Alcohol is one of the most used substances in the country. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 25% of adults 18 and older had at least one heavy drinking day in the past year. Unfortunately, this type of substance use can lead to a number of different problems for those who have problems with alcohol.
One of the most affected areas of the body when it comes to alcohol is the liver. There were nearly 22,250 alcohol liver disease deaths in 2017. Alcohol liver disease is something that occurs after drinking over a long period, years of heavy drinking. However, it should be noted that alcoholic liver disease does not occur in all heavy drinkers.
There are three different stages of alcoholic liver disease, each with their own characteristics and symptoms.
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
The liver is the largest organ inside your body and is used to digest food, store energy, and remove harmful substances in the body. Alcoholic fatty liver disease is something that occurs due to heavy alcohol use. Because the liver breaks down most of the alcohol that you drink, it is the organ that is most affected by this substance.
Alcoholic fatty liver disease is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease. Unfortunately, fatty liver disease is somewhat hard to identify because the disease is silent with few or no symptoms. However, some of the symptoms that you may deal with include discomfort in the upper right side of your abdomen and tiredness.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis is the second stage of alcohol-related liver disease. Essentially, alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is caused by drinking alcohol
Some of the common signs of alcoholic hepatitis include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal tenderness, fatigue, jaundice, and more. Malnutrition is also a common symptom in people with alcoholic hepatitis.
If you are diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, it is imperative that you stop drinking. People who continue to drink alcohol after being diagnosed with that are at a high risk of serious liver damage and death. This will occur during the cirrhosis stage.
Cirrhosis
During the cirrhosis portion of alcoholic liver disease, the condition with further worsen and can lead to serious medical complications. In some cases, it will cause the liver to be unable to heal or return to normal function.
Alcohol use and alcoholic liver disease are some of the most common causes of liver cirrhosis. Which can lead to a number of problematic symptoms and problems? Some of the possible complications that can occur include bleeding disorders, kidney failure, liver cancer, mental confusion, and more. In serious cases, these issues can be life-threatening and lead to death.
Treatment
Despite how problematic, dangerous, and life-threatening these effects and problems can be, there are many treatment opportunities and there is a lot of help available to someone who is struggling with alcohol abuse. Drinking alcohol excessively can be something that can be hard to stop or quit. However, seeking out a local treatment center, such as a drug rehab in Indiana can help someone who needs it.
Overall, alcohol abuse is something that is treatable. According to the National Institutes of Health, no matter how severe the problem is, most people with an alcohol use disorder will be able to benefit from treatment. In fact, research has shown that about a third of people who are treated for alcohol problems have no further symptoms one year later.
If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or some other form of substance abuse, you need to make them aware of their problem and get them the help that they need as soon as possible.
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