What is liver disease?
A person with liver disease has a liver that does not function properly. The liver helps convert food into energy, helps digest food, and removes toxins, such as alcohol, from the bloodstream. The most common type of liver disease is inflammation of the liver, called hepatitis. Liver disease may also be caused by toxins or medications. Cirrhosis is a term used to describe liver failure due to liver disease.

What are the symptoms of liver disease?
Symptoms of liver disease include weakness, fatigue, nausea, anorexia, vomiting, abdominal swelling, right upper abdominal pain, jaundice, brown urine, and fever.

How does the doctor treat liver disease?
Treatment for liver disease depends on the underlying cause. Treatment may include avoiding alcohol, a liver disease diet, vitamin supplements, and caution when using medications that are broken down by the liver. Surgery may be required to control bleeding complications of cirrhosis.

Types of hepatitis include:

• Alcoholic hepatitis
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C

Other forms of liver disease include:

• Cirrhosis
• Liver cancer
• Reye syndrome
• Wilson disease
• Hemochromatosis