Fatty liver is closely related to obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension. Although it is difficult to
detect there are some symptoms that can give signs of this disease. What can be the warning signs of fatty liver? Are they easy to identify or are they only detectable in laboratory tests? Are fever and abdominal pain among them?
When fat accumulates in the liver cells, it is called hepatic steatosis, that is, fatty liver. This is a disease that prevents the liver from performing its functions correctly.
What does the liver do? The liver is responsible for carrying out several processes: producing proteins, regulating fat metabolism, eliminating toxins from the blood and controlling the amount of amino acids at a general level.
Simply put, the liver is an organ that helps digest food, store energy, and eliminate toxins.
Therefore, it is essential for general well-being. If it cannot fulfill its functions, the health of the rest of the body suffers and therefore, the affected person begins to experience various discomforts, some of them so common that they can be confused with other health problems.
People who consume excessive alcohol on a regular basis are very likely to suffer from fatty liver. However, alcoholism is not the only risk factor associated with this disease. Other associated factors are: Suffering from diabetes, being overweight or obese. Maintain bad eating habits. Have high cholesterol levels etc.
warning signs of fatty liver
In most cases, hepatic steatosis is asymptomatic. That means that until the person
Perform a study, it is difficult to detect it, some tests that are used to diagnose this disease are: Blood tests, liver ultrasounds. Liver biopsies.
So there is no set of signals that specifically warn of fatty liver. However, it is worth highlighting
that some patients do experience symptoms, or certain health problems, that may be related to fatty liver. Let’s see them below.
- Abdominal pain
According to what some patients have experienced, it is considered that one of the warning signs of fatty liver is abdominal pain. Although not the one that appears in isolation, but rather the one that occurs together with other discomforts.
It is experienced in the center or upper right part of the abdomen. However, it has nothing to do with an activity.
no specific effort. It may appear after eating because the stomach expands and puts pressure on the enlarged liver.
- Abdominal swelling
Another of the possible warning signs of fatty liver is abdominal swelling, which is also known as ascites. It consists of the presence of fluids between the visceral and parietal peritoneum and is usually a consequence of liver disease.
The symptoms of ascites are:
Indigestion
Abdominal distension
Difficulty breathing
Pain in the lower back
Edema may also occur in the ankles.
- Fatigue
One of the possible warning signs of fatty liver is lack of energy and constant fatigue. As the liver cannot function properly, the metabolism slows down and inexplicable fatigue appears. It is also possible to experience concentration problems, confusion among other symptoms. - dark urine