Liver disease has a variety of causes, including viral infections, overdose of medication, toxins in the environment, and hereditary causes. The signs of liver disease depend on whether the condition is acute or chronic, and the signs of acute liver failure may develop suddenly over just a few days. People who believe they have signs of liver disease should consult a physician.
Identification
Liver disease may be diagnosed by a physical examination, ultrasound or biopsy of the liver as well as through laboratory tests that check liver functions.
Features
Liver disease may be acute, which means short term and symptomatic, or chronic, which is long term and may or may not include outward symptoms, depending on the cause of the condition.
Acute Disease
Signs of acute liver disease include elevated liver function tests, and physical symptoms including jaundice, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, dark urine, light stool and weight loss.
Chronic Disease
Signs of chronic liver disease include scarring or cirrhosis of the liver, gastric varices, swelling in the abdomen and legs, and mildly elevated liver function tests.
Advanced Disease
Signs of advanced liver disease include ascites, which is an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, tumors of the liver and blood vessels and ducts that lead to the liver, cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure.
Misconceptions
According to the Centers for Disease Control, not all people with liver disease experience outward signs or symptoms of their condition, and liver disease may exist for many years before a diagnosis is made.
Warning
Signs of jaundice and tenderness in the upper right side of the abdomen accompanied by sudden personality changes may be signs of acute liver failure, which is a life threatening condition.
Tags: acute liver, disease include, Disease Signs, liver disease, liver disease include