Cirrhosis is a Chronic liver damage from a variety of causes leading to scarring and liver failure. It is sometimes called end-stage liver disease because it happens after other stages of damage from conditions that affect the liver, such as hepatitis. Now, you may not have symptoms in the beginning stages of the disease also the symptoms of cirrhosis depends on the stage of your disease. If you do have symptoms, some are general and could easily be mistaken for symptoms of many other diseases and illnesses.
Four causes of Cirrhosis
Regularly drinking too much alcohol
According to an article by Medical News Today published on the 5th of December,2017, Toxins, including alcohol, are broken down by the liver. However, if the amount of alcohol is too high, the liver will be overworked, and liver cells can eventually become damaged. So basically heavy, regular, long-term drinkers are much more likely to develop cirrhosis, compared with other, healthy people. Typically, heavy drinking needs to be sustained for at least 10 years for Cirrhosis to develop.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis C is a viral blood-borne infection that can damage the liver and eventually lead to inflammation and damage to the liver. Hepatitis B is another viral form of hepatitis and is more common in Africa and if left untreated, both of these forms of hepatitis can cause cirrhosis of the liver. Individuals who are at risk of getting this type of viral hepatitis include those who use illegal injected drugs or engage in sex without a condom or other barrier method or those that are on kidney dialysis
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
NASH, in its early stages, begins with the accumulation of too much fat in the liver. The fat causes inflammation and scarring, resulting in possible cirrhosis later on. NASH is more likely to occur in people who are obese, diabetic patients, generally, those with high fat levels in the blood, and people with high blood pressure.
Some genetic conditions
There are some inherited conditions that can lead to cirrhosis, including: Hemochromatosis which is Iron that accumulates in the liver and other parts of the body.There’s also Wilson’s disease which is Copper that accumulates in the liver and other parts of the body.
A diagnosis of cirrhosis begins with a detailed history and physical exam. Your doctor will take a complete medical history. Anybody who has the following symptoms should see their doctor immediately:
- fever with shivering
- shortness of breath
- vomiting blood
- dark or tarry stools
- episodes of drowsiness or confusion
