Determining the health of your liver can be a difficult task because you can’t always tell there’s something wrong with it. You won’t necessarily feel liver pain or any other symptom directly related to the liver itself. Symptoms of a liver illness often manifest in other forms, but if you overlook these symptoms they can very easily be mistaken for another condition altogether.
Liver diseases are on the rise – and alcohol is not always the culprit. In fact, the rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are surpassing those of alcoholic fatty liver disease in wake of the growing obesity epidemic.
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Your liver is a powerhouse that is responsible for hundreds of functions necessary for the healthy operation of your body. So it’s vitally important to act promptly if something gets into the way of your liver’s proper functioning. The problem is, you may never know until it is too late.
The below six symptoms indicate a possible problem stemming from your liver which may prompt you to see your doctor and get your liver checked.
6 symptoms that spell liver disease
Abdominal pain: Soreness and achiness in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen. Because the larger portion of your liver is on the right side, if there is damage or illness you may experience pain in this area.
Jaundice: Jaundice is a condition in which the skin or the eyes appear yellow in color. This yellow color is a result of excess bilirubin (a by-product of broken-down red blood cells) which is not being disposed of properly by the liver.
Aching joints: Joint pain accompanied by nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, and vomiting can be symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis, a liver disease in which the body mistakenly attacks itself – in this case, the cells of the liver. (A breakthrough secret to make your joints feel younger.)
Skin spots: A liver problem can lead to a blood clotting problem, which causes spots to appear on the skin. The large skin blemishes may appear like spiders and are most commonly found on the chest or torso.
Confusion: A sick liver can result in excess copper in the blood and brain which can lead to Alzheimer-like confusion. This is a very advanced symptom, meaning if you are experiencing confusion due to a sick liver, your condition is already well advanced. (Get a razor-sharp brain at any age.)
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Muscle wasting: Weak arms and legs – while the torso appears larger and swollen – are a sign of muscle wasting which can result from a diseased liver. Once again, this too is a sign of advanced liver disease and is unlikely to be experienced in its early stages. (Eat this, get stronger!)
Being mindful of a liver health problem can help you detect any liver problems early on before they worsen.
Related: Natural foods for liver repair and liver cleansing
