Cirrhosis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

The medical nomenclature “cirrhosis” usually depicts the issue of scarring or fibrosis of an individual’s liver. It can be caused by almost all forms of liver diseases and health conditions. Aside from it, the problem can also occur due to excessive alcohol drinking.

However, as you probably already know, the liver is a self-revitalizing organ. Whenever it gets damaged, it attempts to repair itself by creating more healthy tissues. However, due to the continuous progression of liver cirrhosis, it becomes almost impossible for it to function properly. Thus, in the later stages, the condition can become life-threatening.

The damage inflicted by cirrhosis on the liver cannot be undone through medication. However, if the condition has been diagnosed at an earlier stage, then it would become easier for your doctor to minimize its progression. It might be reversed as well, but it happens rarely.

Symptoms of Cirrhosis

Like any other liver-related ailment, the liver cirrhosis symptoms occur at an earlier stage. Therefore, if you are attentive to your health, then you can comfortably diagnose the issues quickly. Here are some of the earlier symptoms of liver cirrhosis that you need to be wary about!

• Sudden loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting (frequently)
• Mild to moderate fever
• An unexpected loss of weight (it may occur even when you are not exercising)
• Encountering a feeling of extreme weakness

If it does not get treated as quickly as possible, then the condition can progress further and become much more dangerous. In this aspect, you might experience the following liver cirrhosis symptoms

• Edema or swelling in the hands and legs
• Itchy skin (can occur almost anywhere)
• Bleeding or bruising, even at the slightest touch
• The occurrence of jaundice (the appearance of a yellow tint in the whites on one’s eyes and skin)
• Loss of memory or difficulty thinking
• Changes in personality (occurs due to the sudden increase in the level of the toxin)
• Blood in the feces
• Ascites (occurs due to the buildup of fluid in one’s abdomen)
• Change in the color of the urine (orange or brown)
• Shrunken testicles and the sudden loss of sex drive
• Gynecomastia or enlarged breasts (in men)
• Premature menopause (might occur during the 30s of a woman)
• Confusion or having difficulties while thinking

The latter ones usually occur during the last stage of liver cirrhosis. Therefore, it cannot be cured or tamed with the usage of medication. You will need to opt for liver transplantation to treat it and save your life.

Causes of Cirrhosis

The spectrum of the liver cirrhosis causes is considered to be quite broad and complex. However, learning more about them can definitely help you to prevent the disease from occurring at all. So, let’s check them out!

• Alcohol Abuse: Drinking alcohol once or twice a week does not really pose to be a threat to anyone. However, if you consume the same on a regular basis, then it can damage the tissues of your liver. Due to the continuous drinking habit, it might be almost impossible for your liver to regenerate itself. It, sequentially, can prompt the scarring to occur and lead to cirrhosis. Be sure to consult with a liver specialist doctor in Delhi as soon as possible to get treated properly.
• NAFLD: Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) can also cause scarring of the liver tissues. However, it usually occurs due to obesity and following a fat-based diet structure. Therefore, if you can lower the risk of the same exercising on a daily basis and maintaining a healthy weight, Dr. Shri Ram Agarwal can also offer his expertise to you in this aspect.
• Hepatitis B or C: Unlike Hepatitis A, the B and C variant can be a bit difficult to treat properly. Hence, during the curing period of the disease, it might wreak havoc on your liver and cause scarring of tissue. In some cases, it might lead to liver cirrhosis as well.

Aside from the aforementioned, there are some other factors available as well that can increase the risk of cirrhosis. These are

• Autoimmune diseases, which are causes your immune system to damage the healthy liver cells
• Cystic fibrosis
• Ailments, which might make it difficult for your body to produce sugar
• Wilson’s disease, which might increase the level of copper in your liver
• Various genetic digestive disorders
• After-effects of consuming some specific medications
• Infections such as brucellosis and syphilis
• The occurrence of a blockage in the bile duct

Treatment of Cirrhosis

In essence, the best way to treat liver cirrhosis is to undergo liver transplantation surgery. Otherwise, the condition cannot be cured at all. However, there are a few things, which might help you to keep the severity of symptoms under control. These are

• Be sure to stop drinking alcohol after you have been diagnosed. Otherwise, it might put even more stress on the liver.
• Try to maintain a well-balanced diet. It would be better for you if you could avoid fatty foods. Do not consume salt-based food items at all. It might worsen your Ascites.
• Taking a diuretic can help you to lower the severity of Ascites. However, make sure to consult your doctor before taking it.
• Try to practice and maintain good hygiene. It might help you to avoid getting contracted with infections.
• Make sure to drink as much water as possible. This way, it will be easier for your body to flush out the toxins and keep the pressure off of your liver.

Additionally, if you are suffering from an infection (anywhere in your body), then be sure to eat an antibiotic as soon as possible. Otherwise, it might reach your liver and infect it even more.

Why Choose Us?

Are you currently suffering from any liver-related ailment? Then, be sure to opt for the Samadhan Clinic today! The organization houses several proficient liver specialists, notably Dr. Shri Ram Agarwal, who can treat your condition pretty efficiently. Moreover, we do provide an efficient aftercare procedure to our patients as well to help them in getting better quickly. In addition, we also do not charge more than necessary at all. Nonetheless, if you are currently going through a financial issue, then you can talk with us about it prior to the appointment. We will try our best to help you out in this aspect as well. So, if you are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, then be sure to contact us today. We will definitely be there for you!