Although the symptoms vary from the disease to disease and patient to patient here are some of the common symptoms those can be found in the condition where liver starts malfunctioning:
- There could be pruritus or the itchy skin.
- There could be jaundice in which there will be yellowish discoloration of nails, tongue, eyes and skin. The dark yellow colored urine and yellow pigmentation is common.
- There could be upper right side abdominal pain or tenderness.
- In some cases, the liver could be palpable in abdomen.
- There could be unexplained ‘flu-like’ symptoms.
- In case of cholestasis (stopped or reduced bile flow) may include the symptoms like pale stools, bone loss, easy bleeding, jaundice, dark urine, small spider like blood vessels visible on the skin and chills. There could be itching, pain from the biliary tract or pancreas, fluid in the abdominal cavity and enlarged gall bladder.
- In the case of portal hypertension, there will be ascites (the distended abdominal cavity with fluid in it). There will be bleeding of the varicose veins at the lower end of the esophagus and in the stomach lining.
- If the patient has gone under hepatic encephalopathy (the deterioration of the brain due to the toxins which are usually removed by liver when it is functioning well) may include some dangerous symptoms. They may include mood changes, confusion, impaired consciousness, drowsiness and impaired judgment. Sluggish speech and movements, disorientation, coma and sensory alteration are not uncommon.
- There could be diarrhea and the nutrients are not absorbed well causing malnourishments.
Nausea, loss of appetite, general failing health, fatigue and breathlessness are most common and warning signs for the liver dysfunction.
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