Hepatitis may not cause any symptoms at first, so you may not realise that you have it. Alcohol changes the chemicals that break down and remove scar tissue. This means that scar tissue builds up in the liver.
Scar tissue replaces normal healthy cells. You can reduce the risk of liver damage by cutting down or giving up alcohol. All liver diseases improve from giving up alcohol. There is no cure for cirrhosis.
But cutting out alcohol completely gives a much better chance of survival. You can live for decades with cirrhosis, if you give up alcohol in time. Read our cookies policy to find out more about cookies and how we use them. Alcohol's effect on the body Blood pressure and the heart The brain The liver The pancreas.
Various substances can damage your liver. While liver tissue can regenerate , continued damage can lead to the buildup of scar tissue. As scar tissue forms, it replaces healthy liver tissue.
Alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of liver damage. This includes alcohol. When you drink, different enzymes in your liver work to break down alcohol so that it can be removed from your body. When you drink more than your liver can effectively process, alcohol and its byproducts can damage your liver.
This initially takes the form of increased fat in your liver, but over time it can lead to inflammation and the accumulation of scar tissue. The early stages of alcohol-related liver disease often have no symptoms. Alcohol-related liver disease actually encompasses three different liver conditions. Alcoholic fatty liver disease is also called hepatic steatosis.
It happens when fat begins to build up within your liver. Consuming too much alcohol can inhibit the breakdown of fats in the liver, causing fat accumulation. Alcoholic fatty liver disease is common in heavy drinkers. People with alcoholic fatty liver disease typically have no symptoms. When symptoms are present, they can include:. Alcoholic fatty liver disease can be reversed by abstaining from alcohol for at least several weeks. The exact amount of time can vary by individual. For some, abstinence may need to be permanent.
If someone with this condition has alcohol use disorder , a healthcare provider will need to set up a treatment plan.
This plan will help manage the condition as well as the withdrawal symptoms that may occur with abstinence. If excessive alcohol consumption continues, inflammation levels can begin to increase in the liver.
This can lead to a condition called alcoholic hepatitis. Alcoholic hepatitis can be mild or severe. In mild alcoholic hepatitis, liver damage occurs slowly over the course of many years.
Severe alcoholic hepatitis can come on suddenly, such as after binge drinking , and can be life threatening. If you develop alcoholic hepatitis, you may be able to reverse the damage by permanently abstaining from alcohol. Treatment also involves dietary changes and medications to reduce inflammation.
Skip to main content. Cirrhosis of the liver. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of liver cirrhosis Causes of liver cirrhosis Complications of liver cirrhosis Diagnosis of liver cirrhosis Treatment of liver cirrhosis Where to get help. Symptoms of liver cirrhosis Symptoms depend on the severity of the cirrhosis, but may include: appetite loss nausea weight loss general tiredness spidery red veins on the skin spider angiomas easily bruised skin yellowing of the skin and eyes jaundice reddened palms palmar erythema itchy skin hair loss dark coloured urine fluid retention in the abdomen and legs internal bleeding presenting as dark-coloured stools or vomiting blood hormone disruptions that could cause a range of problems, including testicular atrophy shrinking and impotence in males or amenorrhoea no periods in women disturbed sleep patterns cognitive problems such as memory loss, confusion or concentration difficulties.
Causes of liver cirrhosis Two of the most well-known causes of liver cirrhosis are long-term excessive alcohol consumption and hepatitis C virus infection. Alcoholic liver cirrhosis Excessive and chronic alcohol consumption is the most common cause of liver cirrhosis.
Liver cirrhosis and hepatitis Hepatitis is a general term meaning inflammation of the liver. Liver cirrhosis and fatty liver Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD is a condition where fat accumulates in the liver.
NAFLD is associated with conditions such as: obesity — 20 per cent of people with obesity have fatty liver disease high blood cholesterol and triglycerides type 2 diabetes. Liver cirrhosis from inherited conditions Some inherited conditions damage the liver and this leads to the scarring that can contribute to cirrhosis.
These conditions include: haemochromatosis — the body accumulates iron, which can damage many organs, including the liver Wilson disease — the tissues of the body accumulate copper galactosaemia — the body is unable to process galactose a sugar so it accumulates in the blood and can result in liver damage cystic fibrosis — mainly affects the lungs, but can also cause scarring of the liver alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency — can cause lung damage but can also affect liver function and lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
Other causes of liver cirrhosis A number of other medical conditions that result in liver damage can cause cirrhosis, including: some autoimmune diseases — certain types of cells of the immune system attack and damage the liver. These uncommon conditions that can cause liver cirrhosis include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts. Prolonged exposure to environmental toxins such as arsenic can damage the liver and lead to cirrhosis.
The worm is passed to humans from snails, and the disease is also known as bilharziasis. Some of these are due to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
This test is less accurate in people with obesity issues unless specially designed XL probes are used. Treatment of liver cirrhosis Cirrhosis of the liver is incurable but, in some cases, treatment can help to reduce the likelihood that the condition will become worse. Treatment options include: treating the underlying cause of liver damage — for example, treating the underlying hepatitis B or C virus infection, or the removal of blood to lower iron levels in haemochromatosis making dietary and lifestyle changes — a nutritious low-fat, high-protein diet and exercise can help people to avoid malnutrition avoiding alcohol — alcohol damages the liver and harms remaining healthy tissue taking certain medications — such as beta-blockers to reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of bleeding or diuretics to remove excess fluid avoiding certain medications that can make the symptoms worse — such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs , opiates or sedatives having regular medical check-ups — including scans to check for liver cancer having regular endoscopic procedures to check whether there are varicose veins within the oesophagus or stomach having a liver transplant — an option that may be considered in severe cases.
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