Alcoholic Hepatitis, Liver Disease and Cirrhosis

Damage to the liver is a well-known problem for alcoholics. Most alcoholics will develop come liver complications as a result of their chronic and heavy drinking, and the damage can be fatal. Damage to the liver occurs in three stages: alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Not all people who develop alcoholic liver disease or hepatitis will have these turn into cirrhosis.

Alcoholic liver disease is considered the first stage of damage to the liver. It is the abnormal retention of lipids within the liver cells, which causes the liver to become fatty and thicken. If too much fat is found within the liver, the fat begins to replace healthy liver tissue and it will enlarge. Inflammation is common, as well as discomfort, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. If a person continues to abuse alcohol, they run the risk of this developing into alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. By abstaining from alcohol the body is able to recover, and the liver can heal.

Alcoholic hepatitis is a condition in which the liver is inflamed. It can cause liver disease, significant cell and organ destruction and can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, severe pain in the abdomen and swelling of the abdomen. Jaundice may also occur in some people. Alcoholic hepatitis can be fatal, but it will usually resolve with appropriate treatment.

Cirrhosis is the end result of chronic liver damage due to chronic alcoholism. It is considered the final, and fatal scarring of the liver. Cirrhosis is not able to be reversed, but treatments can delay further progression. Because the liver has been severely damaged by poor health and constant presence of alcohol, the body is unable to repair itself, and the liver becomes unable to facilitate the flow of blood. When this occurs, the body may develop a condition called ascites, which is an accumulation of liquid in the abdominal cavity leading to abdominal swelling. A person suffering from ascites will have difficulty breathing, suffer from severe pain and discomfort, experience kidney failure and eventually die from complications.