The liver is one of the most vital organs in the body. It performs a multitude of functions such as metabolising and storage of fats and carbohydrates, producing proteins, detoxification and regulating chemical levels in the blood. Hence, it is essential to ensure that your liver functions efficiently throughout. You must seek immediate doctor’s attention if you show symptoms such as jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, blood in the stool, etc. since that could be signs of liver disease.
What is Chronic Liver Disease?
Let us first understand what is chronic liver disease.
Liver ailment or disease is a generic term often used to describe a number of conditions that affect the liver. Chronic liver ailments, however, require dedicated medical care involving diagnostic tests, medications and sometimes liver transplant surgery.
Factors that Increase the Risk of Chronic Liver Disease
The causes of chronic liver disease can be many. From inherited reasons to overuse of alcohol, being aware of the probable causes of chronic liver disease is imperative. It can be helpful in understanding the problem and also in getting the right treatment. Here are some of the most common factors that may increase your risk of chronic liver disease:
Alcohol Consumption
One of the widely known causes, heavy drinking can lead to chronic liver disease. Liver Cirrhosis is a health condition resulting from long-term harm caused to the liver by alcohol abuse. A blood test or a liver biopsy is the commonly recommended test to identify the problem. The associated problems include enlarged blood vessels, kidney failure, type-2 diabetes, and cancer.
Hepatitis
The Hepatitis C virus along with Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B is known to be the next bigger cause of chronic ailments associated with the liver. Vaccination is the foremost thing to be recommended by doctors. Liver transplantation could be necessary in certain cases. It is difficult to cure chronic liver ailments. Thus, suitable precaution is the only way to avoid the health issue.
Obesity
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition where excess fat deposits in the liver cells. Generally, there are some amount of fat exist in the liver. Obesity or other factors such as malnourishment or excess cholesterol levels are crucial factors responsible for this disease. The symptoms often include a swollen belly, enlarged blood vessels below the skin, jaundice, etc.
Genetics
Your genes, which you may inherit from either one or both your parents, can also lead to certain unhealthy build-ups in your liver. The common genetic liver ailments are:
- Wilson's disease
- Hemochromatosis
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Additional Risk Factors of Liver Ailment
There are many other factors that can put you at risk. Some of them are:
- Experts are of the view that liver disease could also be caused due to genetic reasons. Liver disease may be passed on from one generation to another.
- Metastatic cancer is one case that causes secondary cancer of the liver. Cancer originates in another organ of the body, such as lungs, breast, stomach, pancreas or the large intestine. Then it spreads to the liver.
- Abnormalities such as blood clots causing increased pressure in the blood vessels of the liver are a key factor in the development of cirrhosis.
- Poor functioning of the heart may also lead to swelling and inflammation in the liver. In fact, inflammation can also be caused due to exposure to certain chemicals.
- Tattoos and body piercings, sharing needles, unprotected sex and exposure to certain toxins can be the causes of chronic liver disease and put you at risk.
How to Diagnose Chronic Liver Disease?
When you know that the causes of chronic liver disease are not always visible, one of the things that may come to mind is how to diagnose chronic liver disease then? In such a scenario, it is highly recommended that you get in touch with your doctor and get a check-up done regularly. Your doctor needs to know your medical history, especially related to liver ailments, if any.
In case you are showing any symptoms or have practised something that you feel has put you at risk of liver ailments, you must share it with your doctor. If the doctor feels, you may be asked to take some tests and investigations.
Signs of Chronic Liver Disease
Depending on the causes of chronic liver disease, the signs and symptoms may vary from person to person. What is most important to note here is that in most cases, chronic liver disease symptoms do not occur until liver damage is severe. In case if it happens, it has the following signs:
- Tiredness
- Decreased appetite
- Itching in the skin
- Swelling in different parts of the leg, like feet and ankle
- Bleeding
- Reduction in weight
If you notice any of these signs in your body, then consult a doctor immediately.
How to Treat Chronic Liver Disease?
The treatment for chronic liver disease will depend on the underlying causes and the extent of damage to the liver. In the case of cirrhosis, the aim is to slow down the progress of the scar tissue in the liver. The patient may need to get hospitalised if they have severe liver damage. You need to be prepared that in case of a chronic liver disease, the patient would have to undergo long-lasting treatments. The good news, however, is that even chronic liver diseases can be mostly managed.
Along with medication, the treatment of chronic liver disease would typically include:
- Taking a healthy diet with low sodium
- Preventing the consumption of alcohol
- Drinking more water
- Controlling health issues that may occur due to cirrhosis. It is advisable to consult your doctor before taking medicines.
Other treatments for chronic liver disease are also available. They are as follows:
- If the virus results in liver failure, the hospital can help in the treatment of chronic liver disease to cure the symptoms until the virus is running its course. In this case, the liver will recover on its own.
- In advanced cases of chronic liver disease, when the liver does not function, a liver transplant is the only option.
>>Read: Healthy Liver: Tips to Keep your Liver Away From Deadly Infections
Preventing Chronic Liver Ailments
When it comes to chronic liver ailments, preventive care is significant. Prevention is all the more essential, as in a number of patients there may be no noticeable chronic liver disease symptoms. Following simple yet effective tips can help keep liver diseases at bay.
- Eating a low-fat, nutritious, healthy and preferably fresh diet
- Abstaining from liquor intake as much as possible
- Avoiding smoking
- Keeping your weight under check
- Exercising regularly
- Practising safe and protected sex
- Maintaining proper hygiene in order to avoid any kind of infection during vaccination
- Getting regular medical check-ups.
Over to You
Keeping in view the huge medical expenses likely to incur during a medical emergency owing to liver ailment, buying medical insurance is of utmost importance.
Even if you have a personal or a group health insurance plan, it is recommended that you opt for critical illness insurance. While your health plan may offer you comprehensive coverage, you need to know that treatment for chronic liver ailments can often be expensive. In such a scenario, you wouldn’t want yourself or a loved one having to compromise on treatment.
Critical Illness Insurance Plan from Care Health Insurance offers coverage for 32 critical illnesses, including liver failure. In today’s time, when new diseases grab the headlines, it is prudent to invest in health insurance and be prepared for what is to come.
Disclaimers:
Plan features, benefits, coverage, and underwriting of claims are subject to policy terms and conditions.
Please refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.
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