Associated symptoms

Other symptoms besides the hepatic signs in the context of damage to the liver tissue can be general symptoms such as fatigue and weakness. In some cases patients suffer from itching. Especially if the liver is enlarged, a feeling of pressure and fullness in the right upper abdomen may occur.

In the advanced stages of liver damage, a dangerous accumulation of toxic substances in the blood can occur because the detoxification function of the liver is reduced. Some of these toxins, such as ammonia, can cause great damage to the brain. This is known medically as “Hepatic Encephalopathy”.

High blood pressure in the portal vein system (portal hypertension) causes fluid to accumulate in the abdominal cavity between the abdominal organs. This clinical picture is known as ascites (abdominal dropsy). In addition, patients feel tired and exhausted, complain of loss of appetite and weight loss.

Generally it is said that tiredness (of course only combined with other symptoms) expresses the “suffering of the liver”. In the case of advanced liver damage, the concentration of toxins may have increased to such an extent that they reach the brain, where they cause hepatic encephalopathy. Those affected show neurological abnormalities such as concentration disorders, loss of consciousness, a decrease in performance and limited cognitive abilities.

If the liver is damaged, metabolic waste products and toxins can no longer be excreted through the bile and accumulate in the blood.Bile acids also enter the blood from the damaged liver and cause itching all over the body. Liver diseases can also cause Prurigo simplex subacuta. This is a skin rash in which the skin is reddened and very itchy.

The exact cause of the appearance of prurigo simplex subacuta is not yet fully understood. In addition, liver damage can lead to changes in hormone metabolism with a shift in the natural ratio of estrogen and testosterone to a significant excess of estrogen. In men this can cause growth of the mammary glands, which is medically called gynecomastia.

Too much estrogen in men can therefore lead to the formation of breasts, which is often accompanied by a great feeling of discomfort in the patient. In women, menstruation can stop and both sexes can experience a reduction in the feeling of pleasure. Dupuytren’s contracture is a stiffening of the finger muscles with nodular thickening of the tendons and can occur, among other things, in the context of prolonged liver damage.

The exact mechanism has not yet been understood, but it is known that the trigger of this finger stiffening is the accumulation of toxic substances in the human body. In the beginning, occupational therapy is the therapy of choice, while surgery is recommended for advanced disease. Following an operation on the hand, continuous training of the hand muscles must take place in order to achieve the best possible result.