Liver swelling

If your doctor tells you that you've got an enlarged liver , it means it's swollen beyond its normal size. There's usually another condition that's causing it, such as hepatitis. What can cause liver enlargement? Swollen liver is a commonly used term for a liver that has grown to an abnormal size. It can also be called an enlarged liver.

The medical term is hepatomegaly.

Several conditions can lead to liver swelling , including hepatitis, cirrhosis, cancer and infection. An enlarged liver is swollen beyond its normal size. Possible causes include cancer and excessive alcohol consumption. Symptoms, when they appear, include jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and pain in the upper abdomen. Treatment depends on what is causing the liver enlargement.

A swollen liver , known as hepatomegaly, can be the result of many conditions, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis and cancer. Liver enlargement or swelling happens when the liver is swollen beyond its normal size. Whatever the cause of this liver enlargement, a swollen liver is a diseased liver and will not be able to perform its functions normally.

The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is responsible for the removal of toxins, processing cholesterol into sugar, the creation of bile for digestion and many other functions. There are several factors that can cause swelling in the liver. Some of those causes are cirrhosis, infections and disease. You may also develop fatty deposits in your liver if you consume alcohol in excess.

Edema and ascites also may result from the inability of the liver to make enough of certain blood proteins, such as albumin. Enlargement of the spleen (splenomegaly). Portal hypertension can also cause changes to and swelling of the spleen, and trapping of white blood cells and platelets. As the liver tries to halt inflammation, it produces areas of scarring (fibrosis).

With continued inflammation, fibrosis spreads to take up more and more liver tissue. Find to health issues you can trust from Healthgrades. Symptoms of a grossly enlarged liver include abdominal discomfort or feeling full. When the liver is damage the liver cells tend to swell up and get inflamed as the inflammatory process takes place. A viral infection triggers an inflammation that tends to develop to hepatitis.

It is known that hepatitis can result to an inflamed liver. Signs and symptoms of liver disease include abdominal pain, jaundice, nausea, and weakness. Causes, treatment, and life expectancy vary.

Lifestyle changes may slow the progression of some types of liver disease. Ankles that swell in the evening could be a sign of retaining salt and water because of right-sided heart failure. Kidney disease can also cause foot and ankle swelling.

When kidneys are not functioning properly, fluid can build up in the body.