15 Signs Your Body Gives Before Liver Damage

The liver is one of the most important organs of our body and does a lot for our health. It is in the upper right quadrant of our abdomen and is responsible for various functions including metabolic as well as synthetic functions. So, it is important to take care of the liver and carefully note every possible and early sign of liver damage. Read further to know some of the signs your body gives before liver damage.

As per the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, it is explained that our liver is one of the largest organs of the body and plays a crucial role in metabolic functions, such as converting nutrients from the food that we intake so that our body can use them and also ensuring that toxic substances from the body are flushed out before they cause any serious issue.⁽¹⁾ However, sometimes when the liver is in trouble or about to be damaged, our body gives some signs, which are mentioned below:

1. Itching And Bruising

   One of the most common signs that your body gives before liver damage or any liver disease is itchy skin. You will be experiencing itching and bruising in such cases. It might be a sign of obstructive jaundice if you have itchy skin. However, generally, there won’t be any skin rash or skin lesions associated with itching caused by liver issues. But, excessive scratching can result in redness and infection in the affected area.

2. Spider Angiomas

   Another sign your body gives before liver damage is the appearance of spider angiomas. If you see small capillaries under the skin on your legs and face, which are spider-shaped, then this can be an alarming sign of liver damage. Spider angiomas occur because of higher levels of estrogen, which implies improper functioning of the liver.

3. Swelling of Feet

   If there is a swelling seen in the feet, it might alarm you about your liver not functioning well. You might accumulate fluid in the legs in case of chronic liver diseases. This in turn results in swelling of your legs.

4. Swelling in the Abdomen

   One more sign that your body gives before liver damage is a swelling in the abdomen. In the case of chronic liver diseases, fluid gets accumulated in the abdomen and results in abdominal distension. This might happen due to certain liver diseases like liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and blocked hepatic vein.

5. Sleep Disturbances

   Are you having trouble sleeping? Sleep disturbances are one of the signs your body gives before liver damage. A study published in the Egyptian Journal of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis found that out of many things that can result in sleep disturbance, one is liver cirrhosis, which makes it quite difficult for you to sleep.⁽²⁾ The sleep cycle may be disturbed because of the accumulation of toxins in the blood. So patients might complain about sleep disturbances, especially insomnia and daytime sleepiness.

6. Vomiting Of Blood

   If you vomit blood at any time then this could be a sign of your liver damage. This condition needs emergency care. It could be due to liver cirrhosis. The most common reason for blood in vomit could be bleeding from varicose veins in our esophagus and the stomach.

7. Reduced Memory

   One more sign that your body gives before liver damage is a reduced level of memory. It is like the affected person might be forgetting small things. When someone is experiencing liver failure, it cannot remove toxins properly from the blood and this, in turn, can cause toxin buildup in the brain or hepatic encephalopathy. This can lead to memory loss.

8. Feeling Tired All The Time

   If you have been feeling tired all day long, no matter whether you work or sit idle, it might be because your liver won’t be functioning well. Chronic fatigue is one of the common signs of liver damage, as per a study that has been published in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, and this could be because of certain changes in neurotransmission within the brain.⁽³⁾

9. Sudden Weight Gain Or Weight Loss

   If you are gaining or losing weight suddenly out of nowhere, it might be a sign of liver damage. You might be having liver cirrhosis. Losing weight could also be due to hepatitis C or a viral infection that causes inflammation in the liver.

10. Yellowing Of Eyes Or Skin

    Are your eyes starting to turn yellow? Or are you experiencing the yellowing of your sin? It could be scary and might be because of a high level of bilirubin(yellowish pigment) in the body or jaundice.⁽⁴⁾ Yellowing of eyes or skin could also be due to other signs of liver damage, like hepatitis B.

11. Hyperpigmentation On Face

    Yet another sign that your body gives before liver damage is that you might be experiencing hyperpigmentation on your face. The estrogen levels of our body increase when the liver is not functioning properly. This can lead to increased production of melanin pigment and can result in pigmentation issues.

12. Bad Breath

    Another indicator of liver damage could be bad breath. This can be because of high levels of dimethyl sulfide, which may indicate the condition of liver cirrhosis that can cause a bad smell in the mouth.

13. Palms Turning Red

    One more alarming sign that your body gives before liver damage is red palms for no reason. This could be because of a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that involves excessive fat stored in the liver cells.

14. Enlarged Breasts

    Experiencing enlarged breasts, even in the case of men, can be one of the warning signs your body gives before liver damage. The breast enlarges because of an imbalance in the estrogen and testosterone hormone that occurs due to liver issues.

15. Darker Urine

    If you are noticing dark-colored urine then this could be a sign of liver damage. Though bilirubin is responsible for the yellow color of the eyes and skin, it might also be responsible for changing the color of your urine and can result in darker urine.⁽⁵⁾

Now that you are aware of specific warning signs your body gives before liver damage, you should try to understand ways to avoid the damage to your liver. Some things can be done to prevent or reverse liver damage. Check below to know a few of them.

• Avoid alcoholic beverages and smoking.
• Eat healthy foods including citrus fruits, probiotics, and turmeric that help in reducing inflammation of the liver.
• Maintain a healthy weight and stay active with regular exercises.
• Do not take vitamin supplements in excess
• Once in a while, detox yourself using natural detoxifying products.

If you notice any signs that might be alarming about your liver crying for help, then be sure you need to see your doctor straight away and protect yourself from any sort of liver damage. It is always essential to follow the preventive measures and avoid or reverse liver damage.

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