Advanced Liver Damage Symptoms

The liver is one of the seven essential organs of the body; it performs more than 100 important functions. Liver disease impairs the liver's ability to perform these functions. Liver disease symptoms are most often chronic, meaning they develop slowly over a long period of time. There are many symptoms to be considered when diagnosing advanced liver disease.

Jaundice

• Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin, mucus membranes or the eyes. It is caused by a buildup of bilirubin, which is a byproduct of red blood cells. When the liver is unable to filter dying red blood cells, yellow pigment builds up in the body and jaundice results. High levels of bilirubin may also be attributed to hepatitis or blockage of the bile ducts. Jaundice is a clear sign that the liver is failing to filter the blood properly. Severe itching may also occur when a high level of bilirubin is present.

Bleeding Easily

• Advanced liver damage causes vitamin K deficiency. When there is vitamin K deficiency, platelets in the blood, necessary for blood clotting, decrease, causing a tendency to bleed easily. Bleeding of any kind can be very difficult to control, and if large amounts of blood are lost, blood transfusions may be necessary to replace the clotting factors and restore blood volume. Bleeding into the abdomen often occurs with advanced liver disease.

Swollen Abdomen

• A swollen abdomen is caused by fluid accumulation (edema) and internal bleeding. Ascites is a watery fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity causing a large swollen abdomen. Ascites occurs when fluid and blood are unable to pass through the damaged liver properly. As the liver becomes full this fluid seeps back into the abdomen. The weight from this fluid buildup can cause discomfort and the fluid can become infected. Blood vessels in the esophagus and intestines become engorged when normal blood flow through the liver is obstructed. The result is severe bleeding if the blood vessels burst.

Mental Disorientation or Confusion

• A severely damaged liver will not filter the blood properly. As toxic substances build up in the blood and reach the brain a condition known as hepatic encephalopathy develops. Confusion, sleepiness and shakiness become evident when levels of ammonia and other toxins become higher in the bloodstream and brain function deteriorates. Also, drug levels can become dangerously high because the damaged liver will be unable to process or filter them from the blood. This condition can eventually lead to coma and death.

Sleepiness

• One of the liver's essential functions is to help metabolize food into energy for the body. Weakness and fatigue occur when the liver is unable to properly digest and utilize important nutrients and vitamins from food, causing a lack of energy and resulting in sleepiness.

Portal Hypertension

• Portal hypertension occurs when blood flow through the portal system of the liver is obstructed, usually due to cirrhosis. Increased resistance will force the blood down alternate channels. Because the liver will not have a chance to filter the blood, this condition contributes to the above symptoms of bleeding easily and hepatic encephalopathy.

Conclusion

• The liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate itself. If liver disease is caught early and the underlying causes are removed the liver can completely heal itself. But if severe long-term damage has occurred then the liver cannot regenerate and heal itself and the above advanced liver damage symptoms will eventually appear as the liver further deteriorates.