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Worried About Swelling Of The Liver?

18th March, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Swollen liver is a phrase individuals sometimes use for the same complaint doctors call hepatomegaly. It is also often called enlarged liver. The terms swollen liver and enlarged liver are self-explanatory. So the question becomes, what is the cause of swollen liver, and how dangerous is it? This article will provide answers to those questions.

It should be pointed out that swollen liver is not a disease itself. It is a symptom of some other liver-related problem or condition.

When a liver problem first appears, there are usually no symptoms. This is true of a swollen liver too. But as the disorder that causes the enlargement gets worse, symptoms are likely to appear.

Characteristically, an adult liver weighs around 3 or 4 pounds or 1.5 kg. It is similar to a wedge in shape, and is approximately the size of a small American football. It can be found on the right side of the body about halfway down the torso.

Enlarged liver is often the result of one or a combination of causes. Hepatitis is often one of the underlying problems. Hepatitis is usually caused by a virus, but can also be caused by excessive use of alcohol. The other most common cause, cirrhosis, is usually the result of alcohol abuse.

Cancer and liver infections are also prominent causes Liver infections are likely to occur when you have a disease like malaria or mononucleosis.

Fatty liver disease is another condition that triggers a swollen liver. Fatty liver disease, also known as fatty liver syndrome, is the result of excessive fat accumulation on the liver

The initial stage in treating swollen liver is to diagnose the fundamental problem. If a swollen liver is the result cancer or an infection, your doctor will undoubtedly want to deal with these disorders as soon as possible.

When swollen liver has resulted from cirrhosis due to drinking or alcoholic, use of alcohol must be stopped immediately. If hepatomegaly is not related to the use of alcohol or a liver-related disease, your doctor will probably recommend that you make some lifestyle changes. Diet and exercise are helpful in both treatment and prevention of hepatomegaly.

If you believe you are at risk for hepatomegaly, here are some recommendations for helping you prevent it.

If you use alcohol a lot, either limit your consumption or stop. If you don’t stop completely, be sure never to take medicine at the same time. Doing so may cause irreversible harm to your liver.

Be careful that you only take medications or supplements that are approved by your doctor, and never exceed the recommended doses. Also consult your doctor before you take herbal supplements you have not taken before. Certain supplements can damage your liver. You should also be extremely careful with vitamins because some vitamin combinations can be harmful to your liver.

Be particularly careful around household cleaning materials, insect killers and other chemicals. If you work with these substances, ensure that you are in a place with good ventilation. Some common chemicals and cleaning materials can be particularly risky for the liver.

For more information on swollen liver and related topics, click on swelling in the liver and enlarged liver.