How to suspect liver problems?

The largest organ of our body is the skin. But do we know which one is the second largest? It is the organ sitting on the right side, just on top of the stomach and right kidney. You’ve probably guessed it by now. Yes, it is the liver. 

The liver is a critical organ for our body’s metabolic functions. Most of the things we consume are broken down by the liver. One of its main functions is to keep the parts of the consumed product essential for our body and turn the rest into waste. The waste is then excreted from the body. 

Another important task of the liver is to produce bile. This substance plays a significant role in certain types of metabolism. Bile is also necessary to take the toxins out of the body. 

Like any other body part, the liver is also vulnerable to diseases and injuries. Many things could harm the liver. Infections like hepatitis are often an important cause of liver disease in our country. 

Drug overdose, e.g., in the case of drug abusers, is also a significant factor. Apart from these, autoimmune and genetic conditions, cancer, alcoholism, and excess fat buildup are all important reasons.  

The most common indication, and occasionally the only manifestation of liver disease, is jaundice. We are all pretty familiar with this condition, where our skin and eyes become yellowish. This is related to the inability of our liver to remove bile from the blood, resulting in excess accumulation. 

Urine can also turn dark since kidneys are the primary excretion of bile. In newborns, sometimes a form of jaundice develops due to the breakdown of a huge volume of red blood cells; this is different from liver disease.  

Sometimes, the liver grows bigger than usual and can be felt easily in the abdomen. This may be associated with other symptoms or may appear alone. If it is enlarged too much, there could be a sense of fullness in the abdomen. 

Liver disease could also lead to swelling of our arms, legs or abdomen due to water accumulation. This is called edema. Swelling of the abdomen due to excess fluid collection is also known as ascites. This is a general feature of liver disease.

There could be several complications of liver disease, one of which is related to the oesophagus, the route through which food moves from the mouth to the stomach. 
In a patient with chronic liver disease, the lower part of the oesophagus may bleed due to a rupture of the blood vessel, manifested as blood in the vomit and/or stool, reduced urination or a high level of thirst. 

There are variations in when the symptoms appear. For some people, it could be sudden; others experience it more gradually. Around half the people with liver disease may not show any symptoms. 

If liver disease is suspected, we must consult a physician. The exact cause needs to be recognized, and proper treatment can be instituted. It could be simple lifestyle modifications or require more extensive management through drugs and surgical procedures. Sometimes, patients may even need a new liver.

According to Dr Saleh Alqahtani, director of clinical liver research for Johns Hopkins Medicine, we need to be aware of the risk factors for liver disease to avoid those and reduce the threat of the disease altogether. Dr. Saleh identified some common factors often responsible for damaging our liver. 

These include alcohol, excess drug intake, obesity, diabetes, high levels of cholesterol, etc. Additionally, the threat level may increase if there is a history of liver disease in the family.  

The liver is a vital organ for our survival. We need to make sure it is properly taken care of. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding risk factors and consulting the physician without delay if we detect any issue can go a long way to protect our liver and, consequently, our body.