As part of the digestive system, the liver is essential for filtering toxins and detoxifying the body. It can store nutrients from digestion and sort out harmful substances such as alcohol, drugs etc ... However, in the long term, toxin overload or exposure to an infectious agent can hinder its proper functioning.
Similarly, some diseases including hepatitis, soda or cirrhosis affect the liver and are the cause of various symptoms. Among them, there are 12 that must lead to consulting a health professional. Discover them!
The 12 symptoms of a damaged liver
1. Intense tiredness
When the body fights a disease or faces the malfunction of one of its organs, including the liver, it gets tired more. Thus, a person suffering from a damaged liver will see his state of fatigue become intense and chronic, despite the rest.
2. A loss of appetite
Loss of appetite is one of the symptoms of a damaged liver. Indeed, the latter normally plays an important role in digestion because it produces digestive enzymes. However, when it works poorly, it is all this process that is affected and at the same time the appetite.
3. Digestive disorders
At the same time that the appetite is lost, digestive disorders appear including nausea, diarrhea or constipation because the production of bile by the liver is insufficient. Thus, the digestion is disturbed. In addition, hepatobiliary insufficiency leads to other complications such as an alteration of neighboring organs, bleeding disorders and / or more serious diseases.
4. A change of stool
When the liver is damaged, the stools change color and become light, white or gray in color. This is because the bile is no longer transported to the colon and the stool is poor in stercobilin, the pigment that gives them their brown color following the degradation of bilirubin, the main dye of bile, itself from the degradation of hemoglobin.
5. A change in the color of the urine
In the same way that the stool contains a pigment, the urine is stained with urobilin, another pigment that results from the breakdown of bilirubin. However, when the liver is malfunctioning and bilirubin is not equitably eliminated by stool and urine, it is the urine that supports all elimination of the latter. As a result, the urine becomes darker, orange, amber or brown.
6. Jaundice
High levels of bilirubin in the blood, caused by liver disease, can cause jaundice. Jaundice, or jaundice, refers to the change in color of skin, mucous membranes, and even eyes that turn yellow.
7. Belly pain
Since digestive disorders occur due to lack of bile production by the liver, this causes stomach pain. Moreover, since the liver is located in the epigastrium, the area above the navel, it is possible to suffer from a pain in the upper belly, called epigastric pain.
8. Water retention
Water retention may be visible as long as the liver is functioning poorly. In fact, when the liver no longer filters the blood properly, the entire venous circuit is reached, as well as the fluid regulation system. As a result: swelling of the legs, hands, feet or ankles.
9. Itches
Itching, or pruritus, may be a sign of a liver problem. This is usually a consequence of the high level of bilirubin in the blood and its poor evacuation.
10. Swelling of the abdomen
When the liver is inflamed, it can increase in volume, which results in painful swelling of the abdomen. Moreover, in case of disorders of the liver and gallbladder, liquid may be present in the abdominal cavity, which causes its swelling.
11. A fever with repetition
Repeated fever is illustrated by repeated episodes of moderate or high fever. These episodes can be caused by a liver condition that the body responds to through fever. Indeed, fever is a natural defense process, led by the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that helps manage body temperature. This creates an environment that is hostile to pathogens. However, when the fever lasts and it is too high, the vital prognosis can be engaged, that is why a medical opinion is necessary.
12. A feeling of generalized malaise
In addition to one or more of these symptoms, and if you have a general feeling of being unwell, visit a health care provider to rule out all serious illnesses, including those related to the liver. .