Alcohol-Induced Hepatitis And The Threat To The Liver
Alcohol-induced hepatitis is a liver disorder that occurs when the liver becomes inflamed because of alcohol use. Alcohol-induced hepatitis, which most people simply call alcoholic hepatitis, is different from cirrhosis of the liver, which is also often caused by alcohol abuse. They’re not the same.. But hepatitis due to alcohol use is considered to be an early stage of alcoholic liver disease.
Not all heavy drinkers get hepatitis due to alcohol use. Interestingly, some patients who are experience hepatitis due to alcohol use, drink only moderately.
It is possible to recover from hepatitis due to alcohol use if you stop using alcohol. But when you have this disorder, if you continue to drink it raises your threat of cirrhosis and liver failure considerably. When the liver fails, getting a liver transplant is the only way you can survive.
Researchers have not been able to ascertain why there’s a connection between alcohol and hepatitis, but there are a number of theories. There’s no question that when you consume alcohol, a number of toxic chemicals are produced in the liver. These substances result in irritation, resulting in inflammation. This destroys liver cells, causing healthy tissue to be replaced by scar tissue. The medical term for this scarring development is cirrhosis, which is considered to be the ultimate stage of alcoholic liver disease.
It also hasn’t been determined why some people who drink a lot of alcohol never develop hepatitis due to alcohol use or cirrhosis, while some moderate drinkers do This phenomenon leads researchers to theorize that factors besides alcohol can play a part in who ultimately gets the condition. Genetics may also play a role.
If you already suffer from liver disease, and you don’t stop drinking, assuredly are at greater risk of developing hepatitis due to alcohol use. This is especially true if you have hemochromotosis. Hemochromotosis is a disorder in which an excessive amount of iron accumulates in the body.
Poor nutrition or a lack of food may also help influence who gets hepatitis due to alcohol use. Heavy drinkers often don’t pay much attention to good eating habits, and can also substitute alcohol for food sometimes. Alcohol also inhibits proper digestion. Again, this can result in damage to liver cells.
Symptoms don’t appear in the early stages of hepatitis caused by alcohol. But as the disease gets closer to liver failure, symptoms become more clear. These symptoms are not always the same for everyone but often pain and soreness in the abdomen is common, along with a condition called ascites, which is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal area. Unusual thirst is also likely.
Constant fatigue, weakness and dizziness are often accompanied by memory problems mixed with confusion. Occasional fever and vomiting, sometimes with blood, may occur.
Even though people with hepatitis from alcohol use has little desire to eat, they are likely to put on some pounds.
A yellowish tint may appear in the skin and the whites of the eyes. This may indicate jaundice, which is a classic symptom of a liver problem.
Symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis in all likelihood, will get worse if you drink a lot of alcohol in a relatively short time, or go on a binge.
Any person who has such symptoms should visit their medical professional as soon as they can because hepatitis caused by alcohol use may lead to a series of critical medical conditions, including gastrointestinal bleeding.
To learn more about alcoholic hepatitis causes and causes of hepatitis, click on alcohol induced hepatitis and causes of hepatitis
Tags: Alcohol Abuse, Alcohol Liver, alcohol-induced hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, Alcoholic Liver Disease, cirrhosis, Cirrhosis Liver, Cirrhosis Of The Liver, Heavy Drinkers, Hemochromotosis, Hepatitis, Inflammation, Liver Alcohol, Liver Cells, liver disease, Liver Disorder, Liver Failure, Liver Transplant, Medical Term, Moderate Drinkers, Scar Tissue, Toxic Chemicals