Liver disease

Liver disease | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Liver disease Liver disease There are more than 100 different types of liver disease, which together affect at least 2 million people in the UK. The liver The liver is the second largest organ in the body. It works hard, performing hundreds of complex functions, including: fighting infections and illness removing toxins (poisons), such as alcohol ,from the body controllingcholesterol levels helping blood to clot (thicken) releasing bile, a liquid that breaks down fats and aids digestion Liver disease doesnt usually cause any obvious signs or symptoms until its fairly advanced and the liver is damaged. At this stage, possible symptoms can include loss of appetite, weight loss and jaundice. Types of liver disease Listedon this page are some specific types of liver disease. The links provide more detailed information about each type: alcohol-related liver disease  where the liver is damaged after years of alcohol misuse, this can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease  a build-up of fat within liver cells, usually seen in overweight people or those who are obese hepatitis  which is inflammation (swelling) of the liver caused by a viral infection or exposure to harmful substances such as alcohol haemochromatosis  an inherited disorder where theres a gradual build-up of iron in the body, usually around the liver primary biliary cirrhosis  a rare, long-term type of liver disease that damages the bile ducts in the liver All types of liver disease can cause cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), not just alcohol-related liver disease. Significant health problem In the UK, liver disease is on the increase. The 3 main causes of liver disease are: obesity undiagnosed hepatitis infection alcohol misuse These causes of liver disease are all preventable. Do make sure youre a healthy weight for your height avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol take the appropriate measures to prevent getting hepatitis, such as getting vaccinated if youre at risk Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 13 December 2023 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. Email Address e.g. you@example.com Message Maximum of 500 characters Send feedback Add this page to\n            Info For Me Also on NHS inform Alcohol-related liver disease Cirrhosis Body mass index (BMI) Low-risk drinking guidelines Other health sites British Liver Trust: diet and liver disease NHS inform About NHS inform Editorial policy Contact us Webchat Give feedback about NHS inform Info for Me tool Terms and conditions Privacy and cookies policy Freedom of information (FOI) Accessibility Other languages and formats  2023 NHS 24  v1.1.1.17852