Liver Disease
Liver Disease is an article that aims to give you all the information you do not know about liver disease and more. We kindly shared the main headings with you;
What is liver disease?
After the epidermis, the liver is the largest organ in your body. It is about the size of a football and sits on the right side of your body just behind your ribs. As food passes through your digestive system, the liver separates nutrients from trash. It also creates bile, which aids in digestion and transports toxins from the body. Any illness that might harm your liver is referred to as “liver disease.” Cirrhosis (scarring) is a long-term side effect of liver illness. The liver loses its ability to function when more scar tissue takes the place of healthy liver tissue. Liver failure and liver cancer can develop if liver illness is not managed.Invest in your health, invest in a brighter future. Our comprehensive medical programs deliver real results, while you indulge in the beauty and serenity of our destination.
How common is liver disease?
Because they are linked to rising obesity rates, some kinds of liver disease are becoming more prevalent. A disorder known as non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFD) is thought to affect 20% to 30% of adults. To better highlight its connection to metabolic syndrome and conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, this disorder might be termed metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).
What are the causes of liver disease?
Different reasons lead to various forms of liver disease. Liver illness can be brought on by:
- Viral infections: Hepatitis A, B, and C are conditions caused by a viral infection. While maintaining adequate function and balance in the liver requires this controlled inflammation, if it is dysregulated, liver disease will advance. Hepatitis is the name for this infectious inflammation.
- Fibrosis: When a person has liver disease, their liver starts an extremely harmful cycle. Hepatitis, or persistent inflammation, constantly instructs collagen-depositioning repair cells. In a healthy liver, the additional collagen stiffens around the tissue as it should, but instead of a signal getting sent to reduce the inflammation and remove the extra collagen, the inflammation persists, causing new collagen to be deposited and further stiffening. This is the progression of fibrosis.
- Cirrhosis: Your liver becomes highly scarred and irreparably harmed when you have cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can be brought on by various liver diseases, while it is most frequently mentioned in connection with alcohol-induced liver disease.
- Abnormalities in the immune system. Your liver may be impacted by autoimmune diseases, which occur when your immune system threatens particular body organs. Various autoimmune liver conditions include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
- Diseases that run in families: Some liver issues are brought on by a genetic defect such as Hemochromatosis and Wilson disease that you acquire from your parents.
- Cancer: Tumors may form in your liver when abnormal cells proliferate there. These tumors might be malignant (liver cancer) or benign (noncancerous).
- Consumption of toxins: Alcohol use is the cause of fatty liver disease associated with alcohol. Overeating fat causes non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). As the prevalence of obesity and diabetes rises, NAFLD is becoming more widespread.
What are the risk factors of liver disease?
The following elements may raise your risk of developing liver disease:
- Drinking excessively
- Obesity disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Piercings or tattoos using shared needles to inject
- Exposure to bodily fluids and blood from other people
- Sexual activity without protection
- Being exposed to particular chemicals or substances
- Liver disease running in the family
What are the symptoms of liver disease?
Some liver conditions, such as non-alcohol fatty liver disease, don’t immediately show up in symptoms. The most typical sign of other illnesses is jaundice, which is characterized by a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. When your liver struggles to eliminate a chemical known as bilirubin, jaundice occurs.
Other indicators of liver disease could be:
- Gut (abdominal) pain, particularly on the right side
- Easy bruising
- Color change in your stool or urine
- Vomiting or nausea
- Edema, or swelling in the arms or legs
How liver disease is diagnosed?
Your doctor may suggest one or more tests in order to correctly identify and determine the cause of liver disease. These may consist of:
- Blood tests: Liver enzyme levels can be measured through blood tests using liver enzymes. The international normalized ratio (INR), a blood-clotting test, is one of the additional diagnostics for liver function. Unusual amounts could be a sign that your liver isn’t working properly.
- Imaging tests: Your doctor may use an ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan to check your liver for evidence of injury, scarring, or malignancies. The degree of liver fat deposition and scarring can be assessed using the fibroscan, a different specialized form of ultrasound.
- Liver biopsy: A tiny sample of liver tissue is taken during a liver biopsy by your doctor using a fine needle. To search for indicators of liver illness, they examine the tissue.
Invest in your health, invest in a brighter future. Our comprehensive medical programs deliver real results, while you indulge in the beauty and serenity of our destination.
What are the stages of liver disease?
The progression of liver disease is as follows,
- Stage 1: Inflammation. In the beginning, your liver will be inflamed and can be sensitive. You might not even find it bothersome.
- Stage 2: Scarring and fibrosis. Inflammation will cause scarring if it is not treated. Scar tissue blocks the blood supply to the healthy portions of your liver, making them work harder and preventing them from completing their normal duties.
- Stage 3: As the scar tissue takes over and leaves less and less good tissue to execute its activities, your liver will either operate poorly or not at all.
- Stage 4: End-stage liver disease or failure. This is a catch-all phrase for a number of ailments, such as enlarged liver, internal bleeding, kidney function decline, fluid retention, and lung issues. The only treatment is a liver transplant.
What are the treatment types for liver disease?
You might require medical care, depending on the state of your liver, such as:
- Antiviral medications for hepatitis medicine to control blood pressure
- Steroids to reduce liver inflammation
- Antibiotics
- Drugs that address particular symptoms, like itchy skin vitamins
- Supplements that improve liver health
- You could need surgery in some situations to have all or a portion of your liver removed. A liver transplant is often only performed when all other treatment options have failed.
What is liver transplant?
A liver transplant is a procedure in which a failing liver is removed and either a healthy liver from a deceased donor or a piece of a healthy liver from a living donor is used to replace it. People with severe problems from end-stage chronic liver disease are typically only candidates for liver transplantation as a form of treatment. In rare instances of abrupt failure of a previously healthy liver, liver transplantation may also be an option for treatment.
What is the cost of treating liver disease?
According to disease stage, the average yearly expenses for patients without cirrhosis were predicted to be €16,190, for those with compensated cirrhosis, €21, 300 and for those with end-stage liver disease, €56,200.
To create your own package and calculate the cost of your treatment you can use the cost calculator below.
How risky is liver disease?
Liver illness can eventually lead to cirrhosis (scarring). The liver can no longer function normally when more scar tissue takes the place of good liver tissue. Liver failure and liver cancer can result from untreated liver illness.
What to do to prevent liver disease?
Some liver diseases, particularly those influenced by your diet and way of life, are preventable. Your doctor could advise making the following changes to your lifestyle if you have a liver disease risk:
- Limit alcohol consumption. That entails up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for males for healthy individuals. More than eight drinks per week for women and more than 15 drinks per week for males is considered heavy or high-risk drinking.
- Get vaccinated. Consult your doctor about receiving the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines if you have a higher risk of developing hepatitis or if you have already had the virus in any form.
- Monitor your intake of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Medicines like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) are known to cause liver damage. Only take prescription and over-the-counter medications as directed and only when necessary. Don’t combine alcohol with prescription drugs. Before combining herbal supplements with prescription or over-the-counter medications, consult your doctor.
- Keep your distance from other people’s bodily fluids and blood. Accidental needle jabs and poor handling of blood or bodily fluids can transmit hepatitis viruses.
- Exercise on a regular basis.
- Reduce the amount of red meat you eat.
- Keep a healthy weight. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can result from obesity. Avoid trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup-containing foods and beverages.
- Maintain food safety. Before consuming food or preparing it, fully wash your hands. Use bottled water when visiting a developing nation, wash your hands frequently, and brush your teeth.
- Engage in safe sexual behavior and refrain from sharing needles. When having sex, use a condom. If you decide to get a tattoo or have your body pierced, be picky about the shop’s cleanliness and safety. If you use illegal intravenous drugs, get treatment. If you inject drugs, don’t share needles. This will minimize the risk of getting hepatitis.
- Be careful when using aerosol sprays. Wear a mask and use these materials in an area that is well-ventilated when applying paint, insecticides, fungicides, or other hazardous substances. Always adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Keep your skin safe. Wear gloves, long sleeves, a hat, and a mask when using insecticides and other hazardous chemicals to prevent chemical absorption through your skin.
What is the importance of early diagnosis?
Your liver may not suffer damage if you receive an early diagnosis. The liver is a remarkable organ. Your liver can heal and even rebuild itself if you are diagnosed when some scar tissue has already started to form. Because of this, liver disease damage can frequently be repaired with an effective treatment strategy. Even though their livers are being damaged, many persons with liver disease do not appear or feel ill. Damage caused by liver illness can eventually become permanent and result in liver failure, liver cancer, or even death.
Why choose Turkey for liver disease treatment?
- Effectiveness of treatments. Turkey provides patients with cutting-edge therapies like stem cell therapy. Patients are grateful for the favorable results of these cutting-edge therapies.
- The professionalism of the doctors. Turkish medical professionals with extensive training and experience in treating osteoarthritis carry out a lot of procedures and treatments and are a part of renowned organizations.
- Service quality. Patients value the excellent quality of service, which includes complimentary services like transportation from the airport to the hospital and translation services.
If you have more questions about your condition you can consult us through our free consulting service.
What else to do in Turkey?
Your medical treatment can be combined with a chance to travel and explore a region of Turkey that you may not have visited before. For instance, in İstanbul, which is the heart of plastic surgery, you can go sightseeing and visit various tourist attractions such as Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower, The Bosphorus, Topkapı Palace, Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia. Besides Istanbul, there is Capadoccia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Ölüdeniz, and Aspendos, which are worth visiting. Turkey also has a broad kitchen which will make your trip absolutely memorable.