This is one of the most common diseases that take place in India and America. As people are getting more obese and inactive, they are exposing themselves to the risk of having fatty liver. Lab tests and imaging are required to determine the disease and its progression and for that, a skilled doctor is required.
Dr. Amitabha Saha is the best fatty liver specialist in Kolkata and he has a reputation for treating fatty liver disease efficiently. If the patient carefully follows his instructions, they are bound to be cured of their condition at a rapid rate. He is the most trusted and sought-after physician when it comes to liver disorders.
WHAT IS FATTY LIVER?
Fatty liver, also known as hepatic steatosis, happens when there is excessive fat build-up in the liver. Having a small amount of fat in the liver is normal but excessive it causes health issues. Too much fat in the liver causes it to inflame which damages it and causes scarring. In severe cases, this condition can lead to liver failure.
WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF FATTY LIVER DISEASE?
When someone develops fatty liver disease because of their drinking problem, it is termed AFLD or alcoholic fatty liver disease. More than 3 drinks per day regularly can be termed as the person having a drinking problem.
If fatty liver occurs in someone who does not drink heavily, it is called NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The exact causes of someone having Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are unknown but obesity and diabetes can increase one’s chances of having it.
WHAT CAUSES FATTY LIVER DISEASE?
A person develops fatty liver disease when their body produces excessive fat or does not efficiently metabolize the already existing fat. The excess fat is then stored in the liver cells where it keeps accumulating and results in fatty liver disease. Sometimes fatty liver can be caused by a genetic disorder too.
FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF ONE HAVING FATTY LIVER.
- If the person suffers from obesity and has a lot of belly fat.
- If the person suffers from high cholesterol.
- The person is Hispanic or Asian.
- The person is in a postmenopausal stage.
- If the person has chronic hepatitis C.
- If the person suffers from hypothyroidism.
- If the person has lost weight at an alarmingly rapid rate.
- If the person suffers from sleep apnea for a prolonged period.
- Having type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.
- High blood pressure.
- If the patient takes certain prescription drugs like tamoxifen or steroids.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FATTY LIVER DISEASE?
Generally fatty liver does not result in any symptom which can be distinguished. The patient may feel pain in the upper right side of their abdomen which can be mistaken for something else too. People who suffer from fatty liver disease might face severe complications like scarring. This scarring of the liver is called fibrosis. The scarring replaces the healthy tissues with hard tissues which reduces the liver’s efficiency in functioning healthily. Fibrosis in a severe and critical stage is called cirrhosis.
Common symptoms of severe complications caused by fatty liver are –
- Loss of appetite.
- Exhaustion
- Fatigue.
- Drastic weight loss.
- Yellow skin and eyes.
- Abdominal pain.
- Stomach discomfort.
- Swelling of legs.
- Nosebleed.
- Abdominal swelling.
- Breast enlargement in men.
- Mental confusion.
- Enlarged blood vessels under the surface of the skin.
- Red palms
SEVERE COMPLICATIONS OF FATTY LIVER DISEASE.
The main complication is scarring of the liver. As the liver fights to stop the inflammation caused by fatty liver disease, it starts forming hard scarred tissues. As the inflammation keeps spreading, so do the scars. This stops the liver from functioning normally which can result in –
- Liver cancer.
- Liver failure.
- Swollen veins in the esophagus have a high risk of bursting or bleeding.
- The abdomen can fill up with fluid.
HOW CAN THE FATTY LIVER DISEASE BE DIAGNOSED?
Since fatty liver disease often has no visible symptoms, only a doctor can spot it. He might notice the high levels of liver enzymes after running a blood test of the patient and determine that the patient might be suffering from fatty liver disease. High levels of liver enzymes in one’s blood signify that the patient’s liver is injured.
The doctor may further ask for a few more tests which will include –
- Ultrasound.
- A CT scan to get an image of the liver.
- A liver biopsy is a tissue sample from the liver to detect how far along the disease has progressed.
- A fibro scan to find out the amount of fat and scarred tissue present in the liver.
HOW IS FATTY LIVER DISEASE TREATED?
There is no particular medication for fatty liver disease. Doctors help out a patient by focusing on treating the factors that lead to the disease. They always recommend making lifestyle changes and leading a more active lifestyle. This has proven to be the number one solution for fatty liver treatment. A few key points to keep in mind while going through the process of treating fatty liver disease are –
- Avoid intake of alcohol as it damages the liver and restricts it from healing.
- Exercise daily to keep your body active and functioning.
- Lose weight in case you are overweight since obesity can cause the disease again.
- Take regular medications for diabetes and cholesterol to keep the levels under control.
- Eat healthily and avoid junk food.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
- Get enough vitamin E. some vitamin E-rich foods are sunflower seeds and almonds.
One has to take care of themselves and watch over what one eats to get rid of this disease. A patient always needs medical guidance when it comes to fatty liver disease since it cannot be self-diagnosed and treated. Dr. Amitabha Saha is the best doctor to consult when it comes to FLD. He can efficiently guide the patient towards betterment with a minimal amount of medicine. One can book an appointment with him by searching for the “best gastro doctor near me”.