Liver Spots
Have you ever heard of the skin problem known as liver spots? Contrary to what was once believed by many, this case is not related physiologically to the liver per se. The name was actually derived from the said organ due to its color, which is similar to that of the liver.
Also known as solar lentigos, lentigo senilis or simply lentigos, liver spots appear as blemishes seen on the skin. They are basically caused by aging, but also due to exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The latter terms are based from these particular causes of the said skin problem.
The spots show in different colors ranging from light brown to black or, in other cases reddish or grayish. They are usually located in parts of the body that is most of the time exposed to the rays of the sun, specifically the head when the person is bald, forehead, shoulders, arms, and hands.
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Liver Detoxification
As one of the organs of the body that is tasked with enormous duty and remarkable capacity to keep in check, as well as uncover the composition of almost every chemical and nutrients in the body, the liver is actually overloaded not only with responsibilities, but toxins as well.
The liver specifically identifies the biochemicals of the body including hormones and enzymes. However, it specifically filters the blood and gathers substances known as toxins to break them down and make them biodegradable to be eliminated as waste out of the body.
Imagine how overworked the liver is as it acts as a strainer filtering over fifty gallons of blood inside the body each day. The toxins filtered are stored in the liver and that compromises its function as more and more toxins are kept as waste.
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Liver Detox
The liver, which serves as the body’s filter, is responsible for removing toxins present in the bloodstream. The various roles played by liver for the body’s benefit is not only in cleansing the bloodstream, but also to remove wastes. With all these functions, in return, the liver also needs detoxification in itself, and that can be referred to as liver detox in short.
Indeed, this detoxifying organ of the body is very crucial for humans, and animals, as it allows for the absorption of nutrients from the food that the individuals consume. The liver is responsible for the synthesis and secretion of bile. The bile is filled up with two components, namely fats and cholesterol. These two components help to prevent constipation.
Basically, a healthy liver greatly contributes to a healthy body. In order to keep the liver to its optimum function and activity, it also needs to detoxify every once in a while. Other helpful food types that should be included in a person’s diet that are also helpful in detoxifying the liver are rice cakes, pasta and crackers, beans such as the pinto, green peas and chickpeas, and seeds from sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin.
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Liver Biopsy
Due to the different cases of problems regarding the liver, a certain procedure known as the liver biopsy is performed to provide the most accurate diagnosis possible for diseases that affect one’s liver. This particular method of finding out the specific disease associated with the liver also has several approaches from which patients can choose from.
Why is this procedure being used at present? Basically, this particular procedure is used for diagnostic purposes in order to find out the causes of liver damage. There are quite a number of diseases related to the liver and sometimes it may be difficult and confusing to pinpoint what exactly affects the function of the liver.
Common illnesses that affect the liver are alcoholic or fatty liver disease, jaundice, possible injury due to drug therapies, hepatitis A, B, or C, autoimmune liver disease, hemochromatosis among others. There are also cases wherein causes are undetermined such as hepatomegaly or liver enlargement, cancers that originate from the liver or spread to the liver from other sites, noncancerous tumors or abnormalities in the liver.
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Higher Liver Enzymes
Sometimes, even healthy people who least expect encountering health problems can be taken by surprise of having illnesses that hide underneath their seemingly fit bodies. The human liver, as one of the vital organs of the human body can encounter some of the most lethal diseases man can encounter.
While other diseases in other parts of the body may cause most diseases of the liver, what is known as higher liver enzymes is a symptom of damage or even inflammation in the liver. When the liver is inflamed, the injured cells cause leakage of some chemicals, particularly enzymes higher than what should be normal excretions.
The leaking enzymes and chemicals can flow into the bloodstream, which results to the elevation of the liver enzymes. Blood tests reveal this specific problem. This particular irregularity in the enzyme secretion is not a major problem in itself. Other liver function tests also detect increase in liver enzyme secretion, even though mild and temporary.
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End Stage Liver Disease
The rapid deterioration of one of the most vital organs of the body, known as the liver, results to many complications. This medical condition is called end stage liver disease. Also known as acute liver failure or ALF, it may be considered an uncommon state of an individual due to the duration of the organ’s failure to function well.
There are a lot of symptoms for this kind of condition that is similar to other health problems. That includes fatigue, abdominal pains and swelling, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, drowsiness, restlessness and confusion. However, some of the alarming and distinctive signs of having ALF include jaundice, wherein the skin and eyes have discoloration that often yellowish, as well as the person’s mucous membrane.
Other patients may develop brain disorders as waste products tend to develop in the blood, due to the irregularity and abnormal function and filtering of the liver. Others experience pruritus or even coma. When gastrointestinal bleeding occurs due to enlarged veins in the esophagus known as varices, the illness progresses at a faster rate.
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Liver Enzymes
You probably heard it first in your high school health class: “Drinking and smoking too much are bad for your health.” If you listened to your health class teacher, you should know by now that engaging in too much alcohol intake can lead to serious problems such as liver damage.
It turns out that their arguments for good health are also persuasive reasons to help prevent liver problems. Most of these problems are asymptomatic or do not manifest symptoms. Hence, one of the most important tests to be conducted to diagnose liver problem is blood tests to detect elevated liver enzymes.
Doctors say that it is best to cut down on alcohol now before you find it is too late. Alcohol may make you feel relaxed, but it triggers liver damage and the effects can be pretty uppity.
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Liver Transplant
Liver transplant, a relatively specialized surgery, continues to increase with over 17,000 Americans waiting to have their turn. Based on the data of United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), an organization that assists in organ sharing among histocompatibility laboratories, organ procurement organizations, and transplant centers, there are more than 5,000 cases that were carried out in 2002.
With the alarming rate of liver diseases, liver transplant seems to be the only hope especially for those who are already experiencing severe liver damage.
Complications of liver diseases are numerous and varied. Some people are not yet aware of their conditions until it has come out too late. That’s because most of the liver problems are asymptomatic. However, if the liver has already been damaged and the only chance to survive is to undergo liver transplant, then there is no reason to avoid such process.
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Elevated Liver Enzymes
Have you discovered the hard truth that you are what you eat? One of the many diseases that demonstrate unhealthy diet and lifestyle is the liver disease. This can be pretty alarming because people with liver problems may experience complications that are often lethal or incapacitating and treating them can be really difficult.
Among the most important of the many complications that accompany liver problems are severe gastrointestinal hemorrhages and excessive water retention with ascites and edema.
The result of circulatory changes within the diseased liver leading to portal hypertension; impairment of the central and peripheral nervous systems and abnormal bleeding tendencies, attributable to the inability of malfunctioning liver cells to metabolize certain vitamins; and hepatic coma, reflecting the incomplete metabolism of protein fragments by the diseased liver.
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Cirrhosis of the Liver
The liver is a large organ, weighing about 1,500 grams or 3 lbs. Most of it is located behind the ribs in the upper right-hand portion of the abdominal cavity. It is made up of numerous small units called lobules, each just large enough to be visible with the naked eye and all similar in size, shape and function. Each lobule has somewhat the shape of a thimble. It is composed of liver cells and vessels.
The functions of the liver are numerous and varied. However, with so much work, the liver especially when left unattended or unmanaged can bring about different diseases. The complications of liver diseases, just like its functions, are numerous and varied, too. In many instances, their ultimate effects are incapacitating or lethal; their beginning is threatening, and their treatment is infamously difficult.
One of the most threatening liver problems is the cirrhosis of the liver. This pertains to the scarring of the liver, which takes place after the normal liver cells have been damaged.
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