1. Jaundice: Yellowing of the Skin and Eyes
This symptom is a definite indication that something is seriously wrong with your liver. One of the main functions of your liver is blood filtration: your old blood is recycled in your liver and the side-product of that process is something called bilirubin.
Normally, this compound is excreted through the bile duct once it accumulates in the liver, but when your liver is malfunctioning, it can no longer filter out the bilirubin and it is accumulated in your skin and eyes, rendering them a yellow color.
2. Dark Colored Urine
If you noticed that your urine became very dark in color lately, it may be a symptom of liver disease. It can become any color starting from amber, to dark orange and brown, depending on what your normal urine color was initially and the severity of the liver problem.
The reason why this happens is the same bilirubin that causes jaundice that is not filtered out properly and gets into the urine. If you experience this symptom along with abdominal pain and other symptoms we mention here, you may want to check your liver.
3. Spider Veins on the Face and Upper Body
These are small red web-like formations on the skin that carry the scientific name of spider angiomas. They can occur on any part of the body and aren’t dangerous on their own.
When they are located on the upper body and face, however, they could indicate a problem with your liver.
4. Sudden and Unexpected Weight Loss
It is often a bad sign if you suddenly lose a significant amount of your weight without intending to do so. It can indicate infections, digestive problems, and liver disease as well.
So, if you lost more than 10% of your weight in a short period of time and experience some of the other symptoms that we mentioned, your liver might be struggling.5. Itching Skin
One unexpected symptom of liver disease is skin itching with no apparent rash, allergy or other reason.
If you feel like you get super itchy, especially at night, it may be because toxins are flooding your skin since the liver can’t filter them out as it is supposed to.
6. A Swollen Belly
Ascites, or the accumulation of fluid in the belly, can be a result of several liver problems, especially cirrhosis. For an explanation of what cirrhosis is, read Our Comprehensive Guide to Cirrhosis.
Depending on the development of the symptom, it has different symptoms:
- Mild ascites can cause discomfort, a feeling of heaviness in the belly and intolerance to exercise.
- Ascites in its more advanced stages will cause significant swelling of the belly, pain, and shortness of breath because the fluid accumulating in the belly presses on the person’s internal organs and diaphragm.
7. Confusion
In very advanced stages, liver disease can manifest itself in the form of blurry vision, confusion, and difficulty memorizing and focusing on tasks due to changes in nervous connections. It may not strike you as a very serious symptom, but it is very debilitating and points to nerve damage.
If you experience these symptoms and other symptoms of liver disease, we highly recommend you to see a doctor because confusion is usually a severe symptom.
8. Feeling Constantly Tired and Depressed
Fatigue is the formal definition of the symptom, but it manifests itself in chronic physical and mental tiredness and lack of motivation. It generally has a gradual onset and can be alleviated with rest.
If you experience fatigue often and without any known reason, it may be a sign of liver disease.
9. Skin Bruises Easily
Our livers usually produce blot-clotting proteins that protect our body from losing blood. When the liver is damaged, it starts producing less and less of these proteins, which can make your skin more prone to bruising and your wounds will heal slower.
If you experience severe bruising for no reason, it may be a sign your liver is sick.
Let us remind you that articles like these are not intended to diagnose an illness, we urge you to talk about all of your health concerns with a doctor. The information is provided in this article for information purposes only.
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