What
is liver cirrhosis?
Liver cirrhosis is a condition
that results from permanent damage to liver cells
followed by scarring of the liver.
What causes it?
The major causes of liver
damage and resultant cirrhosis are:
- Alcohol abuse
- Infection e.g. chronic viral hepatitis
- Certain drugs if taken in large amount
- Prolong exposure to certain environmental toxins
- Inherited conditions or other diseases e.g. metabolic
diseases, blockage of the bile ducts
What are the effects?
Cirrhosis of liver will lead
to:
- Bleeding oesophagus and intestines, like vomiting
blood, and bloody or tarry stool
- Mental confusion
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Most patients
with early stage of liver disease will
not have obvious symptoms or signs. Therefore,
it is important to have regular health
checks and early treatment. Viral hepatitis
B is a major cause of chronic hepatitis
and cirrhosis of men in Hong Kong, and
vaccine against this infection is now
available. All newborn babies are entitled
to this free vaccination. |
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What
are the common symptoms?
In the early stages of
cirrhosis, the person may have few symptoms such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Weight loss
- Fatigue and weakness
As the liver function decreases,
some symptoms the person may notice include:
- Yellowish of skin and eye
- Passing dark urine
- Swelling of legs, feet and abdomen
- Bleed and bruise easily
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How
can I prevent it?
There are many ways to protect
your liver:
- Reduce alcohol intake.
- Receive hepatitis B vaccine to protect your liver
against hepatitis B infection.
- Avoid taking unnecessary medications and street
drugs.
- Eat a well-balanced diet, avoid high fat and
cholesterol foods to reduce risk of liver related
diseases such as gallstones.
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| What
is the treatment? |
There is no cure for liver
cirrhosis. However, there are treatments such as medication
along with lifestyle changes that can reduce further
liver damage. In severe case, liver transplantation
may be performed. The choice of an appropriate treatment
is based on the severity of the symptoms, the extent
to which they affect the patient's life, and the presence
of any other medical conditions.
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How can I help myself?
If you have a diagnosis
of liver cirrhosis, there are many things you can
do to help yourself, including:
- Abstain from alcohol.
- Quit smoking.
- Have a balanced diet and avoid high fat food.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly under medical supervision.
- Avoid stress.
If you have any suspicions,
you should seek medical advice.
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There is
no cure for cirrhosis. Cirrhotic patients
also have a much higher chance for liver
cancer. Therefore, prevention of cirrhosis
is very important. |
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