Knowing the Early Signs of Alcoholic Liver Damage Can Save Lives
This is vital information because alcohol consumption has increased dramatically since the pandemic.
Cognitive signs
Early liver problems can cause you to feel tired, lethargic, lethargic, and slightly confused. Again, this could be a sign of many other problems, but it's definitely something that indicates that the liver is in trouble too. These symptoms are mild at first, but as the liver damage worsens, they develop into serious cognitive changes. The liver has many responsibilities, but one of its main functions is to filter toxins and dangerous substances from the blood. It also helps regulate hormone production, blood sugar levels, and vitamin absorption. When these functions do not work optimally, the body begins to feel sluggish and tired. The brain cannot cope with this without proper management of glucose, vitamins, and hormonal balance.Digestive signs
The liver plays a vital role in our digestive process, from the breakdown of food to the absorption of vitamins. It helps to filter out toxins from food, medicines, and chemicals, and also promotes the breakdown of fats and glucose. When the liver begins to be damaged, the digestive processes begin to slow down. The liver will direct its energy to solve more important problems, such as filtering drugs and other toxic substances. This means that specific digestive symptoms begin to appear, such as bloating, gas, heartburn, and nausea. Early liver problems can make it difficult to digest more complex foods such as proteins and fats, and thus people may be disgusted by these foods. If you drink heavily and begin to experience discomfort often after eating, this is an important and early sign of liver damage.Vascular signs
Alcohol consumption leads to redness and redness of the face and hands due to the dilation of blood vessels. With time, this can cause long-term soreness of the face, specifically in men. However, another lesion, called stellate angioma, is more specific to alcoholic liver problems. These lesions resemble a spider web on the surface of the skin with a red center. They can be large or small. Spider angiomas are caused by an increase in the production of estrogen in the body. Liver diseases can disrupt the hormonal balance, as mentioned above. As the liver becomes more damaged, estrogen enters the bloodstream, causing stellate angiomas. These lesions may also be accompanied by redness of the palms of the hands. This symptom may appear at an early stage, but is probably a sign of progressive liver damage.Neuromuscular signs
As mentioned above, the liver helps to absorb and accumulate vitamins necessary for our health and well-being. The essential vitamin is called B1 or thiamine. Unfortunately, most alcoholics lack this vitamin because alcohol blocks its absorption. Over time, as the liver is damaged, it can no longer accumulate enough of this vitamin.Thiamine is responsible for many neurological functions in the body, so symptoms begin to manifest without constant vitamin intake. The symptoms may be mild at first, but as the deficiency progresses, the symptoms become severe and can even be life-threatening.
Some symptoms of thiamine deficiency are confusion, pain, numbness in the arms and legs, balance disorder, shuffling gait, muscle weakness, palpitations, hot flashes, and blinking eye movements called nystagmus.
Thiamine deficiency is reported by almost everyone who drinks a lot of alcohol every day, but you can be sure that with a lack of thiamine, the liver also experiences problems.
The pandemic has put a lot of pressure and stress on people, forcing them to engage in activities such as excessive alcohol consumption more often. I can't even count how many tweets I've seen talking about drinking as a way to deal with everything that's happened over the last few years. And while it's understandable that people want to "avoid" all the stress, they may not realize what heavy drinking is doing to their liver.
This is partly due to a lack of information, but also because alcoholic liver disease is difficult to treat and diagnose. It mimics many other states and is often detected only when it is too late. That's why those who drink a lot should tell their doctor the exact amount they consume every day or week. This way they can be more aware of the situation and diagnose liver problems much earlier. This can give you more control over your health and decision-making.
If you or someone you know shows some of these early signs and you drink a lot, it may be time to make an appointment with a doctor. Be sure to specify the exact amount of alcohol you consume, as well as a list of your symptoms. It might be a good idea to tell your doctor that you are concerned about your liver and want everything checked out. Self-presentation is often the best tool for accessing health care.
