Types Of Diseases Of The Liver

All types of diseases of the liver can prove fatal, if you do not seek medical help on time, since the liver is a very vital organ of the human body with a variety of important functions. The liver is responsible for protein synthesis, the removal of toxins from the organism (a process known as detoxification), as well as the production of certain biochemical substances that makes food digestion and processing possible. The liver practically regulates a person’s metabolism, since it has other functions also, like: storing glycogen, producing hormones, decomposing red blood cells. To put it in simple words, one’s liver in necessary for one’s survival. Unfortunately, there are many types of diseases of the liver, each one with a different cause and slightly different symptoms.

There are four types of diseases of the liver that are most commonly found: a) viral hepatitis; b) autoimmune liver diseases; c) genetic liver diseases; and d) alcoholic or non-alcoholic liver disease. Viral hepatitis can be caused by any of the hepatitis viruses (hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F, or hepatitis G). Autoimmune liver diseases can be caused either by autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, or primary sclerosing cholangiatis. As the name suggests, all the autoimmune types of diseases of the liver are occur when the body’s immune system attacks the liver because it misrecognizes liver tissue as foreign and potentially harmful tissue. As for genetic liver diseases, these are hereditary conditions that are carried from parents to their children. In some cases, children may have the condition, even if their parents have not exhibited any symptoms. Last but not least, alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease (which is essentially the major cause of liver disease in the Western world) is an all-encompassing term that refers to any kind of hepatic manifestation that is caused by the overconsumption of alcohol or the overconsumption of fats. Some other less common types of diseases of the liver are: bile duct cancer, also called cholangiocarcinoma); and liver cancer.

All types of diseases of the liver do not happen overnight; it usually takes time and in most cases the condition is reversible, provided of course that they are treated on time. If not any of those types of diseases of the liver can lead to cirrhosis, which basically refers to the scarring of liver tissue. Unfortunately, this kind of damage is not treatable, at least not from the point where medicine stands today. It is, however manageable, which means that early diagnosis can at least limit the damage to only a small part of the liver tissue before the disease progresses to life-threatening situation.

All in all, it stands to reason that you should take care of a vital organ like your liver, as well as your overall health. Besides regular check-up that you can do, you should also follow a healthy diet and avoid consuming too much alcohol. If, at any point, you happen to experience symptoms that have to do with indigestion, hypoglycaemia, and issues concerning your metabolism, you should definitely pay a visit to your doctor, determine the causes of your problems, and treat them effectively.