We all know that alcohol is not good for the body. But sometimes, starting with a little fun, it can become a habit and cause great harm to our bodies without us realizing it. One serious condition that can happen to our liver due to alcohol is called 'Alcohol-Induced Hepatitis'. Although the name is a bit complicated, in simple terms, this means that the liver swells or becomes inflamed due to alcohol.
How does alcohol harm our liver like this?
Think of our liver as a big factory in our body. Everything we eat and drink goes through this factory to be cleaned and processed. The liver separates nutrients and removes harmful toxins from the body. So when we drink alcohol, it goes straight to this liver. But alcohol is a toxin to the liver. It does not provide any nutrition, and on the other hand, it breaks down and produces chemicals that are harmful to the body.
Now, if someone continues to drink a lot of alcohol, or has an alcohol use disorder , their liver can't process all the toxins and fat. The liver becomes overloaded. What happens then? These toxins and fat start to build up in the liver and start to damage it. This damage causes inflammation , which is swelling. This swelling is actually the body's attempt to heal itself and prevent further damage.
Just like when you have a fever, this swelling should be temporary. But when the liver is constantly under pressure from alcohol, the swelling continues. The liver fills with fluid like water and swells. If this swelling is severe and lasts for a long time, the liver tissues are gradually damaged and the liver cells begin to die.
Who is more likely to develop Alcohol-Induced Hepatitis?
People who have been drinking heavily for years are usually at the highest risk. However, not everyone who develops this condition is like this. Some people are very sensitive to alcohol. They can have a liver reaction even if they drink a normal amount. Others may drink much more and not develop this hepatitis condition.
This can be influenced by genetic differences . If someone in your family has had an alcohol use disorder or liver disease , you may also be at slightly higher risk. Gender also plays a role. Men tend to have a slightly higher tolerance for alcohol.
But, not everyone is the same. Medically, we can't say, 'This is the safe amount of alcohol.' Some people suffer from conditions called alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis even with incredibly small amounts of alcohol.
What are the symptoms of this condition (Alcohol-Induced Hepatitis)?
If you have very mild or early hepatitis, you may not have any symptoms. But as the disease progresses, you may start to feel and see things like:
- A feeling of pain or pressure in the upper right side of your abdomen, where your liver is located.
- A feeling as if the liver is visibly swollen or enlarged .
- A distended abdomen, as if the stomach is full of water .
- Loss of appetite and weight loss .
- Nausea .
- Pale, watery stools .
Now, as this hepatitis becomes more severe and begins to interfere with the functioning of the liver, you will start to see symptoms of other complications. For example:
- Fever .
- Increased heart rate (fast heart rate) .
- Yellowing of the whites of the eyes - that means jaundice .
- Easy bruising and blood spots on the skin (thrombocytopenia) .
- Brain dysfunction, such as dementia (hepatic encephalopathy) .
- Excessive fatigue and lifelessness .
How much do you have to drink to get to this point?
There is no specific amount of alcohol that affects everyone the same. But statistics show that the risk is higher if you drink heavily over a long period of time. Heavy drinking is slightly different for men and women. For men, it is about four standard drinks a day, or more than 14 units a week. For women, it is about three units a day, or more than 7 units a week.
Binge drinking can sometimes be defined as drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis - this is known as 'binge drinking' . It is defined as drinking more than five units of alcohol in a single night for men and more than four units for women. Drinking this much at least five times a month is also considered binge drinking. Even if you drink alcohol for a short period of time, such as six months, your risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis increases significantly. Most people who develop this condition are those who have been drinking for five or more years, stopped drinking for a while, and then started drinking again.
Is this disease contagious?
No. This alcoholic hepatitis is not a virus like some other types of hepatitis. You cannot spread this disease to another person like a virus. However, chronic heavy drinking can be like a 'virus' from a social perspective. When friends and family get together and drink heavily, they encourage each other to engage in the same behaviors that lead to alcoholic hepatitis.
How is this diagnosed?
Your doctor will first ask about your health history, including your alcohol use. If he/she suspects alcohol use disorder , he/she will examine you to see if there is any associated organ damage. This may involve several tests, for example:
- Blood tests . Tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) are used to check for various medical conditions. Liver function tests, especially liver enzymes, are also used to check for elevated levels of alcohol. These days, tests such as ``phosphatidyl ethanol'' and ``urine ethyl glucuronide'' are also commonly used to check for alcohol in blood and urine.
- Imaging tests to look at your liver and look for swelling or damage. For example, an ultrasound scan, FibroScan® (where available), CT scan, or MRI scan.
- Liver biopsy . Your doctor may need to take a sample of your liver tissue for testing in a lab. This is done by inserting a thin needle into your liver.
What are the treatments for this?
There is no cure for alcoholic hepatitis. The only effective treatment is to stop drinking alcohol completely . However, it is best to do so under medical supervision. Stopping alcohol abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms and dangerous side effects.
Your doctor can provide you with supportive care while you recover from alcohol withdrawal. He or she can also refer you to treatment for alcohol use disorders. He or she can also help treat some of the complications of alcohol use and hepatitis.
Additional treatments may include:
- Nutritional therapy . Both alcohol abuse and liver damage can cause malnutrition. This is because of things like loss of appetite, nausea, and the inability to process nutrients properly. Malnutrition can make it harder to recover from these conditions. Your doctor may prescribe dietary changes, nutritional supplements, and possibly appetite-stimulating medications to help you recover. In severe cases, you may be given enteral nutrition (tube feeding) while you are in the hospital.
- Short-term steroids . In some severe cases of alcoholic hepatitis, doctors may temporarily give steroids to reduce swelling in the liver and help liver cells regrow.
Can this situation be reversed?
Yes, if the disease is not too advanced, it can be reversed by stopping drinking. People who do not stop drinking continue to develop cirrhosis and liver failure . The scar tissue that has already formed in your liver cannot be reversed. However, by stopping drinking, you can prevent further damage and protect the remaining part of your liver. You will have to stop drinking completely, permanently , but you can recover.
How long does it take to recover?
People who stop drinking alcohol after diagnosis show significant improvement within six to twelve (6-12) months. Less severe cases usually recover completely. More severe cases may see gradual improvement over the next few years. Some livers may have permanent scarring, but as long as you abstain from alcohol completely, there is no lasting damage.
How long can you live with this condition?
If you don't stop drinking after diagnosis, your life expectancy will be reduced. Men who don't stop drinking have a 70% chance of surviving five years. Women who don't stop drinking have a 30% chance. The outcome is even worse for people with severe alcoholic hepatitis and advanced liver disease. About 40% of people with severe alcoholic hepatitis die within six months of diagnosis.
This is something to really think about. Can't you see how much of a difference quitting alcohol makes?
Are alcohol-induced hepatitis and alcoholic hepatitis the same thing?
No, both terms refer to the same condition: inflammation of the liver caused by alcohol use. The term 'alcoholic' is used because the word 'alcoholic' is a bit stigmatizing and doesn't really describe the condition. Because everyone's body is different, some people can develop alcoholic hepatitis without having an alcohol use disorder. However, these two conditions are usually seen together.
So what is the difference between alcohol-induced hepatitis and cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is the final stage of liver disease. It occurs when chronic inflammation, also known as hepatitis, damages the liver over time. As the cells in the inflamed tissue die, scar tissue gradually builds up in those areas. When a significant portion of the liver becomes scarred, it is called cirrhosis. In Western countries, alcoholic hepatitis accounts for 50% of all cases of cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis eventually causes your liver to stop working properly. As healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, it blocks blood flow and reduces the liver's ability to process nutrients and filter toxins. This can lead to many complications, including malnutrition, blood toxicity, liver failure, and death . In Western countries, alcohol-related liver disease accounts for 80% of all deaths from liver toxicity.
Alcoholic hepatitis develops slowly, often without symptoms. Many people are unaware of the damage that chronic heavy drinking can do to their liver. However, early detection is the best way to reverse the effects of alcoholic hepatitis. If you have a history of heavy drinking and/or have symptoms of liver disease, see your doctor right away. He or she can examine your liver, assess the damage, and help you make changes to your habits that will improve your health.
So, what are the most important things we should remember from this story?
Okay, here are some things you should take into account from what we've talked about:
- Alcohol is a poison to the liver: Even if you drink a little for fun, if you drink a lot, it can damage the liver. The liver can swell and develop a condition called ``Alcohol-Induced Hepatitis''.
- Not everyone is the same: Some people can have problems even after drinking a little. There is no such thing as a 'safe amount of alcohol'.
- Be aware of symptoms: If you experience symptoms such as pain in the right side of your stomach, loss of appetite, or jaundice, be sure to see a doctor.
- Quitting is the best cure: The best treatment for this condition is to stop drinking alcohol completely. It is wise to do this with the advice of a doctor.
- Early detection is curable: If the disease is detected before it becomes severe, and if alcohol is stopped, the damage to the liver can be largely reversed and further damage can be prevented. However, once severe scarring occurs, such as cirrhosis, it is difficult to reverse.
Your liver is a very important organ in your life. It is up to you to take care of it. Don't put your life at risk because of alcohol.
` Liver inflammation, alcoholism, liver disease, cirrhosis, hepatitis, alcohol withdrawal, liver damage
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න