Cirrhosis (suh-ROH-suhss) is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or diseases you have had for a long time. Scar tissue cannot do what healthy liver tissue does. This includes changing food into energy and cleaning the blood.
People with cirrhosis may have no symptoms in the early stages. As cirrhosis progresses you may
Feel tired or weak
Lose your appetite
Feel sick to your stomach
Lose weight
If too much scarring happens, your liver will stop working, and you will need a liver transplant. Cirrhosis is a leading cause of death in American Indian and Alaska Natives. Among this population, the most common cause is drinking too much alcohol. About 5 percent of people with cirrhosis also get liver cancer.
Once you have cirrhosis, nothing can make the scar tissue go away completely. However, treating the cause will keep cirrhosis from getting worse. For instance, if cirrhosis is caused by alcohol use, the treatment is to stop drinking completely. You also can take steps to keep liver disease from progressing to cirrhosis:
Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol can harm liver cells, and chronic alcohol use is one of the major causes of cirrhosis.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can make several liver diseases worse.
Eat low-fat, well-balanced meals.
Make physical activity a habit. Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:
Aerobic activity that includes:
2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or
1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or
A combination of moderate and vigorous activity
and
Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days of the week
Stay away from illegal (street) drugs, which can increase your chances of getting some types of hepatitis.
Alcoholic Liver Disease - This publication outlines the symptoms and treatment associated with alcoholic liver disease. It also addresses tests that may help identify if liver disease is present.
Cirrhosis - This resource gives an overview of cirrhosis and provides helpful links to other publications and organizations.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cirrhosis.html
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis - This publications provides information regarding primary biliary cirrhosis, a liver disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver.
A federal government website managed by the
Office on Women's Health
in the
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
at the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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