Pain in the liver: possible causes and recommendations

Pain in the liver does not always mean the presence of a pathological process in the organ itself, so an accurate diagnosis can only be made by the doctor after the examination of the patient.It is accepted to classify the pain in the region of the liver as acute and chronic, as well as aching, pulling, sharp, pressing.It is the differentiation of the pain syndrome that can help in the diagnosis even before the instrumental examination of the patient.

Table of contents:

Causes of pain in the liver

There are several causes of the pain syndrome under consideration, each of which has its own characteristics, characteristics and may be accompanied by other symptoms.

Hepatitis acute and chronic

Hepatitis is an inflammatory liver disease that can carry an infectious or viral cause of occurrence.For this pathological condition pain may not be a characteristic symptom, but it will be necessary to be present.

Hepatitis A. This type of inflammation of the liver is not characterized by intense pain, at the very beginning of the disease there is no syndrome at all.But the patient notes all the symptoms of a banal acute respiratory illness - fever( hyperthermia), general weakness, fever.If in 3-4 days after the first signs of a cold there are pains in the region of the liver( right hypochondrium), then it is possible to suspect the development of hepatitis A in acute form.The pain will be pulling and permanent.

Hepatitis B. Also, like the previous form of liver inflammation, the presented one begins with signs of a cold, but just a week later there appear constant, blunt and pressing pains in the anatomical location of the liver.The patient notes that during the day, pressure appears regularly, and the liver steadily increases in size.At this stage of hepatitis B development, the diagnosis may be incorrect - the signs indicate the development of hepatitis type A, but this type of inflammation is characterized by jaundice.

Hepatitis E. Only this type of acute hepatitis is characterized by severe, paroxysmal pain in the region of the liver and just above the navel.

Chronic types of hepatitis occur with mild pain, which occurs most often after eating too fatty foods.

Cirrhosis

A dangerous disease that can lead to a fatal outcome - in the course of this pathological process, the organ structure breaks down, liver tissue disorders develop. There are several types of liver cirrhosis:

• alcoholic - occurs against a background of prolonged abuse of alcohol-containing beverages;
• viral - is a complication of the acute form of viral hepatitis;
• medicinal is the result of prolonged therapy with potent drugs;
• biliary - cirrhosis is hereditary;
• congestive - develops when blood is stagnant in the organ.

Pain in the liver with cirrhosis is a constant aching character and characterized by a wave form - the intensity of the pain syndrome increases after a violation of diet or alcohol use. When cirrhosis, the pain syndrome is always accompanied by other symptoms:

• increased fatigue for no apparent reason, drowsiness;
• significant expansion of veins on the legs( but the symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities are absent);
• increase in the size of the abdomen, which occurs due to the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity;
• severe skin itching;
• jaundice.

Steatosis of the liver

This pathology is associated with the formation of adipose tissue in the structure of the liver.Pain in this condition is periodic, can simulate spasms, but quickly disappear when adjusting the schedule / diet.Steatosis of the liver is characterized not only by the pain syndrome, but also by serious disorders of the digestive system: diarrhea( diarrhea), fatty stool, intestinal colic, symptoms of general intoxication of the body.

Tumor neoplasm

Benign neoplasms of various types can be formed in the liver, but not all of them are accompanied by pain. Doctors distinguish the following types of tumors in which the pain syndrome is pronounced:

• hemangiomas - swelling in the vessels;
• Nodal hyperplasia - formation in the thickness of the liver of a set of nodules;
• adenomas - the neoplasm is located in the glandular cells of the organ;
• cysts - are of an innate nature.

Note: pain in the liver with benign tumors begins to appear only if they grow significantly.In this case, the pain will be aching, intense enough and accompanied by nausea, vomiting and a bitter taste in the mouth.

Malignant tumors are always manifested with pain - intense, persistent, aching, not taking off even spasmolytic drugs.

Pain in the liver area without organ pathology

In many cases, the pain syndrome in question is not associated with impairment of the actual liver function.The following conditions can provoke pain in the liver:

1. Acute cholecystitis.Inflammation of the gallbladder in an acute form is characterized by severe pain in the liver.It is noteworthy that the syndrome has a wide irradiation - in the right hand, under the collarbone, in the right scapula.Pain in acute cholecystitis is very strong, which forces the patient to immediately seek professional help, especially since in the short term the syndrome under consideration is "aggravated" by bloating, unrestrained vomiting, and high body temperature.
2. Chronic cholecystitis.Diagnosis means a long-term inflammatory process in the gallbladder, accompanied by periodic relapses and remissions.Pain in the liver, inherent in chronic cholecystitis, is not intense, appears periodically - for example, during seasonal exacerbation of pathology.
3. Gallstone disease.If the gallbladder or its ducts have stones, this does not mean that the pain syndrome will be present always and from the very beginning of the pathology development.Usually, a powerful pain in the liver region occurs when the stone moves.The syndrome is brightly expressed, spasmodic, intensified by the slightest movement, does not subside even after using pain medications.
4. Mononucleosis of infectious etiology.This is a viral disease that is characterized by aching, blunt pain in the liver.In addition to constant pain, the patient will complain of a significant increase in the liver and nearby lymph nodes, anginal pain in the throat, fever.
5. Acute pancreatitis.This inflammation of the pancreas is acute, which always has a strong, sudden pain in the liver, and after 30-60 minutes it is joined by hyperthermia( fever), fever and uncontrollable vomiting. Note : pain in the liver and accompanying symptoms in acute pancreatitis have almost the same characteristic for the manifestation of acute cholecystitis, but in the first case the pain will be much more pronounced.

Pain in the liver may appear with osteochondrosis, kidney and urinary system diseases, acute appendicitis, stomach ulcer.But they can not be classified as a pain syndrome in the pathology of the liver - a false syndrome appears due to irradiation.

Physiological pains in the liver region - causes

Doctors distinguish three physiological causes of intense pain in the liver:

1. Hangover syndrome.The pain syndrome of this localization never arises with the direct use of alcoholic beverages, but in the morning( or a few hours after a plentiful libation) a person may experience intense pain in the liver region.The reasons for its appearance are precisely after the abuse of alcohol-containing drinks:

• , the liver experiences very high loads when alcohol is ingested;
• liver cells are affected by ethyl alcohol;
• too much of the consumed fatty, smoked, salty foods, along with alcohol.

1. Drug overdose.Pain in the liver can occur after a long course of therapy with potent drugs - for example, antibiotics.In such a case, the patient is characterized as a pulling syndrome, constant, with a stable weakly expressed intensity.Excessive physical activity.Even children are well aware that with fast walking or running, pain appears in the right side under the ribs.The syndrome is a consequence of stagnant phenomena in the veins of the liver.The pain in this case will be strong, pulling and pressing.

What can I do if there is pain in the liver

If the pain in the liver region appears suddenly and for the first time, then the following measures should be taken:

• take a reclining position with the head elevated;
• constantly drink ordinary water - still, without flavor additives;
• can be attached to the area of ​​the right ribs with a hot-water bottle with ice for 10 minutes.

Note : in some cases, an acute attack of pain in the liver may indicate the development of a pathological process that is life-threatening for the patient.There is no need to take risks and use self-selected medications with analgesic effect: firstly, they are unlikely to have the desired effect, and secondly, medications can "smooth out" the clinical picture - this will make diagnosis more difficult.

In case of regularly appearing pains in the area of ​​the liver and refined diagnosis, you can ease your health with recipes from the category of traditional medicine. For example, a good analgesic effect is possessed by:

1. Honey and cinnamon.You need to mix 500 ml of honey with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and use the mixture on a tablespoon every day.
2. Rye of corn.Take the cob of fresh corn, move the leaves and see the thin "hairs" - this is the stigma, but you can buy them in the pharmacy.Brew this plant as a tea and drink 500 ml every day, dividing the total volume by 2-4 admission.
3. Mixture of oil and other ingredients.It is necessary to mix 500 ml of olive oil, juice of one lemon, 100 ml of apple cider vinegar and take a mixture of one tablespoon two to three times a day. Please note : during treatment with this remedy you need to eat a lot of walnuts.

In general, in folk medicine there are many recipes that will help get rid of the pain in the liver area quickly enough. Here are just some of them:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of dry watches of triple leaf, yarrow and St. John's wort, pour 300 ml of boiling water and steal the resulting composition.Take 30 ml twice a day and after 2 days the condition is normalized.
2. Mix the juice of carrots, parsley, celery and cucumber - this vitamin cocktail stabilizes the condition with exacerbation of chronic hepatitis.
3. Prepare the juice from the burdock leaves - this can only be done in May.

Diet for pain syndrome

Doctors say that regardless of the reason for the pain syndrome in the liver area, the patient must comply with a certain diet / dietary schedule. The essence of the diet under this condition is as follows:

1. Dispose of:

• fresh bread, pastry and confectionery;
• any fatty meat, including poultry;
• conservation of both domestic and industrial production;
• any spices, condiments;
• egg yolks;
• chocolate and coffee;
• strong tea;
• alcohol;
• mushrooms.

1. Enter into the daily ration:

• milk and its derivatives;
• sour-milk products, but not in large quantities;
• soups are not on fatty broths;
• boiled vegetables;
• egg whites in the form of baked omelets;
• beef, rabbit, turkey;
• fish of skinny varieties;
• pasta.

1. Take small meals and often.
2. It is compulsory to consume large quantities of about water . Attention: carbonated sweet drinks are strictly prohibited!

The pain in the liver area is quite painful and brings a lot of inconvenience to the patient.But if the survey was carried out at a professional level, the doctor differentiated the diagnosis and prescribed treatment, then, if all recommendations are followed, the patient's condition quickly normalizes and enters a long-term remission.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapist of the highest qualification category