Enlarged Liver Causes

What Causes An Enlarged Liver?

Before exploring the causes of enlarged liver, it will be helpful to quickly define what enlarged liver is and why it's dangerous to your overall health.

Enlarged liver is not actually a disease itself, but it is a symptom of some other problem that causes the liver to become grow beyond its normal size due to inflammation or irritation. The medical name for enlarged liver is hepatomegaly.

Many disease and conditions of the liver itself can cause enlarged liver, including:

• Fatty liver disease - This occurs when fat accumulates in the liver and causes inflammation and destruction of liver cells. This occurs when so much fat accumulates in the liver that it causes irritation, inflammation and, eventually, scarring.
• Cirrhosis and hepatitis - Cirrhosis is usually cause by excessive use of alcohol. Hepatitis is most often caused by one of a variety of hepatitis viruses, but may also be caused by toxins such as overuse of certain medications, drugs and supplements. There's also a form of hepatitis known as alcohol-induced hepatitis.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has the same effect on liver tissue as hepatitis and cirrhosis, but occurs in those who drink little alcohol.
• Wilson's disease - This is a disorder that causes copper to accumulate in your liver.
• Liver cysts - Fluid-filled pockets that grow on the liver may cause inflammation that results in enlargement.
• Noncancerous liver tumors.
• Obstruction of the gallbladder or bile ducts, and blockage of the veins that drain the liver (Budd-Chiari syndrome)
• Liver cancer

Many other disorders not related to the liver can cause enlarged liver, especially cancer that begins in another part of the body and spreads to the liver. Leukemia and lymphoma are known causes of enlarged liver.

Heart and blood vessel problems are often among the causes of enlarged liver. When heart trouble reduces the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently, many organ functions are compromised. The liver is among them. Besides heart failure, Pericarditis {inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) and tricuspid regurgitation (a problem with the heart's tricuspid valve) are among the heart related causes of enlarged liver.

Once the causes of enlarged liver have been determined, treatment is sometimes possible. Often, treatment simply involves making some lifestyle changes. If enlargement is caused by excessive alcohol use, the patient must stop drinking. If obesity and a high fat diet are the main contributing factors, then weight control and exercise become can help.

You keep your liver healthy by avoiding the causes of enlarged liver by following these guidelines.

Avoiding alcohol all together is best. But if you drink, make sure you do so moderately. Never take drugs when you're drinking.

Make sure you take only the recommended doses of medications and drugs. Be especially careful when taking several medications at the same time.

Make sure your doctor knows about any herbal supplements you're taking. Some of these may damage the liver. The same goes for vitamins. Certain combinations can be hazardous, notably vitamins A, D, E and K

Handle aerosol cleaners, insecticides and other toxic chemicals carefully, and make sure you're in an area that's well ventilated. Many household cleaners contain toxins that are powerful to damage liver cells.

Above all: eat sensibly diet and get some exercise. Doing so will help keep your liver healthy and avoid the causes of enlarged liver. 

Sponsored Advertising

How to Lose Weight and Feel Great With a Natural Solution to Liver Problems

The Fatty Liver Solution

Click hereto Get This Book Plus

Three Free Bonuses Worth $87...