Alcohol abuse disorder has a severe negative impact on your physical health in addition to destroying relationships. Long-term consumption of alcohol poses grave damage to your well-being. In the U.S. alone, 6.7% of the population suffers from alcohol abuse disorder.
This blog will discuss the three stages of liver diseases caused by long-term alcohol use.
Fatty Liver Disease
Many people have fatty liver disease, which is characterized by the buildup of extra fat on the liver. Small amounts of fat are present in a normal liver, but if your liver has 5% or more fat, you may have fatty liver disease.
Having a healthy liver is essential because it filters your blood. It removes toxins and bacteria from the body. Most importantly, it produces the bile that helps to digest and break down food.
Steatohepatitis, the first stage of fatty liver, causes cellular damage and inflammation in your liver. Your liver’s capacity to carry out routine tasks will decline as the damage worsens. Nausea and stomach pain are two typical signs. Aside from these symptoms, jaundice or yellowing of the skin will appear.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis typically only develops after years of heavy drinking. Loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting are common symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis.
You can experience abdominal bloating in severe cases. The accumulation of fluid in the abdomen is known as ascites. Toxin accumulation in the body leads to confusion. Normally, the liver removes these poisons from the body, but alcoholic hepatitis impairs the liver’s ability to terminate toxins.
If you keep drinking at this stage, you’ll probably develop scar tissue over your damaged liver, which will cause an irreparable condition called cirrhosis of the liver.
Liver Cirrhosis
The most severe and last stage of liver disease is liver cirrhosis. Liver fibrosis sometimes referred to as liver scarring, is a symptom of cirrhosis. The liver tissue damage causes the scars to form.
Fatigue, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and edema (swelling) all over the body are some of the symptoms of liver cirrhosis that are frequently seen.
Cirrhosis of the liver can be fatal if you continue to consume alcohol at this point and do not seek treatment, since it will progress to liver failure. Failure of the liver may potentially be accompanied by kidney failure.
Seeking early help to battle alcohol abuse disorder will save your health and well-being.
Skyward Treatment in Sugar Land, Texas, can provide help and treatment if you suffer from alcohol abuse disorder.
We have holistic programs like Alcohol Addiction Treatment to guide and support you throughout your recovery.
If you are ready to regain your life and live a healthy sober lifestyle, reach out to our team to know how you can get started on the journey towards addiction recovery.