Alcoholism Cirrhosis Of The Liver

There are many serious issues faced when it come to the progressive disease known as alcoholism such as relationship, financial, and legal problems however, one of the most serious and life threatening issues when it comes to physical health is a disease of the liver known as cirrhosis.

The liver is one of the most important organs in the body which provides such things as substances to aid in the digestion of food and the clotting of blood. The liver also controls certain substances like protein, fat, and sugar by allowing only certain amounts to enter the bloodstream keeping them at safe levels.

The liver also metabolizes drugs and alcohol, stores many vitamins and minerals including iron and filters out toxins from the bloodstream. When alcohol is consumed frequently in excessive volumes this can cause damaged to the liver by creating scar tissue which actually replaces the healthy tissue in the liver causing it to malfunction in such a way as to slow or block the blood flow necessary for the liver to perform all of its important functions. Alcoholism is the number one cause of fatalities due to cirrhosis of the liver.

Some of the symptoms of cirrhosis include swelling and pain in the stomach area, easy bruising of the skin, weight loss, extreme fatigue, nose bleeds, and yellowing of the skin which is known as jaundice.

While there is no cure for cirrhosis of the liver, it can be treated in such a way as to effectively slow down or prevent any additional scar tissue from forming on the liver however, cirrhosis must be caught in its early stages for these treatments to be effective.

Individuals who develop cirrhosis due to heavy alcohol consumption and continue to drink will eventually face a life threatening situation which is why it is so important that they not only obtain treatment for cirrhosis of the liver, but also seek help for their addiction to alcohol.