Cirrhosis Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Cirrhosis of the liver is scar tissue that occurs in the liver due to long-term damage. This scar tissue makes the liver unable to work properly. The liver is basically the only organ that can regenerate or heal itself. However, if there is very severe damage, the organ is forced to stop regenerating.
Liver cirrhosis that continues, over time will become a condition of liver failure. At that time, the liver stopped working completely, causing a fatal and deadly condition. However, the process takes quite a long time, up to years. Early detection and appropriate treatment can slow the progression of this disease.
Cirrhosis Symptom
Symptoms of cirrhosis of the liver usually do not appear in the early stages. The more damaged the liver is, then this disorder will show symptoms such as:
- Easily tired and weak
- Nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain or full stomach
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of sexual desire
- Jaundice or skin color and eyes turn yellow
- Fever
- Vomiting blood
- Itchy skin
- Black chapter
- Easy bleeding or bruising
- The appearance of small red lines (capillaries) on the skin above the waist is called a spider angioma
- Swelling due to fluid accumulation in the legs ( edema ) or abdomen (ascites)
- Changes in behavior, confusion, difficulty concentrating, memory loss or hallucinations
- Abnormal menstruation in women
- Gynecomastia or enlarged breasts, enlarged scrotum, or smaller testicles in males
Cirrhosis Reason
Liver cirrhosis is caused by long-term liver damage. Here are some things that can cause liver damage:
- Too much alcohol over the years.
- Suffering from hepatitis virus infection that is not treated properly, especially hepatitis C.
- Too much fat accumulates causing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Diagnosis
In the process of determining the diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver, the doctor will ask for a detailed medical history of the patient through a series of medical interviews. A physical examination is carried out to look for signs of liver cirrhosis such as jaundice (yellowish body), swelling, and several other signs.
Investigations will also be carried out to determine the diagnosis, such as blood tests, ultrasonography (USG), computerized tomography (CT-scan), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A liver biopsy may need to be performed to take a small amount of liver tissue and examine it under a microscope.
An endoscopic examination can also be done to check the condition of the esophagus and stomach. This is done with the aim of knowing if varicose veins occur, which is a sign of cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis Treatment
Until now there is no treatment that can cure cirrhosis of the liver. Treatment is carried out with the aim of slowing the progress of the disease and controlling symptoms and complications. Antiviral drugs are used to treat hepatitis infection.
A low-salt diet or diuretic medications can also help reduce edema and ascites. Medications for high blood pressure can be given to reduce blood pressure in the portal vein. Meanwhile, beta blocker drugs are used to reduce the risk of bleeding, such as in esophageal varices.
Lifestyle changes are also very important, such as stopping alcohol consumption and losing weight if the patient is overweight. When the liver has failed, the only treatment that can be done is a liver transplant.
Prevention
Prevention of cirrhosis of the liver can be pursued with a healthy lifestyle, such as:
- Limit or avoid alcohol consumption.
- Protect yourself from infection with the hepatitis virus by avoiding free sex, using indiscriminate needles, and getting the hepatitis vaccine.
- Maintain ideal body weight by following a healthy diet and regular exercise.