Liver disease: symptoms and treatment. Liver aches: causes

The liver performs an important function in the body. This body simultaneously takes part in the work of several systems: digestive, hematopoietic, metabolic processes and hormonal balance. That's why if the liver fails, then the whole body suffers. About liver disease, methods of treatment and purification of the liver, the symptoms of diseases and the causes of their occurrence, there is a lot of information, but it is important to understand what kinds of ailments exist and how to distinguish them.

Functions of the liver

As one of the important organs in the human body, the liver performs many different functions. It is responsible for the digestive system, is a storehouse for vitamins and minerals, actively participates in hematopoiesis and performs a barrier function. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins entering the body with foodstuffs are digested and digested and already enter the bloodstream in the bloodstream, where they are again decomposed, but already through biochemical reactions. The role of the liver is to form albumin, prothrombin and fibrinogen from protein, convert carbohydrates to glycogen and fat to cholesterol. For the rational functioning of the body, vitamins and minerals are needed, which accumulate in the cells of this important organ and are released at the right time to maintain the body's functioning. In addition, the liver itself is able to synthesize vitamins such as A and B12.

In the hepatic tissues, the cleavage and utilization of red blood cells and other blood cells is performed, resulting in the formation of bilirubin. It is excreted from the body with urine. Also here hemoglobin is synthesized, special substances involved in the processes of blood coagulability, fibrinogen and others. At various poisonings by the liver, detoxication of toxic substances is carried out.

Common symptoms of hepatic disease

All liver diseases are accompanied by painful sensations arising in the right side under the ribs. As a rule, the pain is long aching. During physical exertion or shaking while riding, they increase, and at rest they weaken. Strengthening the pain and contributes to the load on the liver through the use of fatty, spicy or fried foods. The general signs of all possible diseases of the body are:

- worsening of appetite;

- nausea, vomiting;

- belching, heartburn;

- weakness, lethargy;

- decrease in working capacity.

Virtually all types of liver disease are characterized by a discoloration of the skin. Initially, the patient is yellowing the sclera of the eyes, and then the skin becomes yellowish. In addition, there is a discoloration of stool and a significant darkening of the urine to dark brown hues. Against the background of the above symptoms may appear skin itching due to a rise in the blood level of bile components. Women have menstrual irregularities, men develop impotence.

Symptoms and manifestations of liver disease, diagnosis and treatment directly depend on the causes of the defeat of this organ. To determine the problem at the initial stage, a whole complex of laboratory blood tests is carried out.

Types of liver disease

Depending on the extent of the lesion and the localization of the inflammatory process in the liver, all possible diseases of this organ are divided into two large groups:

- diffuse;

- focal.

By diffuse means those inflammatory phenomena in the liver that affect its entire area (for example, viral and acute hepatitis, steatosis, sclerosing cholangitis, biliary cirrhosis and others). Focal diseases include tumors and cysts. It is important to recognize in time, to what type this or that liver disease belongs. Symptoms and treatment for each group have their own characteristics.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is divided into two forms: acute and chronic. The acute form develops suddenly and is accompanied by a diffuse lesion of the entire surface of the liver. The cause of the development of the disease are viruses that penetrate the body in various ways. From the way the virus enters the body, hepatitis is divided into species A, B, C, D, E and F. For example, the virus A is transmitted through contaminated water, foods, the B virus through the blood, hepatitis C also spreads by the hematogenous way, can Transmitted sexually.

The causes of liver damage can be long-term use of medications, alcohol abuse, malnutrition. Acute forms of liver disease (symptoms, signs and treatment of liver diseases for each type of virus have their own characteristics) are due to the manifestation of some common symptoms. They include:

- icteric period;

- weakness and increased fatigue;

- a constant feeling of nausea;

- periodic vomiting;

- complete loss of appetite.

In some cases, the disease is accompanied by pain in the joints, muscles, fever and other influenza-like manifestations. When the patient develops the above symptoms, they are joined by discolored feces, darkened urine. An alcohol-free form of acute hepatitis is characterized by such symptoms as general weakness, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite and increased liver. Symptoms, treatment and diet with this form of the disease can be appointed in two ways: radical and conservative. According to the first patient does not need any special treatment, or in compliance with diets. Symptoms of hepatitis gradually decrease, and recovery comes. In this case, the patient is recommended bed rest, a plentiful warm drink (herbal decoctions) and peace. If these requirements and recommendations are not observed, various complications of the disease and the risk of its transition to a chronic form are possible. Conservative treatment of acute hepatitis is carried out in a hospital with mandatory diet and other prescriptions of the treating doctor.

Chronic hepatitis is a recurrent or untreated inflammatory disease of the liver. Symptoms and treatment depend on the form of the disease: chronic active and chronic persistent. To the reasons that influence the development of the disease, include the following:

- viruses (B, C, D);

- Alcoholism;

- chemical poisons affecting the destruction of the liver;

- some medications.

In some cases, the cause of hepatitis remains undetected, and the disease is called idiopathic. Active hepatitis most often is viral. The disease is severe, can go to cirrhosis. Persistent hepatitis has more favorable effects. Its main feature is weakness and moderately enlarged liver in the absence of other symptoms. For active hepatitis, such features as itchy skin, yellow skin and sclera of the eyes, pain in the right upper quadrant, sometimes on the skin, hemorrhages appear.

Cirrhosis of the liver

Cirrhosis is the most complex diffuse disease of the liver. Symptoms and treatment depend on the degree of damage to the liver tissue. The most common cause of the disease are viruses and alcoholism. Inflammation causes a large diffuse proliferation of hyperplastic tissues, which quickly replace normal healthy liver cells, disrupting blood circulation in tissues.

The most common signs of cirrhosis include weakness, malaise, insomnia, impaired ability to work. There is also jaundice, skin hemorrhage, itching, a sharp decrease in weight caused by a violation of stomach absorption. Complication of the disease is the dilatation of the esophagus with subsequent bleeding.

Steatosis of the liver

Steatosis is a disease characterized by obesity of the liver. Symptoms of the disease, features of the flow are due to the degree of accumulation of fatty deposits in the organ.

The causes of the disease are diabetes, protein deficiency associated with poor nutrition, obesity, alcoholism, endocrine disorders, as well as chronic diseases of the digestive system. To diagnose steatosis, it is necessary to pass an ultrasound examination. An inexperienced doctor may confuse him with a chronic hepatitis of persistent form or Gilbert's disease.

Biliary cirrhosis

The special forms of liver diseases include primary biliary cirrhosis of the liver. This form is characterized by an inflammatory process that affects the smallest intrahepatic bile ducts. After that, the inflammation spreads to the liver cells, as a result of which they are replaced by a hyperplastic or connective tissue. Unfortunately, there are no known causes that affect the liver in this way. Symptoms of her illnesses and treatment will be closely interrelated. It is known that women are more often sick from 35 to 60 years. It is in middle age that they exacerbate various liver diseases. Signs and symptoms of biliary cirrhosis are caused by the appearance of skin itching on the palms and soles, which is amplified and spread throughout the body, depending on the severity of the disease. Over time, there is yellowness of the skin, blood cholesterol levels increase, the liver and spleen increase significantly in size, the absorption of vitamins deteriorates.

It is very difficult to treat the disease, in most cases liver transplantation is required. Conservative medicine is aimed at replenishing the missing vitamins to the body, reducing itching of the skin. In addition, the patient is forced to follow a strict diet and take vitamins.

Liver tumors

There are two groups of tumors:

- benign (hemangiomas);

- malignant (liver cancer).

A tumor is a liver disease whose symptoms and treatment can not be determined without a thorough diagnostic examination. The fact is that the tumor is rarely accompanied by pain at the initial stage. This creates certain difficulties in its detection, and the patient does not receive the necessary treatment on time.

Hemangiomas are a tumor of blood vessels that permeate the liver. You can detect them either with the help of ultrasound, or on a computer tomography. Large tumors are surgically treated. Small hemangiomas should be observed after a routine diagnostic examination 2-3 times a year.

Malignant tumors are divided into:

- primary cancer;

- cancer against cirrhosis;

- metastases to the liver.

To determine the disease, it is important to have a blood test that shows how much protein the alpha-fetoprotein releases into the bloodstream of the liver. Symptoms and treatment depend on the stage of the tumor.

Liver cysts

Any cyst is a cavity located inside an organ and filled with fluid. It usually has an oval or round shape. Cysts are plural and individual. The disease can be detected by ultrasound, after which the doctor will determine the type of cyst (parasitic or non-parasitic), find out whether it is a harbinger of the initial stage of cancer and whether there are any complications of liver disease. Symptoms and signs, diet and treatment of the cyst of the liver depends on its type.

The parasitic cyst arises from the effects on the body of parasitic flatworms - echinococcus or alveococcus. For this type of cyst is characterized by the following symptoms:

- pain in the right side under the lower ribs;

- a significant increase in the liver;

- yellowness of the skin;

- itching of the skin.

Possible complications of the parasitic cyst are its rupture or suppuration. Suppuration of cysts is called "abscess". The reason is bacteria or protozoa (eg, amoeba). Symptoms of liver abscess include fever, liver enlargement, pain in palpation, increased white blood cell count. Treatment of complicated forms of the disease is carried out surgically.

A non-parasitic cyst is observed by a doctor every 4-6 months using ultrasound. Based on the results of ultrasound, the doctor monitors the dynamics of the disease and makes decisions about its treatment.

Medicamentous treatment of liver diseases

In the treatment of liver diseases, a complex of medicines is used - hepatoprotectors, the most popular among which are funds on a natural basis. For example, "Legalon", the original preparation based on the extract of milk thistle with high bioavailability and increased content of the active component of silibinin, strengthens membranes, stimulates the work of liver cells, prevents the penetration of various dangerous substances into it.

In addition to the protective effect, this hepatoprotector has a restoring effect and relieves inflammation of the tissues. Legalon is also suitable for the prevention of liver function disorders, since it significantly reduces the load on the body when taking medications, fatty foods and alcohol, and also prevents the onset of fibrosis and other degenerative changes.

Features of treatment of liver diseases folk remedies

Before you seek help from healers and healers, you should undergo a qualitative examination, identify the causes of the ailment and determine its name and form. Otherwise, popular therapy, chosen by eye, can not only aggravate the patient's condition, but also lead to premature death. Also it should be remembered that many medicinal plants are toxic, and their treatment is unsafe. In addition, for excretion of any substances from the body (including medicinal broths), the excretory system and the liver respond. That's why you should carefully select the folk remedies, folk medicine. The symptoms of liver disease for non-professionals seem monotonous and have only some distinctive features. Therefore, the consultation of the attending physician is extremely important for the patient who decided to take advantage of folk therapy. The doctor will compare the information about the disease and give useful recommendations based on where and how the liver hurts and how to treat it most effectively.

Folk therapy is aimed at restoring the functionality of the liver, reducing pain, reducing the inflammatory process in the liver tissues, improving the overall condition of the body. Prepared medicines for zhakhar recipes have a protective, antitumoral and regenerative effect on the liver.

Widespread folk treatment of the liver with decoctions of milk thistle, immortelle, corn stigmas. It helps with the first pains honey in combs, it is mixed with cinnamon and taken on an empty stomach half an hour before meals. This means gently and gently cleanses tissues and relieves inflammation. An effective agent for the treatment of inflammatory liver diseases is prepared on the basis of olive oil cold pressed, honey and lemon juice. These components are mixed and taken 3 times a day for 30 grams. In the diet it is useful to include zucchini and pumpkin, which are steamed or stewed. Also useful are beets, carrots and other root crops, which can be eaten both raw and stewed.

To cleanse the liver, a recipe based on oat grains is suitable. 3 tablespoons of raw materials are mixed with dry leaves of cowberry and birch buds (10-15 grams of each ingredient). Everything is poured into 4 liters of clean water and the day is insisted in a cool place. Separately, 200 grams of rose hips and 2 table spoons of dried herb grass are brewed in 200 grams of water. The broth is mixed with strained oat infusion and is taken 100 grams before meals for 10 days. The remainder of the medicine should be stored in the refrigerator. Such treatment is suitable for everyone.

Prevention

To be engaged in the prevention of any disease is always more rational than to waste energy and resources for its treatment. To prevent anxious bells about the liver, you should lead a healthy lifestyle, give up harmful habits (alcohol, smoking, gluttony), eat a variety of foods, take vitamins. It's not too late to take up health when there were some symptoms of the disease and the liver is already aching a little . Symptoms, causes and treatment will be determined by the doctor on examination and during diagnosis, and the patient's duty will be to strictly follow all the prescribed recommendations. In this case there are high chances that the disease will not go into chronic form, will not have serious complications, and recovery will occur in a short time.