Generally, liver disease is any disturbance in the functioning of the extremely vital organ that leads to illness. Certain liver diseases are chronic in nature and build up over time, leading to liver failure in the advanced stages. Here are some early signs of liver damage:
One of the common signs of liver disease is itchy skin. If you have itchy skin, then it could be a sign of obstructive jaundice. It can be caused by stones in bile duct, cancer of bile duct or of head of pancreas, primary biliary cirrhosis.
In chronic liver disease, you may accumulate fluid in your legs. This makes the legs swollen. Fluid can accumulate in the legs (oedema) due to increased pressure in the portal vein (ascites). Oedema and ascites can also be caused by the liver’s inability to produce enough blood proteins.
The decline in health in chronic liver failure can be slow until a dramatic event occurs, such as vomiting blood or blood in stools. Bleeding from varicose veins in the oesophagus and stomach is the most common cause of blood in the vomit or stool.
Due to the accumulation of toxins in the blood, sleep cycle may get disturbed. Patients with liver cirrhosis frequently complain of sleep disturbances, particularly daytime sleepiness and insomnia.
In chronic liver disease fluid may accumulate in the abdomen causing abdominal distension. Fluid leaks from the surface of the liver and intestine cause ascites, a fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity.