What kind of liver problems are there

A CT scan shows details of the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. MRI magnetic resonance imaging. This test makes detailed pictures of organs and structures inside your body.

It uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy. A dye may be shot injected into your vein. The dye helps the liver and other organs to be seen more clearly on the scan. This shows your internal organs as they work. It checks how blood is flowing through different blood vessels.

It uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues, and organs. You may also have an upper endoscopy EGD. A lighted flexible camera is placed through your mouth into your upper digestive tract to look for enlarged blood vessels that are at risk of bleeding because of your cirrhosis. If you have fluid in the belly ascites , you may need a low sodium diet, water pills diuretics , and removal of the fluid with a needle paracentesis.

How is cirrhosis treated? Your treatment may include: Eating a healthy diet, low in sodium Not having alcohol or illegal drugs Managing any health problems that happen because of cirrhosis Talk to your healthcare provider before taking prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, or vitamins.

What are the complications of cirrhosis? Cirrhosis can cause other health problems such as: Portal hypertension. The portal vein carries blood from your intestines and spleen to your liver. Cirrhosis slows the normal flow of blood. That raises the pressure in the portal vein. This is called portal hypertension. Enlarged blood vessels. Portal hypertension may cause abnormal blood vessels in the stomach called portal gastropathy and vascular ectasia or enlarged veins in the stomach and the food pipe or esophagus called varices.

Liver problems that can occur include fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. The liver and its cells — as seen through a microscope — change dramatically when a normal liver becomes fatty or cirrhotic. The liver is an organ about the size of a football. It sits just under your rib cage on the right side of your abdomen. The liver is essential for digesting food and ridding your body of toxic substances.

Liver disease can be inherited genetic. Liver problems can also be caused by a variety of factors that damage the liver, such as viruses, alcohol use and obesity. Over time, conditions that damage the liver can lead to scarring cirrhosis , which can lead to liver failure, a life-threatening condition.

But early treatment may give the liver time to heal. The liver is your largest internal organ. About the size of a football, it's located mainly in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath the diaphragm and above your stomach. Liver disease doesn't always cause noticeable signs and symptoms. If signs and symptoms of liver disease do occur, the may include:.

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs or symptoms that worry you. Seek immediate medical attention if you have abdominal pain that is so severe that you can't stay still. Parasites and viruses can infect the liver, causing inflammation that reduces liver function. The viruses that cause liver damage can be spread through blood or semen, contaminated food or water, or close contact with a person who is infected.

For You Children Patient Handouts. There are many kinds of liver diseases: Diseases caused by viruses, such as hepatitis A , hepatitis B , and hepatitis C Diseases caused by drugs, poisons, or too much alcohol.

Examples include fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. Liver cancer Inherited diseases, such as hemochromatosis and Wilson disease Symptoms of liver disease can vary, but they often include swelling of the abdomen and legs, bruising easily, changes in the color of your stool and urine, and jaundice , or yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Start Here. Diagnosis and Tests. Depending on the specific liver condition you have, your healthcare provider may recommend other dietary changes. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove all or part of your liver. Generally, a liver transplant is only done when other options have failed. Many liver diseases are manageable if you catch them early. Left untreated, however, they can cause permanent damage.

If you have any symptoms of a liver problem or are at risk of developing one, make sure to check in with your healthcare provider for routine checkups and testing, if needed. The liver produces and clears cholesterol in the body. Learn how liver damage can affect cholesterol and what treatments you can explore. The liver is a powerhouse organ, performing a variety of tasks that are essential to maintaining good health.

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If you have ascites, you have fluid in the space between the abdominal lining and the organs.