Liver plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the body, and these functions get disturbed due to the accumulation of fat, commonly known as fatty liver. According to a study conducted by the journal called “Obesity”, above 10% of Americans are suffering with fatty liver. Usually the patients with fatty liver are asymptomatic but, there may see some visible symptoms depending on the stages of the disease
Fatty Liver Symptoms
Liver Enlargement
- Patient with fatty liver can develop an enlarged liver (medically known as hepatomegaly) due to the extra fat accumulation.
- This may not be noticeable to you but, a doctor can identify it while going the regular medical test.
- According to the American Liver Foundation, liver enlargement can be noticed while undergoing routine blood tests and X-rays
Abdominal Pain, Fatigue and Weakness
- Persistent fatigue is the most common symptom of fatty liver.
- Patients usually report this after the liver enlargement has been noticed.
- Abdominal Pain and malaise are also common in fatty liver patients.
- This pain gets noticeable only after the patient gets diagnosis.
Metabolic Syndrome
- Metabolic syndrome has many risk factors including high blood pressure, excessive abdominal fat and blood fat levels.
- Metabolic syndrome cannot be said as a direct symptom of fatty liver but, it is strongly associated with fatty liver.
- Fatty liver patients are more likely to have metabolic syndrome.
Medications
- Patients with arthritis and cancer may use drugs that result in fatty liver.
- Most serious symptom will be liver failure, in most cases it may require liver transplant.
Severe Fatty Liver Symptoms
- When the initial symptoms are unnoticed and left untreated, the liver tissues can become inflamed, resulting in scared tissues.
- Other symptoms include swelling, ascites (excess fluid between tissues in the abdomen), distended veins in the stomach and esophagus, menstrual problems and breast tissue swelling.
