Alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease is a condition that affects heavy drinkers and mainly men who are between 40-50 years of age. The liver is a very important organ in our body that has many functions and jobs, mainly filtering the blood of toxins and when someone drinks heavily the healthy tissue in the liver will get replaced by scar tissue which will result in your liver not working or functioning properly. The chances of getting alcoholic liver disease increase the longer you have been drinking and due to the amount of alcohol intake. This disease can also be hereditary.

SYMPTOMS OF ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE

There may not be any symptoms at the beginning of the disease until the liver has become severely damaged. If this is the case, then some of the symptoms that people experience are weight loss, nausea, jaundice, bloating, ankles swelling, vomiting (sometimes blood) and tiredness. These are all signs that your liver is unable to function well anymore and to stop drinking and seek treatment. If it goes untreated as well as these symptoms persisting, you may also suffer from itchiness, redness on the palms of your hands, breast swelling (especially in men) and problems thinking. This condition can also result in death if drinking persists.

Treatments

Treatment for alcoholic liver disease all depends on whether you are willing to stop drinking, change your lifestyle and aid your recovery. There are several treatments you can achieve, through therapy to recover, medication or transplant.

Medication

Using medication to treat alcohol liver disease can be controversial as there is little evidence that it is effective. However, treatment with medication is used for those will severe alcoholic liver disease and is usually administered in a hospital setting. These medications consist of corticosteroids or pentoxifylline which is used to reduce the inflammation in the liver.

Liver Transplants

If your liver has lost the ability to function which can lead to liver failure, a liver transplant is the only option to treat irreversible liver failure. You can get a liver transplant if you have progressive liver failure, you’re otherwise healthy enough to undergo an operation, and you commit to not drinking for the rest of your life.

Stopping Drinking

If you have alcoholic liver disease then you will be required to stop drinking immediately and probably for the rest of your life. You might have to abstain from alcohol for two weeks, and then stick to the guidelines your doctors give you for alcohol consumption. For more serious liver disease you will have to abstain for life. This prevents liver damage from worsening.

Abstaining from alcohol can be difficult and you may suffer from withdrawal symptoms will be worst for the first 48 hours, but your body will eventually adjust to being without alcohol. You may be advised to reduce your alcohol intake gradually as a way to avoid and control withdrawal symptoms. You could also be given medication such as benzodiazepine or recommended for psychology therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy to help you through it.

You may need further treatment in order for you to no relapse. This is usually psychology therapy and talking about thoughts and feelings, and the effects on behavior and wellbeing. You could also receive medication to help to stay away from alcohol if therapy doesn’t work. These include acamprosate, naltrexone, and disulfiram.

For support and help while abstaining from alcohol it might be useful to attend a self-help ground like Alcoholics Anonymous, and other groups. Talk to your doctor about finding a group for you.

Diet and Nutrition

If you have alcoholic liver disease it’s common to develop malnutrition and this is why it’s important to eat a balanced diet for the nutrients you need.

Lower salt diets — this can reduce swelling in legs, feet and stomach caused by a buildup of fluid.
Add energy and protein to diet — damage to the liver could mean your body is unable to store glycogen.

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