Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic, progressive liver disease that can be caused by too much alcohol. Alcoholism liver damage can affect 30% of individuals who drink at least 8-16 ounces of hard liquor daily for fifteen or more years. Although cirrhosis also has other causes such as hepatitis infection and other illnesses, alcoholism is one of the leading causes, particularly in the western world.
A normal functioning liver produces proteins and nutrients, promotes clotting, controls hormone, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, filters unwanted substances and helps the body fight infection. It’s safe to say that the liver plays an important role in keeping an individual healthy. Cirrhosis prevents the liver from functioning as it should.
Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Failure
The early stages of cirrhosis has no symptoms, but as the cells of the liver start to die, the liver will stop functioning normally and symptoms of an alcoholic liver will exhibit some of the following signs and symptoms. Many symptoms are nonspecific to liver disease and can occur in other diseases as well, so these don’t necessarily point to cirrhosis.
Alcohol liver damage symptoms and complications include:
- Increased bleeding and bruising due to the blood not being able to clot
- Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes
- Itching will develop because of the bile salt products that are deposited in the skin
- The liver will stop clearing the blood of unwanted substances which are carried to the brain which affects cerebral functioning. This could cause confusion, neglect of personal appearance, forgetfulness, unresponsiveness, trouble concentrating and changes in sleep habits
- Liver cancer – can be fatal
- Shortness of breath due to the blood bypassing the normal lung circulation
- Enlarged liver and/or spleen
- Small spider-like markings on the skin, particularly the chest
- Swelling of the abdomen and legs due to fluid retention
Alcohol abuse causes alcoholic cirrhosis and the treatment is abstinence. Although damage to the liver cannot be repaired or reversed, the damage can be stopped or slowed with proper nutrition, treatment and abstinence from alcohol. It is highly recommended that the cirrhosis patient follows a healthy diet. Doctors typically make a diagnosis taking into consideration the symptoms and lifestyle of the patient. Further diagnosis as to the progression of the disease includes a biopsy of the liver.
