Common Liver Diseases
- 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.
- Liver 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 : The most common type of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, almost always occurs after cirrhosis is present.
- Liver Failure : Liver failure has many causes including infection, genetic diseases, and excessive alcohol.
- Ascites : As cirrhosis results, the liver leaks fluid (ascites) into the belly, which becomes distended and heavy.
- Gallstones : If a gallstone becomes stuck in the bile duct draining the liver, hepatitis and bile duct infection (cholangitis) can result.
- Hemochromatosis : Hemochromatosis allows iron to deposit in the liver, damaging it. The iron also deposits throughout the body, causing multiple other health problems.
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: A rare disease with unknown causes, primary sclerosing cholangitis causes inflammation and scarring in the bile ducts in the liver.
- Primary Biliary Cirrhosis : In this rare disorder, an unclear process slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. Permanent liver scarring (cirrhosis) eventually develops