common reasons for liver inflammation. There is a form of liver inflammation called alcohol-induced hepatitis which affects millions of people worldwide. Even moderate amounts can cause liver damage in just a few years. Research has shown that 9 out of 10 individuals who consume approximately 150 grams of alcohol a day for five years will experience some degree of liver impairment. 150 grams is a little more than 5 ounces. Hepatitis caused by alcohol consumption happens three times as often as hepatitis C, which is caused by a contagious virus. Anyone with any degree of liver inflammation should stay away from alcohol completely.

Viral infections are also among the most common reasons for hepatitis. Since many cases of hepatitis are caused by viruses, an infection can often be transmitted from one person to another. The viruses that cause hepatitis have been designated with alphabetical names from A through G. Hepatitis C is one of the most common types, and one of the most dangerous.

Medications, supplements and vitamins can also be a source of liver inflammation. Consult your doctor before you take any kinds of pain-killers or medications like acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol. Repeated, excessive use can inflame your liver. Easy-to-get over-the-counter drugs can harm your liver if you take more than you should, or take them in certain in combination's. Be careful with vitamins and supplements too. They may seem completely harmless because you don't need a prescription to get them. But they can be dangerous if you don't know enough about them.

The amount of harm medications, vitamins and supplements can do will depend on amounts consumed and the length of time they are taken. Of course, recreational drugs, especially those that are administered intravenously, are particularly dangerous. Users who share needles when taking intravenous drugs place themselves at an additional risk from viral hepatitis infections.

There are a number of liver conditions which trigger liver inflammation. These include hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease. Plus, some other diseases, especially malaria and mononucleosis, will damage liver tissue.

If any of the risk factors described above apply to you, you should talk to your doctor soon. Liver problems often present no warning symptoms and you may not even know you have liver trouble until significant damage has been done and liver function is impaired. The best way to defend yourself from liver inflammation is to have regular physical check-ups that include liver function tests. These tests will detect liver inflammation or any other signs of liver problems when there is still time to treat them.

Why Is Liver Inflammation So Dangerous?

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