Cirrhosis and Chronic Liver Disease
What is Cirrhosis and Chronic Liver Disease?
Cirrhosis is permanent scarring of the liver caused by long-term damage. When your liver gets injured repeatedly over months or years, healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue. This scar tissue blocks blood flow through the liver and prevents it from working properly.
Your liver performs over 500 jobs in your body. It filters toxins from your blood, makes proteins you need for blood clotting, stores energy, and produces bile to digest food. When scar tissue takes over, your liver cannot do these jobs effectively. Chronic liver disease refers to any ongoing liver damage that can lead to cirrhosis if left untreated.
The good news is that liver damage can often be slowed or stopped when caught early. Your liver has remarkable healing abilities if you remove the source of injury. Blood testing can detect liver problems before you feel sick, giving you time to make changes that protect this vital organ.
Symptoms
- Fatigue and weakness that does not improve with rest
- Nausea and loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Yellowing of skin and eyes, called jaundice
- Swelling in the legs, ankles, or abdomen
- Itchy skin that persists
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Confusion or difficulty thinking clearly
- Spider-like blood vessels on the skin
- Redness in the palms of the hands
Many people have no symptoms in the early stages of chronic liver disease. Your liver can lose much of its function before you notice anything wrong. This is why blood testing is so important for catching liver damage early.
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Causes and risk factors
The most common causes of cirrhosis are heavy alcohol use, viral hepatitis, and fatty liver disease. Drinking too much alcohol over many years damages liver cells directly. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections cause ongoing inflammation that leads to scarring. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease happens when too much fat builds up in the liver, often linked to obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Other risk factors include certain medications, autoimmune diseases where your body attacks the liver, inherited conditions that affect how your body processes iron or copper, and blocked bile ducts. Your risk increases if you have diabetes, are overweight, eat a diet high in processed foods, or have metabolic syndrome. Some people develop liver damage from combinations of these factors working together over time.
How it's diagnosed
Doctors diagnose liver disease using blood tests, imaging studies, and sometimes liver biopsy. Blood tests measure liver enzymes, proteins, and other markers that show how well your liver is working. Sex hormone binding globulin, or SHBG, is one marker that reflects liver function. In moderate cirrhosis, SHBG may be elevated because the damaged liver cannot clear it properly. In advanced disease, SHBG drops because the liver cannot produce enough.
Rite Aid offers testing that includes SHBG to help detect changes in liver function. Our panel checks over 200 biomarkers twice per year, giving you regular insights into your liver health. Imaging tests like ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI can show liver scarring and other changes. Your doctor may recommend a liver biopsy to determine the extent of damage and guide treatment decisions.
Treatment options
- Stop drinking alcohol completely if alcohol contributed to liver damage
- Lose weight gradually through healthy eating and regular exercise
- Treat underlying conditions like hepatitis, diabetes, or high cholesterol
- Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein
- Avoid medications and supplements that can harm the liver
- Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B if not already immune
- Take antiviral medications if you have chronic hepatitis B or C
- Use medications to manage complications like fluid buildup or confusion
- Consider liver transplant evaluation for advanced cirrhosis
Treatment focuses on stopping further damage and managing symptoms. Your doctor will work with you to address the root cause of your liver disease. Regular monitoring through blood tests helps track whether treatments are working and catches problems early.
Concerned about Cirrhosis and Chronic Liver Disease? Get tested at Rite Aid.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Chronic liver disease is any ongoing damage to the liver that lasts more than six months. Cirrhosis is the end stage of chronic liver disease where permanent scarring has developed. Not all chronic liver disease progresses to cirrhosis, especially if the cause is treated early.
The scarring from cirrhosis is permanent and cannot be reversed. However, you can stop further damage and allow healthy liver tissue to work better. Early-stage cirrhosis can be managed successfully if you remove the cause of injury. Some people live for many years with well-managed cirrhosis.
SHBG is a protein made by your liver that binds to sex hormones. Changes in SHBG levels can signal liver problems. In moderate cirrhosis, levels may rise because the damaged liver cannot clear SHBG effectively. In advanced disease, levels drop because the liver cannot produce enough protein.
Avoid alcohol completely, as it damages the liver directly. Limit salt to prevent fluid buildup. Reduce saturated fats and added sugars that contribute to fatty liver. Be cautious with raw shellfish, which can carry infections dangerous to people with liver disease.
Testing frequency depends on the severity of your condition. People with chronic liver disease often need blood tests every three to six months. Regular testing helps track liver function and catch complications early. Our Rite Aid panel offers testing twice per year to monitor key markers like SHBG.
Yes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can progress to cirrhosis if not managed. The progression usually takes years or decades. Losing weight, exercising regularly, and controlling diabetes and cholesterol can prevent fatty liver from advancing. Early detection through blood tests gives you time to make protective changes.
Complications include fluid buildup in the abdomen, bleeding from swollen veins in the esophagus, confusion from toxin buildup called hepatic encephalopathy, and increased infection risk. Cirrhosis also raises your risk of liver cancer. Regular monitoring and treatment can help prevent or manage these complications.
No, many things can cause liver disease besides alcohol. Viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease from obesity or diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and inherited disorders all damage the liver. Some medications and toxins can also cause liver injury. Identifying the specific cause is important for proper treatment.
Yes, regular exercise helps improve liver health in several ways. Physical activity helps you lose weight and reduce liver fat. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, which protects against fatty liver disease. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, such as brisk walking or swimming.
See a doctor if you have symptoms like persistent fatigue, yellowing skin or eyes, swelling in your abdomen or legs, or unexplained weight loss. Get tested regularly if you have risk factors like heavy alcohol use, viral hepatitis, obesity, or diabetes. Early detection through blood tests can catch liver problems before symptoms appear.