Cirrhosis of the liver is a severe liver disease with a poor outlook. Those who have heard of cirrhosis may equate it with severe or chronic alcoholism, but there can be other causes of cirrhosis, as well as other forms of liver disease such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Read on to learn more about the causes of cirrhosis, how it can be prevented, and how early detection can help improve quality of life. 

What Is Cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is also known as fibrosis, which is the scarring of the liver. The liver itself is quite an elastic organ, and every time that it is injured, it tries to repair itself. Non-severe, infrequent injury typically is no cause for concern. For example, if you imbibe too much on New Year’s Eve, and this isn’t a regular habit, your liver will respond to the subsequent injury and repair itself at no harm to you. However, if overindulging would become a daily occurrence, then you are putting yourself at risk for liver disease or cirrhosis. Too much scar tissue causes the liver not to function properly, which can cause sub-symptoms such as jaundice and other problems. Typically, late-stage cirrhosis leads to death. Even the damage from early-stage cirrhosis can usually not be reversed, but if injury to the liver is suddenly halted, quality of life and life itself can certainly be extended. 

There are other causes of cirrhosis besides alcohol, however. Different types of hepatitis (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hepatitis D), too much iron in the body, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can cause cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can also be a byproduct of cystic fibrosis, Wilson’s disease, galactosemia, and Alagille syndrome, among other conditions. It’s important to learn about the signs and symptoms of cirrhosis so you can alert your doctor if you believe there’s an issue. Remember, if cirrhosis is caught early, then there is a much better chance of survival. 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Cirrhosis?

Unfortunately, signs and symptoms are not always apparent in the early stages of cirrhosis. For this reason, as well as others for general health, it’s essential to keep your yearly physical appointment each year with your primary care physician. Your physician will order a panel of blood tests each year to check for your overall health, and they would likely order an ALT test to check for liver disease. Feel free to ask your physician if this is not part of your yearly battery of diagnostic tests. It’s one of the best tests to check for early signs of liver damage, which includes much more than just cirrhosis. 

Many patients do not see cirrhosis symptoms until the disease has moved into its later stages, but it is possible to see some signs beforehand. Common cirrhosis symptoms in the earlier stages include:

  • Fatigue or insomnia
  • Itchy skin
  • Visible blood capillaries on the abdomen
  • Sudden weight loss and loss of appetite
  • Weakness
  • Nausea
  • Pain in the vicinity of where the liver is located
  • Blotchy palms or hands

More common cirrhosis symptoms in the later stages can include, but are not limited to:

  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
  • Accelerated heartbeat or rise in blood pressure
  • Fevers
  • Muscle cramps
  • Nosebleeds
  • Frequent or susceptibility to bruising
  • Vomiting of blood
  • Dark urine
  • Problems walking
  • Black, tarry stools or extremely pale stools
  • Swelling of the abdomen (ascites), which is one of the very late-stage symptoms

There are also more personality-related symptoms of late-stage cirrhosis, such as an abject change in personality, mood swings, and loss of sex drive. Patients may also feel confused or suddenly have trouble with their working memory. 

Why Does Cirrhosis Cause Problems?

The liver is a vitally important organ in the body, and if it is compromised, this can cause severe health problems. The liver performs many functions, such as aiding in the production of glucose and removing toxins that have the capability of being harmful to the body. The liver also has a relationship with the body’s blood supply, which, if suddenly terminated, could be fatal. Cirrhosis fundamentally destroys this blood-liver relationship, which compromises the ability of the liver cells to remove toxins from the blood supply properly. All of the scar tissue that builds up in a liver with cirrhosis over time also obstructs the blood flow to the rest of the body, which is inherently dangerous. 

There are also other reasons that cirrhosis causes major health problems, and that is also the obstruction of the body’s bile ducts. Bile also helps to remove toxins from the body and aids in digestion. When the bile ducts are clogged in a liver that has cirrhosis, the body cannot digest food properly (which is why you see sudden weight loss or drop in appetite), and just as with the blood, bile cannot help regulate or eliminate toxins properly. 

The liver scarring, which causes obstruction of blood, the obstruction of the bile ducts, and the inability to process or remove toxins are what combine to make cirrhosis a deadly disease. 

Preventing Cirrhosis of the Liver

In most cases, cirrhosis is highly preventable because this type of liver disease is most associated with the overconsumption of alcohol over a long period of time. Occasionally overindulging will not cause severe liver disease. Common causes of cirrhosis include alcohol and hepatitis. Cirrhosis caused by drinking alcohol is caused by daily, alcoholic, heavy drinking, usually over the course of years. If you find that you are drinking daily and cannot stop, reach out to your physician to help. When a person consumes alcohol daily, stopping drinking suddenly can cause seizures and even death. It’s best to reach out to your physician. 

Being obese is also a risk factor for the development of cirrhosis, as well as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. If you need help losing weight or starting an exercise regimen, it’s a good idea to reach out to your doctor in this case, as well. 

If you have any type of viral hepatitis, it’s imperative to have your liver regularly tested to make sure it is functioning correctly. Having hepatitis does not mean you’ll contract liver disease, but it is a strongly correlated risk factor. 

What Are the Stages of Cirrhosis of the Liver?

There are several stages of cirrhosis of the liver. As with other diseases and conditions, later stages are much more damaging and harmful. However, keep in mind that the presence of even early-stage cirrhosis means that the liver is already sufficiently damaged and compromised. It is exceedingly rare for damage caused by cirrhosis of the liver to be reversed. Cirrhosis stages are:

  • Stage 1: Compensated cirrhosis. Scarring of the liver is present but no real symptoms and no complications. 
  • Stage 2: Varices develop as well as hypertension.
  • Stage 3:Decompensated cirrhosis. Increased liver scarring, possible liver failure, and worsening symptoms.
  • Stage 4: End-Stage Liver Disease (ESLD). This stage of cirrhosis is fatal unless one receives a liver transplant. 

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious liver problem, but unlike cirrhosis, alcohol consumption is unrelated to its presence. Liver disease unrelated to cirrhosis but is from the result of drinking results in the buildup of fat cells in the liver. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is similar, but is not caused by alcohol. Instead, NAFLD is related to conditions like metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. If you currently suffer from any of these conditions, remind your doctor to check your liver status at each yearly physical. NAFLD comprises 25 percent of all liver disease and, while not as life-threatening as cirrhosis, still can cause severe health problems.  

If you need more information about cirrhosis of the liver or would like to be evaluated by a physician, book an appointment at Needham Gastroenterology Associates. We offer a full range of gastroenterology services, including endoscopy and colonoscopy.