Home Remedies and Herbs for Liver Disease

Liver disease is attributed to the organ failing due to some medical condition. There are over 100 liver disease types. Together, these different liver disease types affect at least 2 million people. The specific liver disease types fall into 5 categories:¹

• Alcohol-related where the liver is damaged after years of alcohol misuse. This leads to scarring or cirrhosis of the liver.
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease where fat builds up in liver cells. This is common with overweight or obese people.
• Hepatitis which is caused by a contagious viral infection that causes inflammation or liver swelling.
• Haemochromatosis which is an inherited disorder where iron gradually builds up around the liver.
• Primary billary cirrhosis which is a rare, long term liver disease that damages bile ducts.

The liver is a crucial organ and no one can survive when a liver fails. The liver is a hardy organ and has an amazing ability to repair itself after being exposed to disease.^{1 2 3}

What Causes Liver Disease

• Infection that causes inflammation and reduces liver function. Infection is normally due to viruses that spread through blood, semen, close contact with an infected person or contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A, B and C are the most common forms of liver infection.
• Immune system abnormality, such as an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the liver.
• Genetics where abnormal genes are passed within families.
• Cancer and other growths.
• Chronic alcohol abuse which causes cirrhosis scars.
• Fat buildup around the liver which is common in overweight people.

Liver Disease Symptoms

Many people in the early stages show no liver disease symptoms. It’s usually when the condition is severe that symptoms present. Most common early liver disease symptoms are:^{2 3}

• Yellowing of skin and eyes from jaundice
• Skin rash
• Easily bruising or bleeding
• Water build-up in lower extremities
• Intense skin discomfort
• Toxins in the brain causing mental dysfunction
• Insulin resistance causing type-2 diabetes
• Dark, smelly urine
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and diarrhea
• Chronic fatigue

• Intense body pain
• Confused, disorientate or loss of consciousness
• Coma and sudden death

References

1. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/liver-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx
2. https://medlineplus.gov/liverdiseases.html
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-problems/basics/definition/con-20025300