Liver Problems - Symptoms and Causes of Fatty Liver
Owing to the sedentary lifestyle and hectic work-life, many young Indians are falling prey to several lifestyle diseases affecting vital organs of the body including the liver. Heavy alcohol consumption and obesity are the two widely known causes of liver problems in India. Another major factor for liver problems is the fatty liver condition where certain fats get deposited in the liver.
Treating any serious ailment demands quality healthcare and financial support in the form of health insurance plans. Liver ailments also need certain lifestyle changes along with constant monitoring and medications.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly being acknowledged by health experts across the world as the biggest factor for chronic liver diseases. As the term implies, it is seen in people who consume little or no alcohol. NAFLD is also a leading cause of liver cirrhosis.
During the early stages, the body may not show any symptoms of the disease, but long-term damage will lead to a severe medical condition that will be visible. Understanding these signs and symptoms as well as the underlying causes of the disease is crucial in finding the right treatment.
We discuss them below.
Symptoms of Fatty Liver
It is important to seek medical attention if you experience the following symptoms:
- Fatigue or muscle weakness
- Discomfort or pain in the upper right abdomen
- Abdominal swelling
- Enlargement of blood vessels below the skin
- Enlargement of spleen
- Loss of body weight
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Yellowish skin or eyes (jaundice) and red palms
In severe cases, a person may also show symptoms such as:
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Memory loss
- Itchy skin or Bleeding
- Black or tarry stools
Risk Factors or Causes of Fatty Liver
As stated above, fatty liver is not caused due to alcohol consumption. In fact, there are some major risk factors that lead to the development of this disease in a person. They include:
- High levels of cholesterol or triglycerides
- High blood pressure
- Insulin resistance or Diabetes
- Obesity or fat around the abdomen
Accumulation of excess fat in the liver gives rise to inflammation, thus causing scarring of the tissue called cirrhosis. In the worst cases, it can result in the failure of the liver.
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Treatment of Fatty Liver
The liver is a vital organ of the human body and is responsible for proper metabolism. When the body generates excess fat, which is not properly metabolized, it gets accumulated in the liver.
Basically, about 5 to 15 percent of the weight of the liver is due to fats but unhealthy levels of fat accumulation can result in fatty liver and the subsequent damages.
The first step to treating fatty liver disease is by performing diagnostics tests to identify the extent of the problem. Usually, liver enzyme and liver function tests, complete blood count tests, blood sugar check-ups, etc. are recommended. Sometimes, an examination of the liver tissue may also be necessary.
The initial treatment procedure involves a combination of weight loss, healthy meals, and exercises. Additionally, a patient may have to take the required medication to bring down the sugar and cholesterol levels.
When it comes to dealing with an ailment, a person should realize that discipline in terms of following a healthy lifestyle and planning for medical expenses is the first step to progress. Buy a health plan to prevent the additional burden of huge medical expenditure.
Care Health Insurance provides cover for 32 critical diseases under its customized Critical Illness Insurance Plan which makes management of medical expenses an easy task.
Disclaimer: Underwriting of claims for liver diseases subject to policy terms and conditions.
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