Fatty liver disease
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body, and it performs many important functions such as storing energy, helping to digest fats and rid the body of toxins. The presence of small amounts of fat on the liver is considered normal, but increasing the accumulation and accumulation of fat on the liver is considered a real and serious problem if As the condition progressed and caused hepatitis , despite the liver's impressive ability to replenish damaged cells and replace them with new healthy cells, its continued exposure to damage resulting from the accumulation of fat may hinder its ability to regenerate its cells, and cause permanent damage to the liver tissue. Indeed, fatty liver disease can be divided into two main types, namely:
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In this type, the cause of fat accumulation and accumulation in the liver is the excessive intake of alcoholic drinks .
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: In this case fatty liver disease occurs in people who do not excessively consume alcoholic beverages for other reasons such as obesity , high blood lipids, diabetes, due to some genetic factors and many others.
Symptoms of liver fat
In fact, the patient does not have any symptoms that indicate that he suffers from fatty liver disease, whether he suffers from alcoholic or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and symptoms appear only in cases where inflammation of the liver cells occurs, but the problem here is that these symptoms are often General, such as fatigue and general weakness, feeling pain or discomfort in the upper side of the abdomen, loss of appetite , and weight loss in some cases. As for the severity of the inflammation, the disease progresses and it reaches the condition of cirrhosis (Ascites), the person may experience the following symptoms:
- Jaundice , which is yellowing of the skin color and white part of the eyes, due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.
- Ascites, which is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal area, due to the decreased ability of the liver to produce proteins.
- Easy bruising on the skin.
- Abnormal bleeding.
- Confusion or mental confusion.
Treatment of fatty liver disease
The medications available for treating fatty liver disease are still under study and experimentation. Until now, there is no cure for fatty liver disease. However, following some advice and lifestyle changes can significantly improve the condition of the patient and get rid of the disease permanently if he is still in the stages Preliminary from it, and these tips include the following:
- Refrain from consuming alcohol: Refraining from consuming alcohol is one of the most important steps used in the treatment of fatty liver disease, and this is particularly stressed in the event that the incidence of fatty liver disease is caused by excessive alcohol intake, given that continuing to consume it in this case increases the exacerbation of the disease , And causes hepatitis and cirrhosis.
- Excess weight loss: Experts stress the importance of not losing weight fast and sharp, but gradually and following a healthy diet, and it is possible to cooperate with a nutritionist to obtain an appropriate diet commensurate with that.
- Doing exercise: it helps lose weight , and reduces the problem of insulin resistance in the body’s cells.
- Quitting smoking: smoking contributes to heart disease. Stop taking medications that affect the liver: Examples include steroid medicines , and it is also recommended to consult a doctor before taking any drug treatment.
- Control of the level of cholesterol and sugar in the blood: It is important to control the level of sugar in the blood so that it remains within the natural limits, as doctors stress the need to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood in the event of its high, and to reach it to the limits and normal values, whether by following a healthy diet or by using One of the cholesterol-lowering medications.
- Following a healthy diet: By following a balanced diet that focuses on vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains, getting fats from healthy sources such as nuts and avocados , and eating low-fat protein sources such as chicken and fish instead of red meat, in addition to avoiding eating juices and sweetened drinks.
Diagnosis of fatty liver disease
In the event that the doctor doubts that a person may develop fatty liver disease, he intends to search for any causes or risk factors for the person who may have caused the disease, so he asks him whether he is drinking alcohol, and inquires about his medical history and about the medications he takes, after which the doctor performs the tests For detecting fatty liver disease, including:
- Physical examination: The liver sensitizes the position of the liver in search of any sign that may indicate its enlargement, and makes sure that any of the symptoms and signs that indicate the disease occur from what we talked about previously.
- Blood tests: The doctor requests to perform liver function tests, and it should be noted that these tests help to detect the possibility of the liver being exposed to inflammation, but it is not required that their values be abnormal in all cases, the results of the patient's laboratory tests may be normal and yet he has a disease Fatty liver.
- Imaging tests: This case helps to identify the nature of the accumulation of fat in the liver, including ultrasound (Ultrasound), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and axial tomography (CT scan).
- Liver biopsy: A liver biopsy is necessary to confirm infection with fatty liver disease, and that is by inserting a needle through the abdomen to the liver to take a sample of its tissue and examine it under a microscope.
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