Inflamed Liver

The liver is one of the largest organs of the body. It weighs approximately 3 pounds and has many functions, such as; cleaning the blood, aids in food digestion, and stores energy. If the liver becomes damaged it has the ability to regenerate itself. However, there are many illnesses associated with the liver and The American Liver Foundation estimates that 27,000 people die each year from some type of liver disease.

Hepatitis

• Hepatitis is the medical term for liver inflammation; swelling is a result of liver inflammation, which causes damage to the liver tissue and loss of function.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of liver inflammation include weight loss, diarrhea, as well as nausea and vomiting. In some cases, liver failure causes no symptoms at all however; severe hepatitis can cause liver failure.

Treatment

• Treatments for liver inflammation vary according to the cause of the condition. If the inflammation was caused by alcohol abuse then prohibiting the use of alcohol can heal the condition, if caused by hepatitis C a patient may need anti-viral medication.