Toxic liver damage implies a pathological condition in which the tissues of this organ suffer as a result of exposure to toxins, poisons, alcohol, chemicals and drugs, as well as radio waves.
We will talk about what the symptoms of toxic liver damage look like and how to treat this disease, later in the article.
Degrees of liver intoxication
Before you find out what are the symptoms of toxic liver damage, we will understand the severity of intoxication. It is determined by the following indicators:
- An increase in blood enzymes that contribute to detoxification, 2-4 times.
- Enlargement of enzymes by 5-10 times.
- Enzyme increase by more than 10 times.
The disease itself can be both acute and chronic.
In the first case, liver poisoning occurs as a result of too much load on the organ with harmful substances. Symptoms may appear on the third day. This form of the disease can last about six months;
The chronic form of intoxication lasts more than six months. It develops as a result of harming hazardous substances in smaller translational doses. Symptoms of pathology may not appear at all. This form of the disease can give serious complications in the form of cirrhosis or liver failure.
Toxic liver damage: symptoms
Signs of toxic liver damage are most often masked for any stomach problems. A specialist shares the main manifestations of intoxication as follows:
- Cytolysis. It is characterized by the fact that hepatocyte cells become less permeable. The level of vitamin B and iron changes sharply in the blood.
- Cholestatic syndrome - characterized by a decrease in the flow of bile into the body. Here you can highlight the following symptoms:
- the color of the skin and eye proteins changes noticeably;
- itchy skin appears;
- the liver is enlarged;
- urine is getting dark.
3. Dyspeptic symptoms of toxic liver damage are characterized by a digestive disorder. In this case, the following manifestations are traced:
- appetite sharply worsens:
- the stomach swells;
- frequent vomiting and nausea appear;
- the liver is enlarged.
4. Hepatic cell failure appears to be certain manifestations of the body, which can be expressed:
- the appearance of spider veins on the skin;
- redness of the skin of the palms or feet;
- testicular atrophy in men, decreased hair growth and impaired erection;
- facial skin redness;
- the presence of bruising on the body, which was not preceded by any injuries;
- the presence of white spots on the nails;
- deformation of tendons on the hands;
- icteric skin color.
5. Hepatargic syndrome. It is a particularly dangerous symptomatology, because it is an acute form of the disease. Its manifestations affect primarily the central nervous system and brain. It's hard not to notice them:
- the patient has mental disorders;
- there is a special hepatic odor from the mouth.
- in severe cases, a coma develops.
Alcohol damage to the liver
Toxic liver damage with alcohol is the result of prolonged use of alcohol. The degree of manifestation of this disease depends on the duration and volume of alcohol consumed. Usually the first bells of this problem appear after thirty years.
What are the symptoms of toxic liver damage by alcohol known? The first signs of intoxication will be:
- excessive dry mouth;
- constant thirst;
- fast fatiguability;
- the appearance of icteric spots on the skin;
- periodic tingling in the right side, where the organ is located.
If any of these manifestations made themselves felt, you should immediately be examined for the presence of this disease.
Often the patient is faced with a loss of appetite; he may be tormented by nausea or vomiting. In the presence of this disease, changes in the color of urine occur - it becomes dark or bloody. So-called spider veins may appear on the skin. However, their location is not specified.
Toxic liver damage by alcohol can also be manifested in a change in the mental state of a person, expressed in frequent irritability, and in some cases even hallucinations.
Help in the early stages of alcohol intoxication
If we are not talking about any complex forms of the course of this disease, then something else can be corrected. First of all, it is worth completely eliminating the consumption of alcohol.
The patient should enrich his diet with a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins, be sure to follow a special diet and consume foods rich in proteins.
Correction with the help of drugs is also performed. Here you can try glucose solution therapy or the use of phospholipids, which contribute to the restoration of cell membranes.
Toxic liver damage: treatment with folk remedies
To facilitate or cure the course of the described disease, there are several folk recipes.
- Among the main folk remedies, sauerkraut juice, which has healing substances for liver cells, is isolated. If we are talking about the chronic course of this disease, then the treatment time should be brought to a month, taking half a glass of juice a day.
- No less useful horseradish. To prepare tincture from it, you need to grate the root to get a total of 2 tablespoons of this potion. Then pour the resulting mass with milk and boil. The cooled broth should be used throughout the day in small sips.
- Mint also helps. From its leaves you need to prepare a decoction. To do this, just pour mint on the water and boil it. Give insist exactly one day, after which use the resulting solution about three times a day.
Toxic liver damage with fibrosis and cirrhosis
Running intoxication can cause cirrhosis - serious processes in the body that lead to the transformation and fibrosis of liver cells, in which a kind of nodes on the organ are formed. This disease involves the final stage of liver disease.
With cirrhosis, the patient develops fibrosis - an increase in the number of connective tissues on the organ. The following factors can contribute to its occurrence:
- hepatitis B, C, D;
- congenital fibrosis;
- metabolic disease;
- parasites;
- bacteria
- blood flow disorders in the liver;
- toxic and medicinal substances;
- alcohol consumption.
Symptoms of liver fibrosis appear only with complications. At the time of the process itself, no significant significant changes are observed. The patient may experience increased bleeding, varicose veins of the stomach, hemorrhoids, and in severe cases, internal bleeding.
Liver damage in children
Toxic liver damage in children is quite rare in practice. Here we are talking most often about drug damage. The development of this type of disease can be affected by factors both internal (for example, a congenital predisposition) and due to the influence of the external environment:
- First of all, the risk of age. Similar diseases affect children under 3 years old;
- the use at the same time of several drugs at once;
- obesity or, conversely, a sharp weight loss;
- chronic liver disease.
Specialists distinguish 2 types of drug liver damage in children:
- Toxic - they are characterized by a direct effect on the body of medications.
- Idiosyncratic - more unpredictable - can develop from one week to a year.
Liver and kidney damage
Toxic damage to the liver and kidneys may result from poisoning or the misuse of antibiotics. Such cases often occur in the treatment of infections or any inflammatory processes in the body. With the incorrect distribution of drugs or their overdose, too many toxins enter the bloodstream, which adversely affect all organs of the human body.
The following symptoms can be distinguished with this lesion:
- increase in body temperature to 39-40 degrees;
- sharp headaches;
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- heart palpitations;
- excessive sweating;
- joint pain.
With kidney poisoning, a decrease in the amount of urine or its complete absence can be observed. Renal failure is sometimes the result of excessive consumption of sulfonamides and aminoglycosides.
Drugs for liver damage
If the organ has suffered from the active effects of poisons or toxins, a drug course should be taken to detoxify the diseased organ. What drugs are prescribed for toxic liver damage?
A good helper in the poisoning of an organ with toxins can serve as drugs of the hepatoprotective class. But remember, in no case should you self-medicate! It is necessary to start taking any drug after consulting a doctor.
Hepatoprotectors
This group of drugs has a restorative effect on liver cells, normalizing its work, and improves the condition of tissues. These drugs are recommended to be used not only for liver diseases - they are actively used by athletes who need to protect the said organ with tremendous physical exertion. After all, the liver cannot withstand such an active lifestyle on its own, so it needs help.
Elderly people who want to improve the functioning of the liver can also use such drugs. In addition, these may be groups of people who work in hazardous industries.
When liver cells are intoxicated, Sibektan and Silimar are often used, which effectively help the detoxification process.
Treatment methods
Treatment of toxic liver damage is carried out in the following ways:
- Diet. Patients should normalize their diet, which is important for the normal functioning of the body. Diet involves the rejection of fatty and spicy foods, be sure to give up smoking and alcohol. You should consume more vegetables and fruits, less salt in food. If a person works in hazardous production, it is necessary to consume at least a glass of milk every day.
- Conservative treatment. It implies non-operative detoxification, which can last from several weeks to several months. This type of treatment implies the rejection of the use of drugs, the use of antidotes, which help to eliminate all kinds of toxic substances from the body, and the use of the hepatoprotectors mentioned above.
- Surgery. Implies liver transplantation. Most often, material from a close relative is taken. This is done in extreme neglected cases of acute course of the disease.
Drug damage to the liver
If a person has toxic liver damage with drugs, then he is immediately prescribed bed rest or is hospitalized. In hospital conditions, a number of detoxification and detoxification procedures are carried out.
The patient must necessarily adhere to bed rest and a sparing diet. Patients are often given an intravenous glucose solution.
In addition to hepatoprotectors, attention should be paid to the consumption of substances such as:
- glucose and vitamin B, C intravenously;
- lipotropic drugs that reduce liver fat;
- inhibitors that prevent protein breakdown;
- amino acids;
- antimicrobial antibiotics;
- antihistamines.
- tranquilizers.
Diet
A necessary component in the treatment and restoration of the work of the described organ is a special diet that can weaken the negative effects on the body and slightly relieve the work of the organ.
What should be the diet for toxic liver damage? Doctors recommend consuming food in small doses several times a day - the entire diet should be divided into 5-7 times. We offer a list of products that you should pay attention to first of all:
- You need to eat more soups: both vegetable and dairy. If it comes to meat products, then they should be steamed. Also, experts advise eating black caviar. As for dairy products, they should be consumed no more than 200 g per day.
- Useful so-called complex carbohydrates. They suggest a stale bread, crackers, cereals on the water or pasta.
- Protein. You can use one boiled egg or an omelet every day.
- Drinking is worth various decoctions, weak tea, natural juices, coffee with milk.
- As seasoning, you can use dill, parsley, cloves, cinnamon.
- As a dessert, marmalade, marshmallows and jam will do.
It is not recommended to eat: soda, fatty foods, legumes, muffins, ice cream, chocolate, garlic, sorrel, canned food. And you should definitely limit the dose of salt.
Be healthy!