Cirrhosis of the Liver | What is Liver Cirrhosis?
by LOVE YOUR LIVER & VITAL LIVER FLUSH | Dr. Stewart Blaikie | Kim Sol | Jordan Blaikie
Liver cirrhosis also called cirrhosis of the liver is an advanced progressive chronic liver disease where the liver tissue scars with collagen fibro-connective tissue. This fibro-connective tissue is formed when damaged liver cells are regenerated. This regeneration process forms scars and lesions in the liver's tissue. The beginning of the scarification of the liver is called fibrosis. Fibrosis of the liver is a progressive liver disease with stages 1,2,3 & 4. Fibrosis stage 1 having the least amount of scarring and stage 4 having the most scarring. Liver fibrosis becomes cirrhosis when these scars and lesions form around the portal vein and portal area causing the portal vein to lose it's ability to hold blood. When the portal vein loses blood supply many of it's vital functions are lost. The portal vein is the main way blood is supplied to the heart and when blood flow is diminished in the portal vein, blood can be forced to the heart through alternate veins. These alternate veins are smaller and become over worked and weaken over time as well they are not connected directly to the liver and it's process of blood purification. Hence, the blood that circulates through these alternate veins is never cleaned or purified by the liver so this only exasperates the disease. The blood pressure in these veins increase and risk of heart attack also increases. Eventually the individual will be spitting out blood as the veins leak blood from the over taxed blood vessels this is a sign that you have advanced cirrhosis. If your cirrhosis get's to the point of blood spitting stage you will need to start treatment as soon as possible. At this liver disease stage immediate medical attention is needed, your risks of liver failure are much higher.
Liver Cirrhosis Signs & Symptoms
Most symptoms of liver cirrhosis are usually nonspecific symptoms, meaning, they don't suggest that the liver is their cause. Some of the more common signs and symptoms of liver cirrhosis include:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Bad breath
- High blood pressure
- Slow digestion
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Itching
- Gallbladder attacks
- Gallstones & liver stones
- Weight gain
- Craving for junk food
- Bruise easily
- Liver pain (right side abdomen)
More severe cirrhosis symptoms include:
- Pitting edema (retention of fluid in the ankles)
- Abdominal bloating (acites) the retention of fluid in the abdomen
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin) due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.
- Spitting up blood
Stages of Liver Cirrhosis | Stage 1,2,3,4,5 & 6
Liver cirrhosis is an advanced progressive liver disease with stages 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 with the later being the most life threatening. The difference between fibrosis and cirrhosis is the degree of scarring and whether the scarring is happening near the portal vein or not. As soon as scarring happens near the portal vein the liver is diagnosed from fibrosis to cirrhosis. In the early stages of liver cirrhosis (stages 1,2 & 3) the liver has smaller amounts of scarring near the portal vein area. During the later stages of cirrhosis (stages 4,5 & 6) there is a lot of scarring in the portal vein area and a lot of regenerative pseudo-lobules. A characteristic of the later stages of cirrhosis (stages 4,5 & 6) are the formation of pseudo-lobules from the lobular regeneration process. These pseudo-lobules harden and degenerate the liver tissue causing the liver to shut down and can eventually lead to necrosis. Liver necrosis is a very serious chronic liver disease and the life expectancy is very short. After necrosis of the liver is liver cancer & liver failure which results in death.
Top Causes of Liver Cirhosis
The top causes of liver cirrhosis are alcoholism, excessive pharmaceutical drugs, street drugs, liver cancer, hepatitis B & C, liver cancer, fibrosis and fatty liver disease. A healthy liver goes through various stages of chronic liver disease before leading to liver cirrhosis. It usually takes many years of unhealthy living with chronic hepatitis B or C and heavy prescribed pharmaceutical drugs for a liver to go from healthy to cirrhosis. The process is gradual starting with fatty liver disease where the liver is comprised of over 10% of it's total weight by fat deposits and as a result the liver enlarges. Fatty liver disease is usually caused by eating excessive fatty foods, fried foods, junk food, pharmaceutical drugs, toxins, pesticides, hormones, processed food, sugar, candy, dairy products and drinking excessive alcohol. When scars & legions form the liver goes from fatty liver disease to liver fibrosis. Fibrosis of the liver will eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver if not treated with healthy liver diet. When a liver reaches stage cirrhosis it can progress into more severe stages of cirrhosis and even necrosis in a much shorter time period than the progression of fibrosis to cirrhosis.
Life Expectancy of Liver Cirrhosis Patients
The life expectancy of liver cirrhosis patients depends on the degree and stage of cirrhosis and well as what type of treatment plan the patient is on. Statistically liver cirrhosis patients with stages 4,5 & 6 will only have a couple of years to live at most. There are few late stage liver cirrhosis patients that live more than 10 years after being diagnosis. By following a healthy liver cleansing diet you will increase your lenght of survival rate. People that keep on drinking, medicating and smoking decrease their survival rate substantially. By following a healthy liver diet rich in raw foods such as organic fresh fruits and vegetables as well as sprouted legumes, grains, seeds and nuts one can drastically increase life expectancy. The treatment plan for cirrhosis in the later stages (stages 4,5 & 6) have a different goal than cirrhosis of the liver caught in it's early stages (stages 1,2 & 3 ). The difference being that in the early stages of cirrhosis the cirrhotic liver is some what still reversible, where as in the later stages reversing is not so prevalent. It's more of a question of maintaining the liver and not furthering the progression of it's stage of disease.
Liver Biopsy The Most Accurate Liver Function Test
The most accurate way of testing the liver for disease is through a liver biopsy (a small sample of liver tissue). A liver biopsy can very accurately diagnosis what stage of liver disease you may or may not have. By diagnosing what stage of liver disease you have you will get a better idea of what your up against and what your options are for recovery. Only 10-20% of hepatitis patients will develop cirrhosis of the liver. The chances are that if you don't heavily drink or have hepatitis you probably don't have cirrhosis but instead have fibrosis or fatty liver. Fatty liver also known as fatty liver disease is the first stage of liver disease. This disease is very common and easily reversed by following a healthy liver diet. There are two kinds of fatty liver disease, AFLD (alcoholic fatty liver disease) and NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). A liver is considered fatty when the fat comprises 10% or more of it's total weight. As the liver becomes more and more fatty it enlarges and begins to scar (fibrosis). Fatty liver disease progresses into fibrosis and fibrosis of the liver will progress into liver cirrhosis if not treated.
The Difference Between Fibrosis & Cirrhosis of the Liver?
Fibrosis of the liver is considered light to medium scarring of the liver. Fibrosis has 4 stages before cirrhosis. Stage 1 liver fibrosis is the beginning of the scarring and accumulation and build up of collagen fiber deposits of (fibro-connective tissue). The increase of collagen fiber deposits also increases the severity of this progressive fibrosis liver condition. If not treated fibrosis stage 1 will progress to stage 2, 3 & 4. . When this fibro-connective tissue starts forming along the portal vein and portal area as well as the formation of pseudo-lobule (lobular regeneration) fibrosis becomes cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is not the final stage of liver disease as most people think. There is still liver necrosis, liver cancer and finally liver failure.
Liver Necrosis | Liver Cancer & Liver Failure
Necrosis of the liver refers to a condition of the liver after stage 6 liver cirrhosis when the liver cells begin dying. Liver necrosis is not considered reversible and life expectancy is very short. When a liver reaches necrosis it is very susceptible to liver cancer and liver failure. The final stage of liver disease is liver failure after that you seize to exsist.
