Fatty Liver

What is Fatty Liver?

Fatty liver has large amounts of fats (triglycerides) accumulating within the liver cells. Excess aggregation of fats within the small hepatocytes swells them up and occasionally the whole liver is enlarged enough for feeling it.

Fatty liver can be a harbinger of more troublesome conditions. Steatosis simply means collection of fat vacuoles within the liver cells (hepatocytes).

Fatty Liver Disease3

Alcohol and obesity are two leading causes of fatty liver worldwide. Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) and Alcoholic Fatty Liver (AFL) are entities by themselves.

Obesity plus other non-alcoholic conditions comprise Non Alcoholic Liver Disease (NALD).

When these fat cells cause inflammation of the liver tissues, it’s called steatotic hepatitis and it is of notable concern. Both alcohol as well as other conditions causing major biochemical changes in our bodies can cause steatotic hepatitis. When this condition is due to reasons other than alcohol, it’s denoted by the term Non-Alcoholic Steatotic Hepatitis or more commonly as NASH.

Fatty liver when inflamed, can over a period of time cause scarring and fibroses of the liver. This condition called cirrhosis is serious and has serious side-effects if left unchecked.

Risk factors for Fatty liverFatty Liver Disease4

Your chances of developing fatty liver are high if you

  • are obese
  • are an alcoholic
  • Suffer from high blood pressures which often fluctuate or are on long-term medications for the same.
  • Blood cholesterol levels are high.

Symptoms of Fatty liver

Mild Fatty liver is usually asymptomatic. It is detected incidentally during routine tests performed. However, some persons can have symptoms which are often vague.

  • Malaise – or a feeling of severe discomfort, making the person want to rest,
  • Fatigue – even with moderate exertion
  • Fullness and heaviness in the abdomen, more in the right upper corner
  • Occasionally the liver maybe painful on pressure.

However, with fatty liver unchecked can progress into cirrhosis which is life-threatening. Thereafter, features of liver failure present themselves.

  • Yellowish discoloration of skin (jaundice), dark colored urine.Fatty Liver Disease
  • Weight loss
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Mild to moderate reddish discolorations just below the superficial skin layers which blanch on pressure (spider naevi)
  • Abdominal distension (due to increased fluid in the abdomen – ascites)
  • Easy bleeds from small trauma.
  • Blood doesn’t clot soon enough
  • Fine to moderate tremors of the fingers
  • Flapping tremors of the hands (asterexis)
  • Itching in hands and legs which gradually spread all over the body
  • Veins in legs, abdomen, seem engorged and distended.
  • Giddiness.
  • Poor memory, poor concentration, dullness of thoughts, mental confusion » this is an emergency (encephalopathy)!!
  • Depression
  • Loss of sexual interest

Tips for prevention of Fatty liver

  • SAY NO TO ALCOHOLFatty Liver Disease6
    Or if you have started having alcohol, try not to have more than two pegs in a week.
  • QUIT SMOKING
    Smoking can cause many biochemical and hemodynamic changes which make you more vulnerable to liver damage.
  • CONTROL WEIGHT GAIN
    70% of persons suffering from NASH are found to be obese.
  • OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
    Found to be promising in preventing fatty liver. Found in natural sources like walnuts, fish oils (cod, salmons), and flaxseed oils.

Homeopathic treatment for Fatty liver

Homeopathy addresses the underlying causes behind fatty liver, improves liver functions and reduces the symptoms as well as modifies the disease process. Homeopathy is recommended for cases of Fatty Liver.

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