The Danger of Liver Disease.

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(Edited)

Amongst the circle of common diseases that exists these days is liver disease and there are moments, I wonder what the reason behind liver disease could be and if it can even be avoided at all. I am writing this article to explore liver disease and everything associated with it. Liver diseases are basically caused by infections and obesity amongst other causes.

Exploring the activities of the liver.

The skin is the largest part of the body, the liver is the second largest, and it sits comfortably under the ribcage on the right side, it is so large that it can be compared to the size of a football. The liver is extremely important to the body, it has the ability to perform more than 500 vital functions. The liver contains four lobes, these lobes are made up of eight sections and other thousands of lobules.

Production of Albumin: Albumin is a protein that prevents the fluid in the bloodstream from leaking into surrounding tissues, it is also responsible for carrying vitamins, hormones, and enzymes through the body.

**Regulation of Amino Acids: The production of protein greatly depends on amino acids, the liver ensures that the number of amino acids available in the bloodstream are really healthy ones.

Bile Production:Bile is a substance responsible for carrying toxins out of the body, it also aids digestion and fat absorption in the small intestine.

Blood Filter:Every blood going out of the stomach and the intestine goes through the liver, and the liver takes away toxins, byproducts, and other substances that are harmful.

Storage of minerals and vitamins: The liver is responsible for the storage of a significant of vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12 as well as copper and iron.


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Glucose processing: The liver is responsible for the removal of excess glucose from the bloodstream and it stores it as glycogen. The glycogen is then converted back into glucose.1

Any disturbance to the normal functional ability of the liver is referred to as; Liver disease. Another name for liver disease is called hepatic disease. It is caused by;

Viral infections: The presence of viral infections like Hepatitis A, B, and C can lead to liver damage.

Inherited diseases: Some inherited genetic conditions could lead to liver disease also. Examples of those liver diseases are; Wilson disease and hemochromatosis.

Consumption of excessive toxins: Misusuing alcohol, the consumption of excessive fat contains toxins and is unhealthy for the body.

Cancer The development of tumors in the body could be malignant which is liver cancer.

Immune system: The immune system can accidentally affect the liver, creating autoimmune liver disease. 2


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Symptoms of liver disease include;

  • Abdominal pain and swelling (Pain felt within the stomach region).

  • Nausea (the urge to vomit or actually vomiting).

  • Bloody stool (Seeing blood in your stool).

  • Jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin).

  • Chronic fatigue (feeling excessively weak and tired constantly).

  • Ability to get bruised fast(getting injured every time even when it is not necessary).

  • Swelling around the legs and the ankles.

  • Dark urine color.

  • Absence of appetite (not having the urge to eat/get hungry).

  • Weight loss (unexplained reduction in size)

How liver disease can be diagnosed.

Asides from the symptoms, only concrete diagnoses done by medical experts can make you determine the presence of liver disease.

Imaging tests: Ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan can be used to check for possible damage signs, scarring, or tumors present in the liver. In order to determine the level of fat deposition or scarring in the liver, fibroscan can be used in that case.

Blood tests:Liver enzymes are used to measure the level of liver enzymes in the blood, another way to determine liver function is by going through a blood-clotting test known as the International Normalized Ratio (INR).

Liver Biopsy: During the process of liver biopsy, the medical expert uses a thin needle to take out small samples of liver tissue, and the tissue is analyzed to check for the presence of liver disease.

There are various treatment options for liver disease, but the treatment is greatly dependent on the type of lever disease and how serious the disease is;

Medications: Some levels of liver diseases like the inherited one or the one caused by a viral infection like hepatitis, can be treated with prescribed medication.

Lifestyle changes: Diet and some lifestyle changes can help treat certain liver conditions. The presence of fatty liver disease can be treated by avoiding alcohol, and reducing to the barest minimum, the calories and fat consumed.

Liver transplant: The moment when the liver disease becomes a liver failure, then liver transplant is the best treatment option for a healthy life. 2

How to maintain a healthy liver.

The liver has a lot of functions and in order for the body to function appropriately, the liver has to function properly too. These recommendations will help you maintain your liver more efficiently.

Exercise regularly: A good exercise routine will promote the health condition of every organ of the body, this organ definitely includes the liver.

Safe sex: Some sexually transmitted diseases like hepatitis C, can affect the liver, practice safe sex in order to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Illicit drugs: Whenever there is an intake of illicit drugs to the body, the liver goes through the process of filtering it out, continuous intake of illicit drugs will continue to stress the liver out and certainly, cause long-term damage to the liver.

Eat healthy: The consumption of excessive fatty substances will make it difficult for the liver to function appropriately.

Proper vaccination: Getting appropriate vaccination, especially while traveling, will help you protect your liver against sicknesses that affect the liver, examples are; hepatitis A and B, yellow fever, and malaria. 1

Conclusion.

Liver disease is very real and we need to tread with caution to protect our liver from getting damaged, getting a liver transplant doesn't come easy at all, especially when you do not have lots of money. Certain lifestyle changes will help protect our liver a lot.

For further studies.

https://columbiasurgery.org/liver/liver-and-its-functions

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17179-liver-disease

https://medlineplus.gov/liverdiseases.html

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-related-liver-disease-arld/

https://www.medicinenet.com/causes_of_fatigue_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

https://www.healthline.com/health/liver-diseases#outlook

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Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my podcast channel Here and I also have a youtube channel where you can listen and watch any episode for free, do not forget to subscribe and share with friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from members of the community and do well to keep them coming.



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11 comments
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A post worth the read.
Is there, by any chance, prolonged consumption of legal drugs contribute to liver disease?

Thanks for sharing.

!1UP

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Thanks for your time @thecuriousfool, research has shown that prolonged consumption of drugs especially self-prescribed ones could contribute to liver disease, drug types should align with doctor's prescription.

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I've been hearing this being mentioned from a few people but always forgot to do the research. Thanks for confirming for me. 😊

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Thanks a lot for your time, it is my humble pleasure to share.

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Awesome content. Liver diseases constitute a serious health challenge. From fatty liver, to fibrosis to liver cirrhosis and finally Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). They pose great challenges especially where liver transplant is not achievable due to poor finances. So prevention remains the key.

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Thanks for your contribution to the STEMsocial community. Feel free to join us on discord to get to know the rest of us!

Please consider delegating to the @stemsocial account (85% of the curation rewards are returned).

Thanks for including @stemsocial as a beneficiary, which gives you stronger support. 
 

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As for many things, a healthy lifestyle already helps. Thanks for this instructive post!

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