The first signs of liver disease

The need for normal liver function for the life of the whole body is undeniable.Diseases of this organ sometimes begin and develop progressively, all signs of pathology are pronounced and even diagnosis does not present difficulties for the specialist.But in some cases even serious liver diseases have a blurred clinical picture and patients for a long time simply do not seek medical help.What signs of liver disease should alert both the patient and the doctor?

Table of contents: Skin with liver diseases Digestive disorders Hormonal shifts Nervous system disorders Blood coagulation Intoxication of the body

Skin with liver diseases

An experienced doctor will necessarily examine the skin of the patient - most often changes in their appearance will "prompt" the doctor about the developmentLiver disease.In some cases, however, pathologies in this organ proceed without any manifestations on the skin, but this happens very rarely.

Skin changes that may indicate liver disease:

Clear brown coloration of the skin in the armpits or in the inguinal folds - this indicates the development of cirrhosis of the biliary type or hemochromatosis.
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White spots without clear boundaries, located on the nail plates of the upper and / or lower limb fingers - this sign can signal the development of chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver.
Jaundice - it usually appears not only on the skin but also on mucous membranes and sclera.The yellow color of the skin is visible better in natural light, with artificial this sign may not appear.Jaundice is always present in pathological changes in the liver tissues.
Eruptions on the skin without a clear localization - if you exclude an allergic reaction to any internal or external stimulus, these changes will indicate the development of hepatitis of infectious etiology or liver diseases of autoimmune origin.
Combs on the skin surface - they appear with severe itching, which can be a sign of biliary cirrhosis of the liver, which is taking place against the background of intrahepatic bile stasis.
Vascular "stars" - this is generally considered a classic sign of developing cirrhosis of the liver.

In addition, physicians on examination of the patient can detect dry skin, cracks in the corners of the mouth, crimson color of the tongue, spontaneous bruises without weighty reasons - this is also evidence of liver disease.In some cases, the doctor will immediately note swollen, swollen veins located along the abdominal wall in the direction from the navel.

Digestive Disorder

Since the liver belongs to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, the developing pathologies in it necessarily provoke disturbances in the digestive system. Patients will complain about:

nausea;
stool disorders - there may be constipation or diarrhea;
a feeling of heaviness and discomfort in the anatomical location of the liver( in the right ileal region);
fecal discoloration;
appearance of dark urine.

Note: from the patient's mouth often gives off a sweet smell - this may indicate an increasing liver failure: the condition is very severe, can lead to serious consequences.Pain in the right hypochondrium with the development of liver disease appears rarely, more often it indicates a pathology in the gallbladder and its ducts.

Some patients complain about the increased volume of the abdomen, the growing dimensions of the circumference of the waist - this occurs when the fluid in the abdominal cavity accumulates.

Hormonal shifts

Similar signs of liver disease are more often present in men during the development of alcohol and / or viral hepatitis.Scientifically proven that excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can provoke a "mutation" of male hormones - they are transformed into female hormones. And in this case the following signs will be revealed:

breast augmentation;
marked atrophy of the testicles;
libido disappears;
type of hairstyle is changing.

In the development of primary cirrhosis of the biliary species, parathyroid hormone levels may increase. In this case, the following complaints will be received from the patient:

sudden bone fractures that are spontaneous;
pain in the bones;Deformation of flat bones.
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Note: if a person has any chronic liver pathology( eg, liver stenosis), then very often diabetes develops against this background.

Nervous system disorders

Psychosis is unlikely to develop in a patient with liver disease, but some disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system can be. These include:

increased fatigue;
sleep disturbance - sleeplessness prevails at night, drowsiness during the day;
change in handwriting in the patient - this is due to the constant trembling of the fingers;
permanent general weakness;
memory degradation.

Note: in particularly severe cases( for example, with rapidly progressive liver failure) may be epileptic seizures, loss of consciousness.

Blood clotting

Frequent spontaneous bleeding is a sign of liver disease.It's about too much menstrual bleeding, the presence of blood in the stool, the appearance of blood discharge from the gums while brushing your teeth.

Intoxication of the body

Signs of organism intoxication are most often manifested in viral and bacterial hepatitis, progressive oncological diseases of the liver, complications on the background of cirrhosis. In case of intoxication, the following symptoms will be noted:

pain in muscle tissues and joints;
temperature increase - the indicators will be variable;
decreased appetite, up to a total aversion to food;
nausea;
sharp weight loss;
a constant sense of "frustration".

All of these signs may indicate not only liver disease, but also other pathologies.Therefore, to engage in self-diagnosis and even more so self-medication, in no case should it be advisable to seek medical help.

Yana Tsygankova, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category.