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An enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) is a symptom of liver disease or systemic diseases. An enlarged liver can have a variety of causes. Liver enlargement may be associated with impaired proper functioning of the liver, which poses a he alth risk. What are some other possible causes of an enlarged liver? What is the treatment?

Enlarged liver (hepatomegaly)compresses the adjacent intestines and stomach. Hencesymptoms , such as a stinging sensation in the side and stretching under the ribs. This is the first sign that your liver is failing to cope. Normally, the liver occupies the right upper abdominal quadrant above the costal arch and the epigastric portion extending 5-10 cm to the left of the midline of the body.

The liver is a factory, warehouse and filter

The liver is a tireless factory where food ingredients are transformed. From them you get the connections necessary for life. For example, proteins are broken down into amino acids, which are the building blocks of all tissues, and also ensure the proper functioning of the body, e.g. proper blood clotting. Fat also goes to the liver. Most of it is converted into lipoproteins and cholesterol, from which bile is produced. Without it, it would not be possible to digest fats and the body to absorb vitamins soluble in it.

Glucose - the basic fuel for the cells of our body - is concentrated in the liver and converted into glycogen. When the body experiences energy deficiencies, the glycogen stored in the liver is broken down, and glucose is produced from it, which goes into the blood and becomes a source of energy. In addition to glycogen, the liver stores another spare fuel: fat. Vitamins A, D, B12 and iron are also stored here. All these substances are released into the blood at the right time to reach the cells. All toxins pass through the liver, both those supplied from outside and those produced by the body. It is contaminated with 'waste' from food, drugs and bacteria, and with those hormones that are secreted in excess by the body. So from time to time you need to do general cleaning to cleanse the liver and relieve it. It is worth coming back to them at least once a year.

Enlarged liver - causes.Liver disease

  • cirrhosis of the liver - the liver is not only enlarged. The rim of the liver is sharp and hard, and the organ's cohesiveness is clearly increased. The surface of a circus liver can be uneven

Alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis A, B, and C are the most common causes of liver enlargement.

  • liver cancer - liver - apart from magnification - can also be hard
  • hepatitis - is a group of diseases in the course of which this organ becomes inflamed. Its causes are varied. The viruses most often responsible for hepatitis are
  • hepatic vein thrombosis (Buddha-Chiari syndrome) - is a disease whose essence is the blockage of the outflow of blood from the hepatic veins to the junction of the inferior vena cava with the right atrium. There are, inter alia, ascites, enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly) and spleen (so-called splenomegaly
  • liver abscess - high fever (39-40 degrees C), chills, sweating and poor general condition may appear. Patients may complain of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, weight loss
  • liver cyst - appear, inter alia, in severe pain in the right upper abdomen and nausea
  • drug damage, e.g. paracetamol overdose

Enlarged liver - other causes

  • a consequence of various metabolic changes leading to fat accumulation (e.g. obesity or diabetes)
  • some genetic diseases, the essence of which is the accumulation of various substances in the liver, e.g. iron (hemochromatosis) or copper (Wilson's disease), which causes organ enlargement
  • mononucleosis - when Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) attacks the liver, it becomes enlarged, jaundice appears
  • Sarcoidosis - Sarcoidosis is the build up of immune cells in the form of granules in the lungs and other organs, such as the liver

Read also: Esophageal varices are the result of liver diseases

Worth knowing

A very large liver that extends to the front edge 10 centimeters or more below the costal arch is most often a sign of massive fatty liver (e.g. alcoholic in origin).

A large and pulsating liver may be a consequence of a tricuspid valve insufficiency, which allows the variable blood pressure in the right ventricle to be transferred to the liver.

The underlying cause of moderate liver enlargement are many of these disease processes.

Liver enlargement - diagnosis

An enlarged liver can be examinedpalpating. The examiner slides three fingers adjacent to each other, ie the index, middle and ring fingers under the right costal arch in the mid-clavicular line. (Fig. 12). At the same time, the patient is instructed to breathe in slowly and deeply through the open mouth. An organ is enlarged when you feel its edge 2 or more centimeters below the costal arch.

In the case of liver enlargement, an abdominal ultrasound is performed, as well as blood tests such as liver tests, lipogram, blood glucose, test for hepatitis. In some cases, more detailed tests may be necessary, such as blood testing for antibodies or even a liver biopsy.

Important

When the liver fails, the following can be observed:

  • numerous freckles, pigmented moles and warts on the skin
  • brown spots near the hair roots
  • redness of the palm of the skin
  • cold and damp skin of the body, especially of the hands
  • flatulence, indigestion, diarrhea, bitterness in the mouth
  • cramps in calves and fingers
  • slower metabolism, increased appetite for sweets
  • increased blood pressure
  • allergy aggravation

Liver enlargement - treatment

Management depends on the cause of an enlarged liver. For example, if cirrhosis is the cause of an enlarged liver, your doctor may decide to give you interferon-free medications or corticosteroids. If the cause is, for example, genetic Wilson's disease, which consists in excessive accumulation of copper in the organs, drugs are given to prevent the accumulation of this element in the body.

Also read: Liver tests: abnormal results for ALAT, ALP, AST, GGTP, LDH, Che

Enlarged liver - what to eat to regenerate the liver?

This will be useful to you

What harms the liver?

  • Gluttony, alcohol abuse, medications, inhalation of chemical vapors, insecticides, and tobacco smoke.
  • Infection with hepatitis A, B and C. You can protect yourself against A and B with vaccines.
  • Excess fat supplied with food. When there is too much fat, the liver enlarges and becomes ineffective.
  • Abuse of drugs, e.g. antibiotics, drugs taken for high cholesterol. But some over-the-counter medications (e.g. paracetamol) are also harmful, so it is better to discuss them with your doctor if you use them for a longer period of time.
  • Draconian slimming diets, called one-sided (e.g. cabbage, protein). Long-term fasts are equally dangerous, because when the liver does not get protein from the outside, it begins to draw on itfrom accumulated reserves, and this is a simple way to fat.
  • An excess of white flour, refined sugar, saturated fat and red meat.
  • Lack of raw foods rich in digestive enzymes and fiber.

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Gastrology