Liver disease is common. According to the American Liver Foundation, more than 100 million people in the U.S. have some form of liver disease. 

Liver diseases can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). They include cirrhosis, fatty liver disease (also called steatotic liver disease), and hepatitis. Symptoms of liver disease vary depending on what type of illness you have. 

They may include:

• Bruising easily
• Changes in the color of your stool or urine
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
• Swelling in your belly or legs

Risk factors for liver disease include:

• Drinking too much alcohol
• Obesity
• Not exercising
• Eating an unhealthy diet
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Risky sexual behavior
• Injecting drugs and sharing needles
• Pesticide exposure
• Eating contaminated food
• Family history of liver disease

There are different types of liver disease. Some of the most common ones are:

• Hepatitis A: A virus that makes the liver swell and prevents it from working well. It spreads from person to person. Hepatitis A usually goes away on its own within 6 months.
• Hepatitis B: A virus passed through infected body fluids. Most people recover within 6 months, but about 5% develop chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B symptoms include fever, dark urine, joint pain, nausea, and pain near the liver.
• Hepatitis C: A virus that passes through blood. It’s usually chronic and can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. Regular testing if you’re at risk is key because you may not have symptoms of hepatitis C until it damages the liver.
• Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): Also known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), this condition causes extra fat to build up in the liver. Symptoms can be subtle, so you may not realize you have the condition. It often occurs in people who are overweight or have obesity, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
• Cirrhosis: When the liver becomes scarred, often from heavy alcohol use. The scar tissue blocks blood flow through the liver, and the organ may eventually fail. Cirrhosis symptoms include jaundice, itchy skin, and belly swelling.
• Autoimmune liver disease: The body’s immune system attacks the liver. Untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
• Liver cancer: Liver cancer symptoms include pain on the right side of the upper abdomen, jaundice, and nausea. Other liver diseases, like hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, can lead to cancer.

Getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and B can help prevent these liver diseases.

Your treatment for liver disease depends on your illness, how advanced it is, and what caused it. At Carilion, we tailor our care plans to you using the latest diagnostic methods. 

Lifestyle changes

Healthy habits can stop or slow the progression of some forms of liver disease. It’s never too late to start. Fatty liver disease care often begins with lifestyle changes.

Your doctor will advise you to quit smoking and drinking alcohol if you have liver disease.

Changing your diet can also affect your liver health. It’s vital to limit fatty and fried foods. To reduce liver inflammation, raise your intake of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.

In general, weight loss can help lower inflammation in the liver. If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight may be a key step in your care. 

Medicines

Medicines can treat some liver diseases. Antiviral medicine can help treat hepatitis B and C. Medicines that lower immune system activity can improve autoimmune liver diseases.

If you have hepatic cirrhosis, your doctor will advise you to stop drinking alcohol. They can help you quit, including medicines.

You’ll need to avoid taking medicines, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, that make cirrhosis symptoms worse.

Liver transplants

Advanced liver disease may need a liver transplant. If a transplant is an option for you, we can do your first evaluation and work with the transplant center of your choice. We also provide expert aftercare.

We work with the following medical centers for liver transplants:

• University of Virginia Health System
• Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center
• Duke University Medical Center