Warning signs of fatty liver disease (2024)

FAQs

Warning signs of fatty liver disease? ›

You probably won't know you have it unless it's diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason. Occasionally, people with NASH or fibrosis (more advanced stages of the disease) may experience: a dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs)

You probably won't know you have it unless it's diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason. Occasionally, people with NASH or fibrosis (more advanced stages of the disease) may experience: a dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs)

Symptoms of fatty liver disease

NASH can damage your liver for years or even decades without causing any symptoms. If the disease gets worse, you may experience fatigue, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, weakness and confusion.

If NASH cirrhosis is diagnosed early, the life expectancy is about 10 to 15 years. However, if you develop complications such as swelling or fluid in the abdomen, confusion, or bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, life expectancy decreases dramatically to three to five years without a liver transplant.

Your doctor will look for signs of fatty liver disease, such as: An enlarged liver. Signs of cirrhosis, such as jaundice, a condition that causes your skin and whites of your eyes to turn yellow.

Fatty Liver Disease Symptoms

Some people may have signs such as tiredness or pain in the upper right side of the belly where your liver is. If you have NASH or get cirrhosis, you may have symptoms such as: Swollen belly. Enlarged blood vessels underneath your skin.

Appleby et al[20] found that in 127 patients with NAFLD, 25% had chronic diarrhea, and 12% had features of bile acid diarrhoea with both being associated with a raised NAFLD fibrosis score.

Green tea

One review of multiple studies suggests that green tea can help protect against all liver disease. Another study shows that EGCG — a specific catechin in green tea — can protect your liver if you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

It may take 30 years for fatty liver to turn into cirrhosis (unless the patient has a genetic predisposition), so the typical age people are diagnosed with cirrhosis is 60. That said, people are becoming obese at a younger age now.

You probably will not know you have it unless it's diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason. Occasionally, people with NASH or fibrosis (more advanced stages of NAFLD) may experience: a dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs) extreme tiredness.

What are the 5 liver super foods? ›

Weight Loss

Research suggests that losing weight is the single best thing you can do to control or reverse NAFLD. A good goal is to lose 10% of your total body weight, but even a loss of 3% to 5% can improve your liver health. Talk with your doctor about the best way for you to lose weight safely and effectively.

The liver typically contains some fat, but excessive buildup can cause fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease can decrease liver function and cause pain, weight loss, fatigue, and swelling in the abdomen or belly.

Itching associated with liver disease tends to be worse in the late evening and during the night. Some people may itch in one area, such as a limb, the soles of their feet, or the palms of their hands, while others experience an all-over itch.

A vast majority of patients report a diurnal variation of itch intensity, with the worst itch in the late evening and early night-time. Typically, cholestatic pruritus affects limbs, soles of the feet and palms (palmoplantar pruritus) but generalised itch may also occur.

If you're experiencing pain in the upper right abdomen and just below the rib cage, it might be a result of liver pain. Common causes of liver pain include hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, liver cancer, bile duct obstruction, and liver abscesses or cysts.

While fatty liver disease often comes with mild but consistent discomfort in the upper abdomen, if not treated on time, it intensifies. Intense pain indicates more advanced stages of the fatty liver condition, like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or cirrhosis, which causes severe liver inflammation and scarring.

Typically, 2 g per day of acetaminophen is quite safe in patients with any form of liver disease, even cirrhosis, and is commonly used in liver transplant populations without any toxicity issues.

Stage One - The first stages of liver disorder/disease

The first stage of liver disease involves inflammation of the individual's bile duct or liver. Abdominal pain is often the first symptoms of this inflammation as the person's body attempts to fight off the disease or infection.