Photo Credit: igor.stevanovic / Shutterstock.com
8. Persistent Vomiting
While nausea and upset stomach are common early symptoms of liver disease, but as your liver’s ability to eliminate toxins decreases, your digestive distress will likely increase. Ongoing nausea is a reaction to excess waste products in the body, and unexplained vomiting is often linked to liver problems.
When to See a Doctor for Liver Damage
Spotting the symptoms and signs of liver damage is early is vital for effective treatment, so if you suspect a problem with your liver, take your concerns to your doctor right away. There are several tests that can quickly and painlessly reveal the extent of your liver damage, and that will determine the right course of therapy.
The sooner you can halt the progression of your liver disease, the more healthy tissue you can save, and the better your liver’s chances of regeneration.
Preventing Liver Damage
A healthy lifestyle is at the heart of a healthy liver. To prevent liver disease:
- Drink alcohol in moderation. For healthy adults, women can have up to one drink daily and men have have up to two drinks a day. Heavy or high-risk drinking is over eight drinks a week for women and more than 15 drinks a week for men.
- Avoid risky behavior. Don’t use illegal intravenous drugs, and don't share needles used to inject drugs. Use a condom during sex. If you get tattoos or body piercings, make sure the shop is very clean and safe. As what their practices are for sterilizing equipment.
- Get vaccinated. If you’ve been infected with a hepatitis virus - or if you are a high risk of contracting hepatitis -- talk to your doctor about getting the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines.
- Use medications wisely. Take all prescription and nonprescription drugs only when needed. Take only the recommended doses. Don't mix alcohol with medications. Talk to your doctor before using herbal supplements as well as prescription or nonprescription drugs.
- Avoid contact with other people's blood and body fluids. Hepatitis viruses can be spread by accidental needle sticks or improper cleanup of blood or body fluids.
- Take care with aerosol sprays. Use these in a ventilated room and wear a mask when spraying fungicides, insecticides, paint, and other toxic chemicals. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
- Protect your skin. When using insecticides and other toxic chemicals, wear gloves, long sleeves, a hat and a mask.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
For some people, genetics seem to play a role in whether they develop liver disease. You may have a very healthy lifestyle but still have symptoms of liver dysfunction. Be sure to tell your healthcare providers if you have a family history of liver disease.
By closely watching and monitoring early symptoms, especially jaundice, you can get treatment to prevent the disease from worsening.
COPD is a disease that affects how air flows into a person's lungs. Portable oxygen is used to help this condition, as it allows people to breathe easier.
