Liver Disease Specialist

What does my liver do?

Your liver helps with digestion by making bile, which helps you break down dietary fats, and it processes nutrients from the food you eat. The liver also helps create all kinds of substances your body needs to function correctly, and it helps eliminate toxins and drugs from your body.

But when your liver is not functioning correctly, you may experience a variety of symptoms that indicate the presence of liver disease.

What are the symptoms of liver disease?

Common signs of liver dysfunction include:

• Yellow skin or eyes
• Chronic fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Dark-colored urine
• Pale-colored stool
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal swelling and pain
• Swelling in your legs or ankles

You may also notice that your skin is dry, itchy, and bruises easily.

What causes liver disease?

Several factors can influence your risk of developing liver disease. These factors include:

Genetics

You can develop liver disease if you inherit abnormal genes from one or both of your parents. Genetic liver diseases can cause a buildup of toxic substances in your liver that eventually leads to permanent damage.

Infections

Viruses, including Hepatitis A, B, and C, can cause liver inflammation that interferes with your liver functionality. Liver-damaging viruses usually enter the body through the blood or semen of an infected person, or through contaminated food or water.

Autoimmune dysfunction

If your immune system isn’t functioning correctly, it may attack your liver and other parts of your body. This attack can result in permanent liver damage or failure.

Other causes of liver disease

Cirrhosis, or scarring of your liver, often results from drinking large amounts of alcohol that results in liver failure.

In cases of liver disease where alcohol isn’t a factor, you may develop a condition known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, resulting from fat accumulating in your liver.

Liver cancer is also a condition that can lead to permanent liver failure, and may even lead to other health complications if it spreads beyond your liver.

What treatments are available for liver disease?

Depending on the cause of your liver disease and the extent of the damage, Dr. Rayapudi may recommend one or more treatment options.

Initially, he may suggest lifestyle changes to improve your liver function. Changes may include avoiding alcohol, eating healthy foods, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Medications may slow down the progress of liver disease and help treat your symptoms. In some cases, such as cancer, Dr. Rayapudi may need to remove part of your liver.

Learn more about treatments for liver disease by scheduling an appointment online or by calling the office directly.