Comprehensive treatment:
Cirrhosis has many causes and many treatments. Our providers care for the whole you. We help you manage your liver damage and also treat any other health problems caused by cirrhosis. Meet our team.
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A healthy liver does important work, like cleaning toxins from your blood. So when it gets sick, there’s a good chance you will, too.
If you have cirrhosis (scarring in your liver), your day-to-day life can start to change. You might feel weak or tired all the time. You might not have much of an appetite and lose weight. As the disease progresses, you might feel like you can’t do the things you used to enjoy.
Cleveland Clinic healthcare providers know how stressful and frustrating this can be. Cirrhosis is a serious condition, so it’s natural to feel worried about your life and your future. We’ll take time to listen to your concerns and answer your questions. Then we’ll work with you to create a personalized treatment plan. It’s our goal to help you manage this chronic (lifelong) condition, improve your symptoms and help you feel like yourself again.
Cirrhosis has many causes and many treatments. Our providers care for the whole you. We help you manage your liver damage and also treat any other health problems caused by cirrhosis. Meet our team.
We offer innovative testing and treatments for all types of liver disease, including cirrhosis. Our leading-edge research and clinical trials are helping improve treatment options. Your provider can tell you if you’re eligible to participate in a clinical trial.
Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.
Some days, you might not feel like coming to an in-person appointment. Our virtual visits are a convenient alternative. You can meet with your provider from the comfort of home using a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Many people think cirrhosis only comes from alcohol use disorder. But other things — like infections or genetic (inherited) conditions — can also damage and scar your liver. Getting the right diagnosis and finding out what’s causing your liver problems are important to successful treatment.
At your first appointment, we’ll ask about your overall health, symptoms, medical history and your family’s medical history. We’ll want to know if you take any medications or supplements regularly. And if you drink alcohol, we’ll want to know how much and how often you drink. We’ll also ask if you have any autoimmune diseases or other health issues, like hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
Next, we’ll do a physical exam to look for signs of cirrhosis, like:
If we think you might have cirrhosis, we’ll do some tests to make sure. These tests could include:
At Cleveland Clinic, we’ll bring together a team of specialists to care for you. Together, they’ll create your personalized treatment plan. Your team could include:
Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations in Ohio, Florida and London.
Cirrhosis is a chronic (lifelong) condition, but with the right treatment, we can help you manage it, relieve symptoms and slow down the condition’s progression. Your treatment depends on what’s causing the cirrhosis and how damaged your liver is.
If using alcohol has become a problem, our providers can recommend programs to help you stop drinking.
If you have non-alcohol-associated fatty liver disease, a dietitian can help you change your eating habits and lose weight. And an endocrinologist or weight management specialist may prescribe medications to support your weight loss progress. You might also need to follow a low-sodium diet to keep fluid from building up in your abdomen.
We may recommend medications to treat underlying conditions that can cause cirrhosis. These medications can include:
Our providers can also suggest medications to help with symptoms like fatigue (being really tired), itchy skin and belly pain.
If you have advanced cirrhosis — and your liver no longer works like it should — you may need a liver transplant. Before surgery, we’ll do many tests to find out if a transplant is right for you. If so, we’ll put you on a national liver transplant waiting list to find a good match. And we’ll be with you every step of the way on this journey.
Cirrhosis can lead to other health issues. Our providers will keep a close eye on your health and suggest treatments to help with any other symptoms or related health problems you may have.
You might need to take antibiotics for infections. If you have liver failure, we might need to check your blood sugar (glucose) levels regularly and give you IV fluids so you won’t get dehydrated. And if you have liver cancer, you might need surgery or other treatments.
We’ll also watch your blood pressure in the veins that bring blood to your liver so you don’t get portal hypertension. If your blood pressure spikes and stays high, there are medications and therapies we can do to lower your liver’s blood pressure, reduce fluid buildup in your abdomen and prevent bleeding from varicose veins.
While we can’t repair the damage cirrhosis causes in your liver, we can help you manage the condition with lifestyle changes, medication and other treatments. Our expert, compassionate providers will craft a treatment plan that’s just right for you, so you can continue to enjoy life and feel good. We’re here with the support you need to make changes, feel better and thrive.
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