Cirrhosis is a late-stage liver disease in which good liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, causing permanent damage to the liver. You may not show any signs in the early stages. Alcohol misuse, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatitis are all common causes of this disease. Healthy liver cells are injured by various diseases and situations, resulting in cell death and inflammation. The scar tissue reduces the liver’s capacity to metabolise nutrients, hormones, medicines, and natural toxins by blocking blood flow through the liver (poisons). Cirrhosis affects the liver’s ability to function correctly, and its late stages can be threatening.
Cirrhosis symptoms vary depending on where your disease is in its progression. You may not have any symptoms in the earlier stages. If you do have symptoms, some of them are generic and could be confused with those of various other diseases and illnesses.
Cirrhosis has several early symptoms and indications, including-
· Nausea.
· Loss of appetite.
· Unexpected weight loss.
· Fever.
· Feeling tired or weak.
Cirrhosis manifests itself in a variety of ways when liver function deteriorates, including:
· Redness in the hand’s palm.
· Orange or brownish colour to your urine.
· Difficulty thinking, confusion, memory loss.
· Your skin or the whites of your eyes have a yellow tint (jaundice).
· Edema (swelling) in the foot, legs, and ankles.
· In your stomach/abdomen, there is fluid buildup (ascites).
· Loss of sexual desire, shrinking testicles, and gynecomastia in men.
· Premature menopause is a condition that affects women (no longer having your menstrual period).
Cirrhosis does not have a cure. The damage to your liver that has already occurred is irreversible. Depending on the underlying cause of your cirrhosis, however, you may be able to take steps to prevent it from worsening. These are some of the actions-
The following are the objectives of liver cirrhosis treatment-
Treatment is determined by the cause of your cirrhosis and the extent of the damage. Cirrhosis has no cure; however, therapies can slow or stop its progression and lessen complications.
Stop drinking if you’ve gotten cirrhosis as a result of alcohol misuse. If you require help, speak with your doctor about alcohol addiction treatment options.
Hepatitis B and C can be treated with several FDA-approved antiviral medicines.
Losing weight, eating a good diet, exercising, and following your provider’s diabetes management guidelines are all part of managing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The inherited sickness determines treatment. The goal of treatment is to alleviate symptoms and manage consequences. Medicines to minimise swelling in your belly and legs, antibiotics to cure infections, and other medications to address problems may be used to treat alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Hemochromatosis is treated by removing blood and lowering the iron level in the blood. Wilson disease is treated with drugs that eliminate copper from the body and zinc that prevents copper absorption.
Wilson disease is treated with drugs that eliminate copper from the body and zinc that prevents copper absorption. Medication to increase lung function, mucus clearing procedures, and complications treatment is prescribed for cystic fibrosis. Keeping glucose at the proper amount is the treatment for glycogen storage illnesses involving the liver.
Medications such as ursodiol or surgery to unblock blocked or narrowed bile ducts are among the options for treatment.
The treatment for your heart failure is determined by the origin and stage of the condition. Some of the medications available are drugs to manage high blood pressure, lower cholesterol, remove extra fluid from the body (edoema), and improve heart pumping capacity. Other treatments include installing devices to assist in blood pumping or monitoring heart rhythm, procedures to unblock arteries or replace or repair heart valves, and heart transplant surgery to replace your heart.
If any of your drugs are producing problems for your liver, your provider will check them all to see if any are causing problems, and if so, they will be stopped, reduced in dosage, or switched to a different drug if possible.
The reason and severity of your cirrhosis, your reaction to therapies, the prevalence of cirrhosis complications, your age, and any other general health problems all affect your life expectancy.
As each person is unique, with unique general health issues and specific liver health issues, ask your liver specialist about your life expectancy.
If your cirrhosis has progressed, a liver transplant may be necessary. If this is a possibility for you, you and your doctor will discuss it.
So, these are some of the causes of cirrhosis treatment that patients must be well-versed with. AILBS has one of the best liver transplant surgeons in India. So, people with a severe stage of cirrhosis and looking for a transplant can consult Dr. Vivek Vij, the best liver transplant surgeon.
