Introduction
- Liver is the body's second largest organ. The liver separates nutrients and waste as they move through your digestive system. It also produces bile, a substance that carries toxins out of your body and aids in digestion.
- The term “liver disease” refers to any of several conditions that can affect and damage your liver.
- Hepatitis- Inflammation of the liver, usually caused by viruses like hepatitis A, B, and C. Hepatitis can have non-infectious causes too, including heavy drinking, drugs, allergic reactions, or obesity
- Cirrhosis- Long-term damage to the liver from any cause can lead to permanent scarring, called cirrhosis. The liver then becomes unable to function well.
- Liver cancer- Hepatocellular carcinoma (most common) almost always occurs after cirrhosis is present.
- Liver Failure- Infection, genetic diseases, and excessive alcohol.
- Ascitis- Ascites is a buildup of fluid in your abdomen. It often occurs as a result of cirrhosis, a liver disease.
- Gall Stones- Abnormal stone-like mass, usually of undissolved cholesterol, formed in the gallbladder. This causes sudden severe pain in upper right side of the abdomen.
- Hemochromatosis- A condition of excess iron in the body that leads to serious conditions such as diabetes, heart problems and liver disease.
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis- Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a progressive disease that damages your bile ducts and your liver. It causes chronic inflammation and scarring.
- Primary Biliary Cirrhosis- A chronic condition that causes progressive destruction of the bile ducts in the liver.
Symptoms
Liver disease doesn't always cause noticeable signs and symptoms. If signs and symptoms of liver disease do occur, they may include:
- Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Swelling in the legs and ankles
- Itchy skin
- Dark urine color
- Pale stool color
- Chronic fatigue
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Tendency to bruise easily
- Infections - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
- Immune System Problems -Autoimmune hepatitis , Primary Biliary Cholangitis , Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.
- Cancers and Tumours - Liver Cancer, Bile Duct Cancer, Liver Cell Adenoma
- Inherited Liver Disorers
- Hemochromatosis
- Hyperoxaluria
- Wilson's Disease
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug Overdose
- Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease( NAFLD ) - Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis .
- Certain prescriptions or over the counter medications
- Certain Herbal Compounds
Factors that may increase your risk of liver disease include:
- Heavy alcohol use
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Tattoos or body piercings
- Injecting drugs using shared needles
- Blood transfusion before 1992
- Exposure to other people's blood and body fluids
- Unprotected sex
- Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins
- Family history of liver disease
- Hepatic Encephalopathy
- Acute Variceal bleeding
- Spntaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
- Hepatorenal Syndrome
Homoeopathic Treatment of liver diseases
- Lycopodium: One of the major remedy for Liver diseases, Dropsy due to liver conditions. Pain shooting from right to left. Constant fermentation in the abdominal region
- Chelidonium Majus: a good remedy for jaundice and other hepatic diseases. Yellow greyish discoloration of the skin
- Carduus M: It’s the primary sphere of action is in the Liver and Spleen region
- Ceanothus: Enlarged spleen and liver. The abdomen is sore, enlarged with jaundice and constipation. Stools are yellow and clay-colored.
- China: Excessive flatulence of stomach and bowels with belching giving no relief
- Nux Vomica- It is mainly suitable for conditions occurring due to modern lifestyle. Complaints are those arising due to a sedentary lifestyle, mental strain, having too much beverages, tobacco, alcohol or coffee and stimulant drugs. The patient has alternate diarrhea and constipation. Diarrhea with jaundice is a guiding symptom to this remedy
- Phosphorus-This is again a polychrest remedy but with a remarkable action on the liver for liver cirrhosis, hepatitis and fatty liver. Patients complain of large yellow spots on the abdomen.
- Lachesis-All complaints arising due to suppressed discharges. Sensitive liver region. Unable to tolerate anything around the liver region. Liver complaints in drunkards. Varicosities due to impaired liver function
- Myrica- dull pain around the liver with jaundice. Weakness and sinking feeling in abdomen and fullness in the stomach and abdomen immediately after a meal. Yellow discoloration of skin with a sensation of something crawling under the skin and itching.
- Leptandra Virginica-This remedy has a marked action on the liver. Liver affection in malaria. Weak portal circulation. Aching in region of liver extending to the spine. Clay colored stools and hemorrhages due to liver dysfunction.
- Natrum Sulphuricum-Hepatitis with soreness and stitching,throbbing pain in liver region,high level of bilirubbin in urine,yellow eye and skin,bilious and sour vomit,
- Kalmegh/ Arsenic Album/Bryonia/Venedium/Sidron/Calcaria Arse/Arse Iod/Aurum Mure/Carica Papaya/Dioscorea/Baptisia/Hydrastis etc....
- Homeoeopathy offers a simple and safer way to manage the condition at a deeper level. It also helps in safely tapering the dose of allopathic medicines.
- With the application of its principles and detailed case history, homoeopathy has much to offer in liver disorders. Homoeopathic medicines not only treat disease symptoms but also treat the predisposition of a person to certain diseases ,called miasm.
- when taken under the supervision of an experienced doctor, homoeopathic medicines help reduce inflammation of liver, cure jaundice, decrease swelling and tendency to bleeding, reduce itching, improve energy level and appetite of the patient, normalise the elevated liver enzymes like SGPT, SGOT and bilirubin and prevent the progression of liver disease to cirrhosis.
- In case of Hepatitis, homoeopathic treatment aims at decreasing the total viral load in blood.