Your liver can be damaged for years before you feel seriously ill and these 14 symptoms are the early warnings most people never recognise
At Number 5, is “Easy Bruising & Excessive Bleeding”.
Your liver plays a key role in making proteins that help your blood to clot. When your liver is damaged, it struggles to help blood clot properly after an injury, thus causing more bruising or bleeding. Frequent nosebleeds and bleeding gums, or prolonged bleeding from simple cuts, are indications of potential liver issues.
Another problem can arise when new blood vessels are formed to bypass the damaged liver, due to portal hypertension. These vessels, often created in the esophagus and stomach, can swell and cause severe bleeding, especially if blood clotting is not functioning well. If you experience symptoms such as vomiting blood or black stool, it could be a sign of gastrointestinal bleeding, and you should seek immediate medical attention.
Next, at Number 4, is “Swelling in Legs or Ankles”.
Liver damage can lead to fluid buildup in your ankles and legs. This happens because the loss of blood protein allows fluid to leak into the tissues. Due to gravity, the legs and ankles are often affected as fluid is pulled down towards the feet. In the late stages of liver damage, noticeable puffiness is commonly seen around the lower limbs.
Coming into Number 3, we have “Nail Changes”.
Various types of liver disease can have noticeable effects on the nails. For instance, Terry’s nails, which are mostly white with a thin, reddish-brown strip near the tip, are often linked to liver failure or cirrhosis.
In a study, 68 percent of liver disease patients (with cirrhosis, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B) had nail changes, while only 35 percent of the control group did. The most frequent change was a fungal nail infection called onychomycosis.
You may also notice other changes like ridges running lengthwise on the nails, nails that are prone to breaking, fingertips becoming rounded and enlarged, and nails that are thick, misshapen, or have unusual color.
Next, at number 2 is “Impotence & Loss of Libido”.
The prevalence of erectile dysfunction is high in men with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Liver damage can also lead to a decrease in sexual desire. Although the exact reasons for these symptoms require more research, many experts think they result from imbalances in sex hormones commonly seen in liver conditions. Also, alcohol seems to contribute to the loss of sexual function, particularly in men.
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