Your liver is responsible for aiding in food digestion, cleaning your blood, and fighting infections. The good news is that your liver can regenerate itself after damage by replacing old tissue with new cells.
According to the American Liver Foundation, anything that prevents your liver from working optimally or from repairing itself after injury could put your life in danger. This can be triggered by cancer, chronic inflammation, scarring, or using too much Tylenol.
Here Are the Most Common Symptoms of Liver Damage:
– Yellowing of Your Skin and Eyes
The whites of your eyes and your skin may turn yellow if your liver is not operating adequately because of a bilirubin build-up in your blood.
This symptom, also referred to as jaundice, could also occur if the damage of your liver keeps it from processing that bilirubin. In addition, the main culprits of this type of liver damage include hepatitis, infections, exposure to toxic substances, abusing ecstasy, consuming too much alcohol, and cancer.
– Changes in the Color of Stool and Urine
Jaundice could also change the color of stool and urine, thus making the stool pale and the urine dark.
– Swelling
If your liver is not working optimally, it could start retaining water in your legs and abdomen, thus contributing to swelling.
– Bruises
If you are experiencing liver damage, then you are more prone to bruising or bleeding since your liver has slowed or stopped producing proteins. These proteins play an important role in blood clotting. Your liver creates a few clotting factors that start disappearing if you experience liver damage.
– Itchy Skin
Liver disease is considered to be an underlying cause of cancer, thyroid problems, kidney failure, and itchy skin. Furthermore, the itching typically affects the entire body. Your skin could look otherwise normal except for the repeatedly scratched areas.
In Some Cases, Liver Disease Does Not Cause Any Signs and Symptoms:
According to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, about half of those suffering from liver disease do not experience any symptoms. Also, in some cases, people may experience mild symptoms, such as itching, lack of drive, tiredness or fatigue.
Moreover, as liver failure progresses, the symptoms can become more serious. This means that you may also experience diarrhea, nausea, confusion, disorientation, and sleepiness.
