Types Of Liver Diseases
Liver is known to be the second biggest organ of the human body. Its area of function in a human body is very large. So there are different types of liver diseases associated with the liver and organs around it. Liver helps to keep your body healthy and fit. So, dysfunction in the liver can lead to not only an unhealthy body but even death. That is why it is very important to study the various types of liver diseases. Generally liver diseases are caused by drugs and alcohol, but there are still many diseases, causes of which are still unknown. Before knowing about the various diseases, knowing about the functions of the liver is also important-
* It helps to strengthen the immune system of the body.
* It also stores vitamins and minerals.
* It produces bile juice which very helpful in digesting food.
* It also controls blood clotting.
The various types of liver diseases which are dangerous are-
* Cirrhosis- it is caused when the liver gets permanently scarred or damaged. It is very dangerous as it results in blockage of regular blood flow and also affects metabolism of the body. It is known to be the last stage of all liver diseases and also is the cause of various other related diseases. The various known causes of cirrhosis are-
o Addiction to alcohol.
o Chronic and acute viral hepatitis B,C and D causing infections
o Liver congestion
o Hemochromatosis
* Fatty Liver Diseases- when your liver accumulates excess fat in the body, it results in fatty liver. When 5 to 10% of fat becomes the part of the liver, a person has a fatty liver. This condition is known to be benign and does not result in acute liver disease or damage. However, if your liver accumulates fat it becomes vulnerable to various other liver diseases. In many countries like France, obesity leads to fatty liver. Alcohol and drugs are some other causes which also lead to fatty liver.
* Liver Cancer- liver’s main function is to filter blood and purifies them. As blood passes through it, cancer cells from other organs of the body spread in the liver too, causing liver cancer. Most of the cancers in the liver are initially benign in nature but if not treated it can lead to malignant cancers. Hemangioma is one of the benign tumours caused in the liver due to an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the foetus. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignant cancer and is the most common of all various types of liver diseases.
* Biliary Atresia- it generally develops in infants. It destroys the ducts which releases bile juice which is helpful in digestion of food. One infant out of 10000 infants develops this cancer in the liver. This cancer does not allow bile juice to leave the liver and hence causes further damage to the liver.
These are certain types of liver diseases which are dangerous and can even cause death.
