Understanding Alcoholic Liver Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful to the liver and can cause permanent damage that may lead to death. Recognizing the signs and diagnosing the disease early is the key to reversing the damage.

Causes

• The liver filters and breaks down alcohol for your body to digest. When the liver is overwhelmed by the level of alcohol ingested, it slows down and can cease to perform normal functions like digesting proteins your body needs.

Stages

• Fatty liver is the buildup of fat cells around the liver. It can be corrected if no more alcohol is consumed. If not corrected, it leads to alcoholic hepatitis, the inflammation of the liver. This damage can also be reversed if no more alcohol is consumed. The final stage is permanent damage, known as alcoholic cirrhosis. The liver is slowly replaced with scar tissue, which no longer allows normal liver function.

Symptoms

• Abdominal pain, nausea, jaundice, fever and dry mouth are common symptoms, requiring prompt medical attention.

Testing

• Liver disease can be detected by abdominal ultrasound, blood testing, liver functions testing and a liver biopsy.

Cure

• Stop drinking. Prior to alcoholic cirrhosis developing, the liver can heal itself.