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Enlarged Liver Symptoms - How to Prevent Liver from Swelling?

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Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna
Written by Dr Sania Datta, last updated on 30 November 2022| min read
Enlarged Liver Symptoms - How to Prevent Liver from Swelling?

Quick Summary

  • Liver inflammation can result from having too many toxins or fats in the blood.
  • Liver swelling symptoms include pain in the upper right abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
  • You can avoid liver inflammation by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco.

More than 2.5 lakh people died from liver disease in India, according to 2017 data from World Health Organisation. The liver is an essential organ required to perform vital bodily functions. Liver inflammation can result from having too many toxins or fats in the blood can cause swollen liver, and you may experience liver swelling symptoms.

Due to the modern lifestyle, liver diseases are common now. A person comes to know about it after a considerable time has elapsed, so it is wise to learn about liver swelling in advance. This article would help to understand what is enlarged liver, its symptoms, causes and how to avoid liver inflammation.

What is a Liver?

The liver is an integral part of our body, without which the body can't remain healthy. The liver regulates blood clotting, maintains blood sugar, regulates metabolism, and filters harmful chemicals from the blood. It produces bile and plays a crucial role in digesting fat and other nutrients. Moreover, it stores carbohydrates and releases them to the body as needed.

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Liver Swelling Symptoms in English

It may take a few weeks to months for symptoms to appear in case of liver inflammation. The signs are visible only when the liver can no longer function properly. So, how to tell if your liver is enlarged? Below are some of the enlarged liver symptoms, that a person would experience: 

  1. Sudden weight loss
  2. Loss of appetite
  3. Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
  4. Weakness and fatigue
  5. Jaundice
  6. Pale yellow stool
  7. Nausea and vomiting
  8. Fever
  9. Itching of the skin
  10. Feeling bloated
  11. Swelling of feet and ankles

Causes of Liver Swelling

The liver cannot function properly due to inflammation, which causes sickness in the body. The most common cause of enlarged liver is hepatitis infection. But inflammation can also occur due to other reasons such as genetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, chronic diseases and other causes like:

  1. Improper blood flow to the liver due to Hepatitis infections (A, B, C, D and E)
  2. Liver Cirrhosis (Liver scarring)
  3. Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver
  4. Overdose of painkiller
  5. Fluid-filled sacs (Liver Cysts) in the liver
  6. Hemangioma and adenoma can cause non-cancerous tumours in the liver resulting in liver swelling
  7. Amyloidosis is a type of disease where abnormal proteins accumulate in the liver
  8. Wilson's disease is a genetic disease which increases the level of copper in the liver, heart, brain and other organs.
  9. Hemochromatosis is a genetic disease that causes excess iron deposits in the liver, heart, and brain.
  10. Gaucher's disease (accumulation of fat in the liver)

Prevention of Enlarged Liver Symptoms

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and proper diet is necessary to prevent enlarged liver. Some diseases cause swelling in the liver, such as fatty liver, Hepatitis infection, etc. A few ways to avoid this condition are as follows:

  1. Stop drinking alcohol
  2. Avoid fatty food 
  3. Reduce weight if you are obese
  4. Do not sit or sleep the whole day
  5. Be active and exercise
  6. Include fresh fruits and juices in the diet
  7. Eat green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli

Diagnosis for Inflammation of Liver

When there is an inflammation in the liver, the doctor first diagnoses it to confirm it. The following tests are advised by a doctor to confirm enlarged liver:

  1. Liver Function Test (LFT): Blood tests that measure the levels of specific liver enzymes in the blood, which in turn helps to monitor and diagnose liver damage. 
  2. Imaging tests: In this test, Ultrasonography, CT scan, or MRI measures the inflammation of the liver.
  3. Liver biopsy: A biopsy is performed when the results of the LFT and imaging tests are unclear regarding the cause of inflammation. The liver tissue is sent for analysis to investigate the cause. 

Liver Inflammation Treatment

The doctor can diagnose the cause of liver inflammation and treats it accordingly. Liver swelling symptoms treatment due to various causes are as follows:

The treatment of enlarged liver due to various causes is as follows:

  1. Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (AFLD): It is caused due to excessive consumption of alcohol. The disease can be bought under control by abstaining from alcohol within a few months. If the Alcoholic Fatty Liver has progressed to a severe stage, the treatment includes a liver transplant.
  2. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): It does not require standardised treatments. It can be cured with a healthy lifestyle, including exercise and diet. The doctor can also advise dietary supplements or medications for a few months to treat NAFLD.
  3. Liver Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver is often caused by Hepatitis infection. A vaccine can cure Hepatitis A or B. For Hepatitis C, doctors can treat it by giving anti-viral drugs, which can provide relief in 4 to 6 months.
  4. Alcoholic Hepatitis: Long-term and excessive consumption of alcohol cause liver infection, which leads to inflammation. In such a situation, the doctor gives you therapy to help you get out of alcohol addiction. 
  5. Liver Cirrhosis: The liver cells are permanently damaged in cirrhosis. The most common cause is excessive drinking of alcohol. It cannot be cured, but with medicines and an improving lifestyle, it can stop from progressing further. A liver transplant may be required if the condition becomes severe as a treatment for liver cirrhosis.
  6. Mononucleosis:  It is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It usually gets better on its own and often infects young people. The symptoms include pain in the hands, and feet, fatigue, fever. Doctors recommend drinking plenty of water and taking rest for this condition. Medicines may be needed to treat fever and pain.

Conclusion

In this article, we learned that the liver plays an essential role in our health. Inflammation can occur due to diseases in the liver, like Hepatitis infection, fatty liver etc. When the liver is inflamed, one can experience symptoms like vomiting, sudden weight loss, and abdominal pain. The doctor can diagnose the disease based on these symptoms and starts treatment.

If you experience swollen liver symptoms, HexaHealth is a platform that can help you find the proper treatment. HexaHealth has more than 500 trusted hospitals from which you can choose the best. One can consult a HexaHealth specialist for any liver-related ailments for free on video or audio calls.

Frequently Asked Questions

You should visit a liver specialist (Hepatologist) if you experience abdominal pain, itchy skin, dark urine, fatigue, or jaundice. The doctor then diagnoses your disease and starts appropriate treatment.

The following things should not be included in your diet when there is an inflammation of the liver:

  1. Alcohol
  2. Food with high-fat content, such as samosas, puris, parathas, red meat, and fast food
  3. Food items with high salt and spices like chickpeas masala, chicken curry etc
  4. Things made of white flour like flatbread, bread, pasta, pizza, etc., or bakery food with high sugar content as refined flour causes fatty liver
  5. Cold drinks and soda.

If you have an enlarged liver, you might experience the following symptoms:

  1. Fever
  2. Fatigue
  3. Loss of appetite
  4. Nausea and vomiting
  5. Right upper abdominal pain
  6. Darkening of urine
  7. Pale yellow stools
  8. Knee and joint pain
  9. Jaundice

Do not ignore the appearance of these symptoms and contact a Hexahealth specialist. With timely treatment, you can cure liver ailments.

There could be many reasons for liver inflammation. Some viral infections like Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic fatty liver etc., can be some causes. Apart from this, some medicines or harmful chemicals can cause inflammation in the liver. Some congenital diseases, like Wilson's disease, Chromatosis etc., can also lead to liver inflammation.

Inflammation of the liver occurs due to many reasons, such as excessive consumption of alcohol, Hepatitis infection, intake of a high-fat diet, certain genetic factors, medicines and chemicals that harm the liver.

After you experience symptoms of liver inflammation, the doctor will diagnose the condition to confirm. It includes the medical history of the patient, liver function tests, and imaging tests. The doctor would treat the condition accordingly. If the cause of the liver swelling is fatty liver, the treatment includes home remedies like dietary changes.

In case of swollen liver, you can do the following things along with the treatment:

  1. Improve your diet by eating fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables daily
  2. Exercise every day
  3. Quit alcohol consumption
  4. Don't eat fatty and sugary items like fried food, cake, ice cream, etc
  5. Avoid contact with contaminated food and water
  6. Take vaccine and anti-viral medicines for Hepatitis 
  7. Do not take medications which affect the liver

If you have liver inflammation, you can contact Hexahealth for better treatment. Hexahealth's experienced liver specialist will provide the best treatment for your inflammation of the liver, thus increasing your chances of recovery in the shortest possible time.

If you have liver inflammation, then the doctor may recommend including the following fruits in your diet:

  1. Grapes: It is rich in antioxidants that help remove toxins from your liver. Eating grapes in moderation can help prevent liver recovery.
  2. Orange and Lemon: It has antioxidants, Vitamin C, and potassium that improves liver function.
  3. Prickly Pear: It helps normalize cholesterol and enzyme levels.
  4. Blueberry: It helps to detoxify the liver.
  5. Jamun: It contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition to modern treatments, Ayurvedic treatments are also available for treating liver inflammation. Some of the herbs used in Ayurveda for liver health are listed below:

  1. Arogyavardhini Vati: This herb is used for the liver and skin. However, research on this is minimal, and little information is available about its adverse effects.
  2. Daruharidra Vati: According to modern science, it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce liver inflammation.
  3. Katuki: It contains a good amount of enzyme called picroliv, which helps remove toxic liver substances.
  4. Chirata has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect liver cells from damage.
  5. Rohitkrishta: This herb is used to reduce swelling caused by ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen).
  6. Berries: Berries have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce liver inflammation.

It is important to consult your doctor before consuming Ayurvedic medicines.

Food to avoid in case of liver inflammation are:

  1. Fatty food like pizza, burgers, fried chicken, red meat, paratha, bhatura, etc.
  2. Cold drinks: If there is inflammation in the liver, do not drink soda drinks. These contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates, due to which the amount of fat in the liver increases.
  3. Alcohol
  4. Cream: Do not consume butter, cream, ghee or milk.
  5. Contaminated food items often lead to Hepatitis A infection and liver inflammation.
  6. Packaged food: Do not consume canned juices and other packaged items. They contain fat, sugar and other chemicals that harm the liver.

Usually, after inflammation of the liver, the following problems may occur:

  1. There may be swelling in the feet and ankles.
  2. Yellowness increases in the eyes and skin, which is called Jaundice.
  3. There may be pain on the right side of the abdomen where the liver is located.
  4. Bleeding easily on the injury.
  5. Nausea and vomiting.
  6. Excessive fatigue leads to lethargy and aversion to work.

Liver inflammation occurs due to many reasons, but Hepatitis infection is one of the main reasons. The amount of time it takes for the inflammation to heal depends on the damage done to the liver.

  1. Vaccines are available for Hepatitis A, and B infections and relief is felt in 1 to 2 months.
  2. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C, so doctors prescribe anti-viral medications and recommend lifestyle changes. If Hepatitis C has caused inflammation of the liver, it may take 5 to 6 months to heal.
  3. If the liver is swollen due to excessive drinking and it is detected in the beginning, then quitting alcohol completely can give relief in 2 to 3 months.
  4. If the swelling is caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver, it usually takes 3 to 4 months to heal.
  5. If liver Cirrhosis is due to fatty liver or chronic Hepatitis, it cannot be cured.

Although there are many over-the-counter medicines available for inflammation, it is not right to use them when there is inflammation in the liver. There are many reasons for swelling of the liver, such as Hepatitis infection, fatty liver, fibrosis, etc. Doctors give medicines to cure these diseases, due to which the inflammation of the liver starts getting cured automatically. For example, if inflammation is due to a Hepatitis infection, then doctors give anti-viral medicines; if swelling is due to fatty liver, then it is advised to quit alcohol and consume a healthy diet.

Usually, inflammation of the liver can be due to hepatitis infection, fatty liver, congenital diseases and many other reasons. In all these diseases, doctors prescribe some medicines (anti-viral for hepatitis) and recommend a healthy diet. Some fruits like oranges, lemon, grapes, berries, prickly pears etc. can be consumed, which can help in reducing swelling.

Last Updated on: 30 November 2022

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational and learning purposes only. It doesn't cover every medical condition and might not be relevant to your personal situation. This information isn't medical advice, isn't meant for diagnosing any condition, and shouldn't replace talking to a certified medical or healthcare professional.

Reviewer

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

MBBS, DNB General Surgery, Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, FIAGES

12 Years Experience

Dr Aman Priya Khanna is a well-known General Surgeon, Proctologist and Bariatric Surgeon currently associated with HealthFort Clinic, Health First Multispecialty Clinic in Delhi. He has 12 years of experience in General Surgery and worke...View More

Author

Dr Sania Datta

Dr Sania Datta

BDS (Panjab University) I MBA Hospital & Health Management (IIHMR Jaipur)

8 Years Experience

She is a high-impact healthcare management and medical content professional with enriching work experience in Parexel, HexaHealth Technologies, Apollo Munich, Credihealth and Fortis Hospital. Armed with deep and c...View More

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