Liver Cirrhosis
Due to alcohol abuse, the liver can be damaged and will not function correctly. This comes after years of excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time. If you are a binge drinker, it is possible for you to experience acute alcoholic hepatitis and this can be a life threatening condition. Malnutrition can also play a part in liver disease as those who drink a lot will get only empty calories and poor absorption of any nutrients that are eaten.
Alcoholic liver disease symptoms will be different for each person because it is based on the severity. Any symptoms that are noticed will be worse right after a time of heavy drinking has taken place. These symptoms begin as inflammation in the liver and then turn into cirrhosis and a fatty liver. The final and last phase of alcoholic liver disease is cirrhosis. This disease is often times found to be advanced when the symptoms are finally diagnosed. They can include a dry mouth, fatigue, excessive thirst and tenderness and pain in the abdomen area. There can be a fever, jaundice and mental confusion. There can also be fluid retention that will be thought to be weight gain and this person’s skin can look either abnormally light or dark in color. In males, it is possible for the breasts to develop and dark black or tarry bowels might be seen.
People who are experiencing these liver disease symptoms can also show a change in their mood and hallucination might happen as well. Treatment is to stop drinking any type of alcohol all together. If this change is made early enough, the liver can actually heal itself but if cirrhosis has occurred, then it is too late. For those who are addicted to alcohol, there is counseling and programs for rehabilitation available. The malnutrition can be fought with folic acid and B-complex vitamins. If cirrhosis has already taken place, a liver transplant is possible or else this condition will need to be managed. Support groups can be of help for those who benefit from sharing their experiences with others. If drinking is not stopped, then the lifespan will certainly be less than expected. If you think that your drinking is damaging your health, then it is time to seek help and call your doctor. Your doctor can then tell you what is the safe amount of alcohol that you can drink for your specific situation. Not all heavy drinkers will develop alcohol liver disease and getting drunk is not required to develop this liver disease.
