Common Signs And Symptoms Of Liver Disease In Men
Men, you don’t want to deal with liver disease! The bad, bad news is that there is no fatty liver disease cure. It’s all about symptom management! Weight loss is the first recommendation, and all men must follow it. Cholesterol medication is also common, as is a regular blood sugar check for diabetes. If men let their condition get worse, they may see liver scarring. If this happens, men will likely need a liver transplant. Catch liver disease early and boost liver health by knowing these symptoms.
Enlarged Liver
Perhaps the earliest sign of fatty liver disease is an enlarged liver. This happens because of the fat building up in the liver: it gets bigger because of it! Men, pay attention to your skin. You’ll see larger blood vessels under your skin if your liver is enlarged. Of course, a visit to the doctor is needed to say for sure if you have an enlarged liver. Many men are curious, though, so they should know their liver should be just over 4 inches in length. Even an increase in 1 inch means the liver is likely too big! Watch out for this!
Pain In The Upper Right Abdomen
Everyone knows the liver is in the upper right abdomen! Then, men, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn liver disease causes liver pain, and this pain is in the upper right abdomen. When the pain starts, it’s dull, achy, and will disappear before coming back later. Many, many men say it’s like they’re a little too full! Some say this pain can spread to the center of the abdomen as well. As fatty liver disease progresses, the pain in the abdomen will get worse. No one wants to deal with that. No one! Men will also experience nausea and vomiting with their pain.
Chronic Fatigue
Men need lots of energy every single day! They have many, many things they need and want to do. But liver disease can throw even the toughest man from a horse. It can wreck anyone’s day! This is because chronic fatigue is a major symptom. Men will be very tired after doing even the simplest tasks. They’ll feel like they need to sleep more at night and won’t wake up refreshed even if they do!
It’s more than just feeling a little tired in the afternoon. It’s a constant lack of energy. It will affect all aspects of a man’s life. Because of this, any man with chronic fatigue needs to see a doctor as soon as possible!
Enlarged Spleen
Men will see an enlarged liver early on in fatty liver disease. They are saying, though, that an enlarged spleen happens later. This is true, so true! The average spleen size is 5 inches long and 3 inches wide. Taller men will have a longer spleen than shorter men. All men should note that they won’t be able to feel their spleen if it’s a normal size. Doctors can feel an enlarged spleen with their hands, but they can only estimate its size this way. Imaging tests are needed to actually say how large a man’s spleen actually is. Get checked out now men!
Jaundice
Men who find their liver disease gets worse will deal with jaundice. This means the whites of their eyes or their skin will turn a little yellow! This is a serious sign saying the liver isn’t working properly. It can’t filter bilirubin right, which is a strong yellow liquid.
Everyone knows that men with jaundice need help now! Many, many men who end up with this yellow tint will also find that their skin itches and abdomen swells. The palms of their hands may turn red too! No one wants to suffer from jaundice for long. Doctors need to provide liver disease treatment to make jaundice disappear.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Men want to be strong. They want muscles! This is what makes a common sign of liver disease like unexplained weight loss so bad. Weight loss because of liver disease will happen quickly. It’ll also be a huge weight loss! Men won’t have made any big changes to their diet to experience this. Many, many men with liver disease will also deal with diabetes. This is important, so important. Why? Being resistant to insulin makes it hard for the body to store sugar. This is what triggers weight loss! Men have to talk to a doctor if they see unexplained weight loss. It needs to be fixed as soon as possible!
General Feeling Of Unwellness
Feeling unwell is an incredibly common symptom of many conditions. Everyone is talking about it! It’s no different in liver disease, but because it’s so, so common, it’s hard to pin down. It’s slippery like a fish! Men with liver disease will experience a general feeling of unwellness. They’ll deal with fatigue, nausea, and will have a lack of energy even after sleeping very well at night.
Many, many men with general unwellness say their digestion is ‘off.’ However, they may not be able to explain what’s wrong. Feeling unwell because of liver disease is the most common symptom, but it’s the most frustrating. It’s the hardest one to kick to the curb!
Nausea And Vomiting
It’s a classic pairing seen in liver disease: nausea and vomiting. Damage to the liver, including because of liver disease, is a huge, huge reason for nausea and vomiting. The liver can’t work the way it usually does when it’s damaged! It will have to work much, much harder to get to the same function as before. This is very tough on the body! When nausea and vomiting are because of liver damage and disease, other symptoms will appear. These signs are the others on this list and include weight loss, jaundice, and fatigue! Get treatment early to stop more damage to the liver.
Confusion And Problems Focusing
Confusion and problems focusing are serious signs of liver disease. Men, you need to watch out for them! It starts with fatigue, which can make the brain feel ‘foggy.’ But it can, and will, get worse. Everyone is talking about it! Severe confusion is a major red flag for cirrhosis and it means the liver is likely permanently scarred. In addition to confusion and problems with focus, men will be unusually drowsy. Their speech may be slurred too, as if they were drunk. Treatment is essential and without it, liver failure is very possible! If men face liver failure, they will need a liver transplant. The body can’t work without the liver!