Your liver is part of your digestive system, making substances to help digest food and storing energy from the food you eat. Many types of liver disease might interfere with these normal functions. At Gastrointestinal Consultants in Tavares, Orlando, and The Villages, Florida, board-certified gastroenterologists Lalbahadur Nagabhairu, MD, and Shams Tabrez, MD, and the team specialize in diagnosing and treating liver disease. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today.
Liver disease is an umbrella term that includes a number of conditions that affect the structure or function of your liver. Some causes of liver disease are acute, others chronic.
Your liver is one of the largest organs in your body. It makes substances that help digest food, removes toxins from your blood, and stores energy.
Liver diseases damage the structure of the organ, affecting function. Over time, the damage causes scarring, or cirrhosis. When left untreated, the scarring worsens, leading to liver failure.
You can develop liver disease from a virus, underlying medical condition, or lifestyle habits. Types of liver disease include:
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Viruses are the most common cause of this type of liver disease. Hepatitis A is a virus that causes acute hepatitis. Hepatitis C is a virus that may cause chronic liver disease if left undiagnosed and untreated.
Autoimmune hepatitis occurs because the immune system mistakenly attacks the liver, causing inflammation.
NAFLD is the accumulation of excess fat in the liver. When left untreated, the excess fat may cause inflammation of the liver that leads to scarring.
Alcoholic fatty liver disease causes an accumulation of fat in the liver from excess alcohol consumption.
Hemochromatosis is a disorder that causes the body to store too much iron. The excess iron may damage various organs, including the liver.
The board-certified gastroenterologists at Gastrointestinal Consultants specialize in diagnosing and treating liver disease.
They conduct a comprehensive history and physical examination when you come in with symptoms that sound like liver disease, such as yellowing of the eyes, fatigue, or swelling in the abdomen or legs.
The team runs various blood tests to check liver function and imaging scans to look for signs of liver disease. They may also perform a liver biopsy to help determine liver disease type and severity of the condition.
Treatment for liver disease depends on the type. However, most types of liver disease benefit from lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and abstaining from alcohol.
Other treatments might include antiviral medications for viral hepatitis or other disease-specific medication. For patients with liver failure, the team recommends a liver transplant.
For expert liver disease care, call Gastrointestinal Consultants or schedule an appointment online today.