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What Is Liver Cirrhosis?

Liver is considered as an essential body organ that performs many life-sustaining functions. Unfortunately, there are many disorders and diseases that can affect our liver. Cirrhosis is one of them and it is a condition when the healthy liver tissue turns into regenerative nodules, scar tissue and fibrosis. This can cause our liver to lose its proper functions.

Hepatitis, high fat liver level and alcoholism are considered as major causes of liver cirrhosis. Other factors, such as autoimmune diseases, high level of copper and iron; and viral infection are also causes of chronic liver diseases.

Each liver cell is connected with very small blood veins and this helps our body to remove specific materials from blood. People with liver cirrhosis could have poor relationship between blood and liver cells. Although the remaining healthy liver tissue can still function properly, they overall liver effectiveness can be reduced somewhat. The formation of scars could also hamper our blood flow caused by liver cells.

A number of cirrhosis symptoms can be related indirectly and this doesn’t give us direct indication of the real problem. Common symptoms of liver cirrhosis are spider angiomata; which is identified as vascular lesions on the liver. There are also changes in nail structure and the skin of the palm could also be affected.

People with liver cirrhosis could have the Terry’s nails condition, with one third of the nail becomes reddish, while the rest become whitish. This symptom could happen to many people with liver cirrhosis, but not everyone. Men could have benign proliferation of their tissue. Liver cirrhosis can also cause hypoginadism, which causes testicular atrophy, loss of sexual drive, infertility and impotence.

This condition may also cause the suppressions of multiple pituitary functions. Depending on the condition, cirrhosis can cause liver to shrink or enlarge. Another symptom is the enlarged spleen and this condition is known as splenomegaly. The formation of ascites can happen in the peritoneal cavity due to the accumulation of fluid.

Based on a study, nearly 30,000 die each year due to liver cirrhosis and associated diseases. There are a number of treatments of this condition. First, doctors will try to prevent the escalation of the problem and protect the remaining healthy tissues. After the situation is isolated, they will treat the complications and minimize the possibility of liver cancer. If the problem is severe enough, liver transplantation could be needed.

To maintain healthy liver, patients need to adopt balanced diet with regular intake of multivitamin. Additional doses of vitamin K and D are needed. They also need to stop habits that can cause further liver damages. As an example, alcoholics can quit drinking entirely to prevent further damage. Depending on the causes, doctors will treat hepatitis, remove excessive level of iron or copper and stop the consumption of specific anti-inflammatory drugs.

Salt intake should be significantly reduced to about 2 grams each day and affected individuals shouldn’t drink more than 1.2 liters of water each day.

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