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What Causes Liver Pain?

Posted by in Health: Diseases & Conditions  ~  May 30, 2012 03:50:51 PM

Liver pain is a health problem that many people deal with. What causes liver pain, however? Most people are unsure, but a lot of the problems that are associated with liver pain are known to be extremely serious. Many are even life threatening. Unfortunately, the causes of liver pain can also be very difficult to diagnose. Here is a list of the most common causes of liver pain.

Hepatitis

One of the most common causes of liver pain is Hepatitis. There are different types of Hepatitis, such as A, B, and C. All of the forms of the disease are known to cause similar symptoms. Liver pain, jaundice (which is when the skin has a yellow appearance), and pain in the right rib due to the swelling of organs. Hepatitis is a life-threatening disease that is spread through close contact with others who have the condition.

Liver Cancer

People who have liver pain may also be suffering from liver cancer. One of the biggest problems with liver cancer is that the symptoms are not usually experienced until it is in the final stages. This makes it unusual for liver cancer to be diagnosed early. As with most types of cancer, early detection is a main key to effective treatment. Symptoms of liver cancer include weight loss, lack of an appetite, loss of energy, and tiredness.

Steatosis (Fatty Liver)

Excessive and long-term alcohol consumption can cause you to experience fatty liver. With this health condition, the liver becomes enlarged because it contains a large percentage of fat. Some of the symptoms of fatty liver aside from liver pain include liver dysfunction and tenderness. Symptoms of fatty liver are not usually very severe, so you may not even notice that something is wrong with you.

Other Causes

Keep in mind that there are a number of other conditions which may cause you to experience liver pain. Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome can all be associated with liver pain. It is also important to keep in mind that certain risk factors, such as having too much fat around the belly area, low cholesterol levels, and high triglyceride levels. Just because you do not believe that you have hepatitis, liver cancer or fatty liver does not necessarily mean that your liver pain is not serious.

Liver pain is a symptom which may not seem too serious to those who experience it. The majority of the time, people with liver pain are also discouraged by others and health professionals because it is not considered to be a very serious problem. However, many of the different health problems that cause liver pain are very serious and may be life threatening. If you are experiencing liver pain, it is important to visit a primary care physician in order to find out what could be causing your symptoms.