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Symptoms Of Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease – Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), also known as alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), is the result of long-term alcohol consumption, and often occurs in three stages.
As the largest internal organ in the body, the liver is responsible for approximately 500 different functions, including blood filtration, digestion, metabolism, synthesizing proteins, as well as the storage and production of vitamins and minerals.
Symptoms Of Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease
In addition to these vital processes, the liver plays an important role in detoxifying the blood by removing unhealthy substances such as drugs and alcohol.
Liver Disease: Signs & Symptoms, Causes, Stages, Treatment
While there are several types of liver disease, alcoholic liver disease is a common form that is preventable through lifestyle changes and not drinking alcohol.
It begins when the liver becomes swollen or inflamed, and an unhealthy scar tissue develops that inhibits its ability to function properly.
The condition worsens over three stages of the disease, culminating in cirrhosis of the liver, which is one of the most common long-term negative effects of alcohol.
Heavy, long-term consumption of alcohol leads to a build-up of fats in the liver, causing inflammation in liver cells and the replacement of normal, healthy liver tissue with unhealthy, non-viable scar tissue.
Fatty Liver: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
Alcoholic liver disease is a common, but preventable condition. An estimated 10 to 20 percent of heavy drinkers will develop the disease after 10 years or more of drinking, according to the American Liver Foundation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines heavy drinking as 8 or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more drinks per week for men.
The early stages of alcoholic liver disease can be reversible with treatment, but when a person reaches the final stages of cirrhosis, the damage cannot be reversed. This stage can lead to liver failure, which can be fatal.
Not all forms of liver disease are caused by drinking alcohol. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition in which fats build up in the liver, but not as a result of heavy alcohol consumption.
Early Signs Of Liver Damage From Alcohol
With non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, people have excessive fat in their liver, but do not develop inflammation or liver damage that leads to complications. However, they may experience pain due to the enlargement of the liver.
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, unfortunately, causes liver inflammation and damage, along with excessive fat in the liver. This condition can also progress to cirrhosis where the liver is permanently damaged.
While most people with nonalcoholic liver disease develop one form or the other, sometimes people can develop both forms over time, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
If caught in the early stages, much of the liver damage can be reversed with medical attention, including a person seeking proper alcohol treatment for an alcohol use disorder to help transition to a healthier, sober lifestyle.
Fatty Liver Disease
In the alcoholic fatty liver stage, fats that lead to inflammation have started to build up in the liver as a result of too much alcohol.
During this first stage, the damage to the liver is usually reversible simply by using alcohol.
In the second stage, alcoholic hepatitis, the breakdown of fats began to cause the liver to swell and become inflamed. Recovery from this phase of the disease usually depends on the severity of the damage.
In the liver cirrhosis stage of ALD, the accumulation of scar tissue restricts blood flow through the liver, making it nearly impossible for the organ to process nutrients, drugs, hormones, and natural toxins.
Alcohol Related Complications
By the third stage, the liver loses its ability to generate proteins and other chemicals necessary for healthy functioning. In short, the liver is scarred beyond repair and a person with cirrhosis is at increased risk for liver failure.
The symptoms of alcoholic liver disease can be painful and unpleasant depending on the stage of the disease that a person is experiencing.
One of the problems with alcohol-related liver disease is that some people do not show any signs or symptoms until they are in the late, irreversible stages of the disease.
Some of these symptoms may be more common after binge drinking, which is defined as 5 or more drinks in one sitting for men, and 4 or more drinks for women.
Alcohol Liver Disease Treatment In India
Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention as soon as possible and have an honest discussion about their alcohol consumption with a doctor.
Treatment and recovery from alcoholic liver disease depends on the stage of the disease that a person is in when they receive a diagnosis.
The first step in treating any stage of the disease is to address the addiction and stop all alcohol consumption to prevent further damage to the liver.
A professional detox program supervised by a medical staff is necessary to ensure that the patient completes the process safely without developing further complications during withdrawal such as delirium tremens.
How Long Can You Live With Cirrhosis?
After detox, it is highly recommended to continue with a formal residential treatment program to prevent relapse and learn effective ways to stay sober.
Individuals diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are advised to begin a weight management program, get regular exercise, and follow a healthy, well-balanced diet.
For cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B or hepatitis C, there are a number of approved antiviral drugs for the treatment of these conditions.
In severe cases, a liver transplant may be necessary. However, being placed on the national waiting list can be a long process and there is no guarantee of a transplant before complications of the disease become fatal.
Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: When To Intervene And With What
Treatment for alcoholic liver disease is promising if diagnosed in the early stages. It is preventable for some people by only drinking alcohol in moderation, and for everyone by not drinking alcohol at all.
Summit Malibu was created by people in recovery for people looking to recover. We understand where you are now and how to find lasting change. Contact us today: (310) 742-1882 Alcohol abuse is an increasingly concerning issue in America that continues to negatively affect people’s physical and mental health. For example, the frequency of alcohol-related liver disease continues to increase. Even more concerning, a study conducted by the University of Michigan found that cirrhosis mortality related to alcohol consumption increases most among people aged 25 to 34 years. Alcohol-related liver disease is a serious problem that can lead to serious and life-threatening consequences if left untreated.
Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) is caused by frequent and heavy alcohol consumption, which results in damage to the liver. After only a few years of drinking, the liver can become damaged and swollen. This damage eventually produces scarring known as cirrhosis of the liver, which is the final stage of liver disease. Although liver disease is only one of the severe consequences of alcohol abuse, it is particularly serious because liver failure is potentially fatal. As a result, it is crucial to learn more about what ARLD is and how to prevent it from happening to you.
The liver is responsible for breaking down and filtering harmful substances in the blood. In addition, it manufactures proteins, enzymes and hormones that the body uses to fight infections. In general, the liver is responsible for cleaning our blood, producing bile for digestion, and storing glycogen for energy. All these functions combined make the liver a vital organ for the body’s ability to run smoothly.
Hepatic Steatosis: What Is It, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, And More
When someone drinks alcohol, their liver is responsible for processing and filtering this substance. However, when someone drinks large amounts of alcohol, their liver cannot work fast enough to successfully filter and process it. As a result, the unprocessed alcohol circulates in the blood of the individual. Therefore, alcohol is a sedative substance. Chronic alcohol abuse leads to the destruction of liver cells, resulting in scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), alcoholic hepatitis and/or cell mutation, which ultimately results in liver cancer. While heavy drinkers can develop alcoholic cirrhosis without first developing hepatitis, it is common for these conditions to progress from fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis, and then eventually cirrhosis.
There are three stages of alcohol-related liver disease. In addition, each stage has a different set of symptoms to watch out for. If you catch the signs and symptoms of alcohol-related liver disease early, treatment is usually successful. However, many people do not realize they are suffering from alcohol-related liver disease until it is too late. Therefore, if you suffer from alcohol use disorder, it is extremely important to know about the early symptoms of liver disease.
Some people with ARLD have no symptoms until the disease is advanced. On the other hand, other people may start noticing signs earlier. If you or a loved one suffers from alcohol addiction and have noticed some of the following symptoms, contact a medical professional as soon as possible.
In addition, the symptoms of ARLD may appear more frequently or noticeably after binge drinking. People who have a family history of alcohol-related liver disease, drink frequently and heavily, binge drink, or have a poor diet are more at risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease. Untreated ARLD can lead to irreversible damage to the liver, sometimes leading to death. If you or a loved one are concerned about your alcohol consumption leading to liver disease, it is vital that you seek treatment
What Is Alcoholic Hepatitis? Symptoms & Treatment
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