Signs & Symptoms of a Liver Problem

Your liver is an important organ in your body located on the lower right side of your abdomen. The liver has many jobs to do in order to keep you healthy, including removing toxins in your blood, processing essential vitamins and minerals, and digesting the food you eat. Symptoms of liver problems can be easy to spot if you know which ones to look for.

Yellow Appearance

• A major sign that you may be having liver problems is a yellowing of your skin and eyes, also known as jaundice. Jaundice is caused when there is a surplus of a chemical called bilirubin in your blood. Bilirubin is a toxin left behind in your liver when old red blood cells are destroyed. Your liver is responsible for excreting bile and removing this toxin from your body through feces. When your liver isn't functioning properly, it can fail to complete this task and thus bilirubin levels rise in your blood. Along with a yellowing of the skin, failure to expel bilirubin from the body can also cause lighter-colored stools because bilirubin, which is responsible for the brown color of stools, isn't present.

Weight Loss

• Another sign of a possible liver problem is lowered appetite that leads to weight loss. This is common when you have cirrhosis of the liver, which is a condition in which the liver is scarring and slowly deteriorating. It is unable to carry out its normal functions, including digestion, which is why you may lose appetite.

All-Over Itch

• Itchy skin could be caused by a number of things, including bug bites, allergies or dry skin. If you have persistent itchy skin all over your body without any of these causes, it could be a sign of liver problems. The reason for your liver causing your itching skin is not entirely known, but is believed to be the result of excess toxins in the bloodstream. Your liver couldn't remove them, causing a skin reaction as they flow through your body.

Swelling

• Swelling, pain and tenderness in the lower right abdomen area is also another sign that you may be suffering from a liver problem. This swelling of the liver can also lead to other problems such as painful breathing if the liver is pushing on your diaphragm. Swelling of the ankles can occur when your liver obstructs blood flow and causes water retention in the lower part of your body.

Other Symptoms

• These are just a few of the most telling symptoms that you may have a liver problem. Other symptoms can include dizziness, fatigue, depression, headaches, bloody stools and seizure. However, these symptoms are vague and can be caused by a variety of other health problems. If any of these symptoms present themselves, you should see your doctor immediately to determine if your liver, or some other part of your body, is the cause.