Cirrhosis: Causes, Signs & Symptoms, Prevention - Patient Education

Cirrhosis is a condition that is characterized by scarring of the liver due to continuous, long-term liver damage.
Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue in the liver and prevents it from functioning properly.
The damage caused by cirrhosis can't be reversed and can eventually become so extensive to a stage where liver stops functioning. This is called liver failure.
Cirrhosis can be fatal if the liver fails.
However, it usually takes years for the condition to reach this stage and treatment can help slow its progression.
There are usually few symptoms during the early stages of cirrhosis. Noticeable manifestations develop as the liver damage becomes more extensive.
Symptoms of cirrhosis may include the following.
Tiredness and weakness.
Loss of appetite.
Weight loss, and muscle wasting.
Feeling sick, vomiting, and tenderness or pain around the liver area.
Itchy skin, yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, this condition is known as jaundice.
Tendency to bleed and bruise more easily, such as frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums.
Hair loss.
Fever and shivering attacks.
Swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet due to a build-up of fluid, known as edema.
Abdominal swelling, due to build-up of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, this condition is known as ascites.
Some other symptoms may include personality changes,
Insomnia,
Memory loss,
and confusion with difficulty in concentrating.
This is known as encephalopathy and occurs when toxins affect the brain as the liver is unable to excrete them from the body.

In the later stages of cirrhosis, people may vomit blood or have tarry, black stools.
This is because blood can't flow through the liver properly, which causes an increase in blood pressure in the vein that carries blood from the gut to the liver, the portal vein.

The increase in blood pressure forces blood through smaller, fragile vessels that line the stomach and esophagus.
These can burst under high blood pressure, leading to internal bleeding, which is visible in vomit and/or stools.

There are many different causes of cirrhosis. On a worldwide basis, the most common causes are drinking excessive amounts of alcohol,
and long-term hepatitis C infections.

In some cases, no specific cause is identified.

The liver breaks down toxins, such as alcohol, but too much alcohol can damage the liver cells.
Men and women who drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, are considered to be drinking too much.

If you're a heavy drinker, your chances of developing cirrhosis are increased.

Alcohol-related cirrhosis usually develops after 10 or more years of heavy drinking.
For unknown reasons, some people are more susceptible to liver cell damage than others.
Women who drink heavily are more susceptible to liver damage than men, partly because of their different body size and build.
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.
Left untreated, it can damage the liver over many years, eventually resulting in cirrhosis.
Hepatitis C is the most common form of hepatitis.
Two other types of hepatitis infection, hepatitis B and D, can also cause cirrhosis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, is a severe liver condition that can lead to cirrhosis.
As with alcohol-related liver disease, the early stage of NASH is the build-up of excess fat in the liver. This fat is associated with inflammation and scarring, which could lead to cirrhosis.

NASH can develop in people who are obese, have diabetes, have high levels of lipids in blood, and high blood pressure.
Most people with NASH feel well and aren't aware that they have a problem until cirrhosis occurs and liver function is affected.

Cirrhosis can't be cured, so treatment aims to manage the symptoms and any complications and stop the condition getting worse.

It's usually not possible to reverse liver damage that's already occurred, although recent research suggests this may eventually be possible in cases where the underlying cause of the liver damage can be successfully treated.

There are a number of things you can do to help yourself stay healthy and reduce your chances of developing further problems if you have cirrhosis, including completely avoid alcohol, regardless of the cause of cirrhosis, as alcohol consumption increases the rate at which the condition progresses.
Lose weight if you're overweight or obese.
Regular exercising to reduce muscle wasting.
And Practice good hygiene to reduce your chances of developing infections.

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