Cirrhosis, also known as liver disease, is mainly associated with folks who are dealing with overconsumption of alcohol. The liver can endure a lot of waste and toxins throughout the years, but too much damage could cause scar tissue to form inside. This is what turns to cirrhosis, which eventually leads to liver failure. Most doctors will tell patients that their drinking habits can prevent cirrhosis, but some people are still suffering from its symptoms without having a history of alcoholism at all. That begs an important question: Can you have cirrhosis if you don’t drink?
Can You Have Cirrhosis if You Don’t Drink?
Below, your local hepatology specialist in Los Angeles will inform you about the causes and symptoms of non-alcoholic cirrhosis and how you can prevent permanent liver damage with a health checkup ASAP.
How the Liver Functions Within the Body
In order to understand whether or not people are susceptible to cirrhosis with or without alcohol, it is important to learn what the liver’s purpose is within your body. Although it has many jobs, one of the liver’s most crucial jobs is to clear toxins and germs from the blood. Therefore, flooding your bloodstream with more than the average amount of waste can cause the liver to go into overdrive.
Whether due to alcohol poisoning or a separate infection, the liver can easily get overwhelmed. This makes it increasingly difficult to process out those poisons that could make you sick. As soon as the liver gets overwhelmed, it is at risk of scarring and permanent damage. When cirrhosis is diagnosed, the treatment solutions are the same regardless of what caused the flood of toxins within the body.
How Nonalcoholic Cirrhosis Can Occur
While alcohol abuse is the most common cause of cirrhosis, it is not the only one. Chronic blood infections, such as those that come from hepatitis B, have a big chance of leading to cirrhosis. Another condition known as NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) causes the liver’s fat to get inflamed and infected, which causes internal scars. Those with compromised or complicated immune system functions are also at a bigger risk of cirrhosis. Nonalcoholic cirrhosis is more likely to occur in folks assigned female at birth, but everyone should visit their liver doctor for an occasional checkup.
Symptoms of Nonalcoholic Cirrhosis
The symptoms of this condition can be hard to spot at first, which is why it is so important to remain vigilant about your internal health. As your liver sustains more damage, you are likely to feel more exhausted. You will soon start to experience many of the following symptoms:
- Loss of appetite
- Constant nausea
- Fatigue
- Inability to focus during the day
- Loss of sex drive and possible erectile dysfunction
- Menstruation will stop
- Yellow eyes (jaundice)
- Swelling in the abdomen
- Extra side effects from certain medications
Symptoms only get more severe over time, and it’s important to seek help from your doctor ASAP if you are suffering from any of the conditions listed above.
Get Treatment for Cirrhosis ASAP
Whether or not your cirrhosis has been caused by alcohol consumption, hepatitis, or another infectious condition, you should make it a top priority to visit your cirrhosis of the liver specialist in Los Angeles right away. You will be put on a custom treatment that may involve serious lifestyle changes and dietary shifts. As the condition worsens, your liver stops functioning efficiently. This can have a drastic effect on your body, ultimately spreading infection and toxicity through your blood. Seek the vital treatment you need when you get in touch with Dr. Tabib and his team of specialists in Los Angeles today!
