Why does our liver experience pain? How do you know if you’re having liver pain or discomfort?

Liver pain can occur due to a number of factors. It is a palpitating sensation occurring in the upper right side of the abdomen which can be discomforting. As the liver is situated at the upper right side of the abdomen you may experience pain in the right side. If there is liver pain on the left side this can be due to issues in gallbladder, kidney or pancreas. Liver pain can also cause swelling in the abdomen, legs and ankles accompanied by pain in the back or at the right side of the shoulder blade.

Read the complete article to understand the liver infection symptoms recommended by the best gastroenterologist in Delhi.

Liver is a vital part of the body responsible for converting food into nutrients required by our body to function adequately. It also detoxifies the body by removing bacterias and harmful toxins. Liver pain can be intimidating and is a strong signal that something is fishy inside the body which requires immediate medical attention.

Liver may experience pain due to excessive consumption of alcohol, viral hepatitis infection, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and other several factors causing interruption in the functioning of the liver. Some chronic liver diseases such as liver cancer, cirrhosis Reye’s syndrome and hemochromatosis can lead to severe liver pain. If you have liver pain and you drink alcohol, you are likely to experience severe liver pain after drinking.

Some causes of pain aren't due to underlying conditions for instance some pain in the liver may be due to issues in the kidney, gallbladder and pancreas. You will not notice constant pain in the liver, pain in the liver area comes and goes. It triggers after drinking, eating unhealthy or taking over the counter medicines.

Why does our liver experience pain?

Possible causes of liver pain may be due to a number of factors namely:

1. Viral hepatitis infection
2. Cirrhosis (scarring and hardening of the liver)
3. Liver cancer
4. Excessive consumption of alcohol
5. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
6. Reye’s syndrome
7. Hemochromatosis

Liver disease is increasingly becoming a common health condition due to poor lifestyle. Researchers are still finding other causes of liver pain and the treatment to cure liver disease. If you face liver pain, kindly get in touch with your nearest doctor to get immediate treatment before it worsens.

How do you know if you’re having liver pain or discomfort?

When you experience liver pain, there are signs and symptoms that tend to indicate discomfort in the liver accompanied by pain.

As mentioned above, the liver is responsible for carrying out nutrients in the body, digestion of food and flushing out toxins and wastes from the body. But when the functioning of the liver is hampered due to a number of factors it results in liver damage thus causing liver pain.

Some of the visible symptoms of liver pain may include:

1. Tiredness
2. Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
3. Dark brown urine
4. Skin irritation
5. Poor appetite
6. Swelling in the legs and ankles

Can you feel if your liver is swollen? A swollen or enlarged liver may not show noticeable symptoms but it might cause liver pain. Which can be a sign of liver disease.

Following are 14 signs of liver damage:

1. Jaundice
2. Abdominal pain
3. Abdominal swelling
4. Swelling in the legs
5. Irritation on the skin
6. Dark colored urine
7. Pale color of the stool
8. Extreme tiredness
9. Nausea
10. Vomiting
11. Tendency to bruise easily
12. Tendency to bleed easily
13. Loss of appetite
14. Swelling in the ankles

Liver pain treatment:

Some liver disease can be treated by bringing in certain lifestyle changes such as eating healthy, limiting or no alcohol consumption, maintaining healthy weight and regular physical activity.

Some home remedies to decrease liver pain and help repair liver itself:

You must drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Try to avoid fried food items and other food that are fattening.

You must seek immediate medical attention if the liver pain is persistent. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness or hallucination if the liver pain is severe. This addresses that you need immediate emergency care.

Diet and lifestyle changes:

The treatment of liver pain will depend on the diagnosis of the liver soiling. The first changes would be to modify certain changes in the diet and nutrition. Liver is the only organ in the body that has the capacity to regenerate and repair itself. Inculcating protein with every meal in the diet can reverse liver damage thus causing pain to fade out.

Other lifestyle changes such as maintaining healthy body weight, eating a nutritious diet and lowering cholesterol levels are some early defense mechanisms to treat liver pain. In a nutshell, liver disease can be reversed by eating a healthy nutritious diet and regular physical activity.

Medications:

If you experience liver pain, avoid treating yourself on your own. Don't buy over the counter medication to treat pain in the liver rather see a Dr. Vivek Vij- best gastroenterologist of India.

Some over the counter medications such as acetaminophen can damage the liver. Your doctor will prescribe medicines that are suitable to manage the pain.

Managing liver cancer:

If your liver pain is due to liver cancer, your doctor will provide treatment options to cure the cancer. Cancer can multiply swiftly causing it to be a life threatening disease. In some cases such as end stage liver disease, liver transplant is the only best option in treating the disease.

Diagnosis of pain in the liver:

Your doctor will do a physical examination and ask about family history. It is then followed by some tests for the liver which includes blood tests, imaging tests such as CT scan, MRI and ultrasound. Doctors may also conduct liver biopsy to look for cancerous tissue in the liver. Your doctor may refer you to liver hospital in Delhi, for further diagnosis and treatment.

Conclusion:

Most liver disease can be managed simply by taking care at home. You just have to modify your diet and lifestyle and take immense care of your body. You may also require certain medication to manage liver disease. Liver pain is an alarm that something is not right about your body. This shouldn't be ignored instead must seek immediate medical care. Bring it to your physician’s attention if you experience pain in the liver.