Liver Disease

“Liver disease” is a broad term for any condition that damages your liver and affects how it works. Some of the conditions are common, while others aren’t. They can all range from mild to life-threatening. Some types develop slowly over time, while others happen more quickly.

Your liver plays an important role in your body. It helps clean your blood, process nutrients and fight off infections. When it’s damaged, it can’t perform these jobs well. Over time, liver disease can lead to severe scarring, liver cancer, liver failure and the need for a new liver (liver transplantation).

You can treat and even reverse some liver diseases, especially if you find them early. Others are long-term conditions (chronic liver disease) that need ongoing care. Treatment depends on the type and how much damage there is.

Stages of liver disease

Many liver diseases follow a similar pattern as damage builds over time. The stages of liver disease are:

1. Hepatitis: Hepatitis is swelling and irritation (inflammation) in your liver tissues. This is how your liver responds when you have an injury or infection.
2. Fibrosis: Fibrosis is when scar tissue begins to form due to the ongoing inflammation. Scar tissue replaces healthy cells, which makes your liver work harder.
3. Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is severe, permanent scarring that affects your liver function. At this point, the condition is usually permanent. But with early treatment and changes to daily habits, some cases can be reversed.
4. End-stage liver disease: Also called liver failure, this is the stage when your liver can no longer function properly for your body’s needs.

Not everyone moves through all these stages. But many people are living with chronic liver disease.

Liver disease symptoms

Liver disease doesn’t always cause symptoms in its early stages. Advanced, later-stage signs of liver disease may include:

• Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• Dark-colored pee
• Light-colored poop
• Digestive difficulties, especially with fats
• Weight loss and muscle loss
• Musty-smelling breath
• Mild brain impairment (hepatic encephalopathy)
• Pruritus (itchy skin, but with no visible rash)
• Fatigue (feeling extremely tired)
• Nausea or loss of appetite

What causes liver disease?

There are many types of liver disease. Each type has its own causes. Some of the most common causes include:

• Steatotic (fatty) liver disease, including MASLD and MASH
• Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)
• Viral infections, including hepatitis A, B and C
• Autoimmune conditions, like primary biliary cholangitis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Inherited metabolic disorders, like glycogen storage disease and Wilson disease
• Toxic hepatitis
• Liver cancer and bile duct cancer

Risk factors

You may be more likely to develop liver disease if you:

• Have obesity or Type 2 diabetes
• Drink alcohol regularly or heavily
• Have a history of hepatitis
• Take certain medications long term
• Have a biological family history of liver disease

Complications of this condition

If liver disease gets worse, it can lead to:

• Cholestasis
• Jaundice
• Fluid buildup in your belly (ascites)
• Hepatorenal syndrome
• Liver cysts
• Noncancerous (benign) or cancerous liver tumors

How doctors diagnose this condition

When diagnosing liver disease, your healthcare provider will use several tools. They’ll perform a physical exam and ask you about your symptoms and health history. They may also ask about your eating and drinking habits, as well as the amount of physical activity you get.

They’ll use lab tests and imaging scans as well. These may include:

• Blood tests to check liver function
• Imaging tests, like CT scan, elastography, MRI and ultrasound
• Liver biopsy (a small tissue sample)

These tests help your provider figure out the type of liver disease and how advanced it is.

How is it treated?

Treatment for liver disease depends on the cause and stage. In earlier stages, you may be able to treat and possibly reverse liver disease by making changes to your daily habits. This may include:

• Choosing nutritious foods
• Getting regular physical activity
• Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight for you
• Quitting alcohol

In the later stages, liver disease treatment may include:

• Taking medications to reduce symptoms
• Managing complications
• Getting a liver transplant

Recovery time

Recovery depends on the type of liver disease you have and how your provider treats it. Mild liver damage may improve within weeks to months. More advanced or chronic liver disease may require lifelong care.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Contact a provider if you notice:

• Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
• Ongoing fatigue or weakness
• Swelling in your belly or legs
• Unexplained weight loss

Is liver disease curable?

Some liver diseases are curable. You can manage others for many years with the right care.

In some cases, early treatment can reverse liver damage. But once severe scarring (cirrhosis) develops, the damage is usually permanent.

The most important step is to find liver disease early and follow your treatment plan. That can help protect your liver and improve your long-term health.