Cirrhosis 

Cirrhosis refers to liver scarring. Your liver is a vital organ that plays many roles in the body, including removing toxins, supporting metabolism, producing bile for digestion, filtering blood going back to the heart, and storing vitamins and energy for later use. With cirrhosis, the scar tissue disrupts normal blood flow in the liver and prevents it from functioning normally. If not diagnosed and treated early, cirrhosis can lead to liver failure, and it also increases the risk of liver cancer. The leading risk factors for cirrhosis include drinking excessive alcohol, carrying extra weight, and having viral hepatitis.

Liver cirrhosis rarely causes obvious symptoms in the earliest stages. By the time you develop symptoms, the cirrhosis is often already severe. Some of the symptoms common in liver cirrhosis are:

• Jaundice: yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
• Fatigue
• Clouded thinking
• Nausea
• Poor appetite
• Unintended weight loss
• Swelling in the lower extremities
• Swelling in the abdomen due to fluid buildup (ascites)
• Itchy skin
• Pale (clay-colored) stool
• Dark urine
• Bruising and bleeding easily

Because symptoms aren’t obvious until later in the course of the disease, it’s important to reach out to Newtown Gastroenterology as soon as you experience any of these problems.

Cirrhosis treatment starts the moment you’re diagnosed. Taking the right steps immediately can help preserve the healthy part of your liver. The Newtown Gastroenterology team designs a treatment plan that focuses on:

• Treating the root cause of the cirrhosis
• Relieving cirrhosis symptoms through diet, lifestyle changes, and medications
• Preventing cirrhosis complications, like liver cancer

If cirrhosis progresses to liver failure, you could eventually need a liver transplant. However, by working hand-in-hand with the team, you can protect your liver and avoid such a serious outcome. Call Newtown Gastroenterology or click the online booking feature to make your appointment now.