What to do if the liver hurts: principles of treatment at home. What to do if the liver hurts The liver hurts very much what to do

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Pain in the liver- a symptom with which patients quite often turn to gastroenterologists or hepatologists. It is worth knowing that the pain in the area liver does not always indicate a disease directly to the organ itself. It can occur in the gallbladder, pancreas and other adjacent formations. Sometimes pains in the liver manifest such pathologies as intercostal neuralgia, appendicitis, etc.

At the same time, pain in the liver is accompanied by all the symptoms of hepatitis:

  • jaundice;
  • an increase in the size of the abdomen;
  • skin itching;
  • general weakness;
  • fatigue;
  • an increase in body temperature;
  • darkening of the stool and urine.
The cause of pain in the liver and other symptoms in chronic hepatitis is established using:
  • biochemical blood test;
  • detecting the content of viruses in the body.
After that, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment.

Sometimes chronic hepatitis occurs without pain in the liver and other symptoms. The patient can feel the first signs of pathology already when the disease passes into the stage of cirrhosis.

Pain in the liver with cirrhosis

Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious disease that is characterized by the restructuring of the entire liver tissue, a violation of its normal function. Pain in the liver can be caused by various types of cirrhosis:
1. Alcoholic (with chronic alcohol abuse).
2. Medicinal (when taking drugs that have a negative effect on liver cells).
3. Viral (as a complication of viral hepatitis).
4. Primary biliary cirrhosis is a disease in the development of which the role of genetic mechanisms is great.
5. Congestive - with stagnation of blood and disruption of the normal blood supply to the liver.

Pain in the liver with cirrhosis is always accompanied by a host of other symptoms:

  • fever, weakness, fatigue;
  • exhaustion;
  • an increase in the size of the abdomen due to an increase in the liver and accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity;
  • jaundice, itchy skin;
  • dilated veins under the skin of the abdomen, legs;
  • toxic brain damage, impaired mental activity.
Sometimes pain in the liver with cirrhosis for a long time is the only symptom. It is aching in nature, weakly expressed, and the patient does not even suspect that he has a pathology, and does not seek medical help.

Diagnosis of pain in the liver with cirrhosis involves the use of ultrasound, computed tomography, biochemical blood test, liver biopsy. Treatment is carried out in a gastroenterological or therapeutic hospital. Sometimes hemodialysis is required.

Pain in the liver with steatosis

Steatosis is a disease in which a large amount of fat accumulates in the liver tissue. It does not break down and is not excreted, disrupting the normal function of the organ, and leading to the onset of pain. The most common causes of steatosis are conditions such as prolonged alcohol abuse, metabolic disorders in the body, hereditary predisposition, malnutrition and overweight.

With steatosis, pain occurs in the liver, which is most often accompanied by symptoms such as indigestion (bloating, constipation and diarrhea, nausea and vomiting), general fatigue, weakness, lethargy.

Steatosis usually has a long course, lasting for many years. At the same time, during the period of subsiding of the process, pain in the liver ceases to disturb, and when it is reactivated, they reappear.

Pain in the liver with steatosis usually disappears very quickly when you give up alcohol, follow a rational diet, avoid stress, and perform a simple gymnastics complex daily. Also, for the purpose of treating pain and other syndromes, some medications are prescribed.

Tumors of the liver

benign tumors

Benign liver tumors often occur in the initial stages without pain or any other symptoms, so their diagnosis is quite a challenge.

Among the tumors that can lead to pain in the liver, the most common are:
1. Adenomas are tumors of glandular liver cells.
2. Hemangiomas are vascular tumors.
3. Nodular hyperplasia of the liver - a large number of nodules of benign origin in the thickness of the organ tissue.


4. Cysts of the liver, formed from the hepatic ducts and having a congenital origin.

Pain in the liver occurs only if the tumor reaches a very large size. It is aching in nature, disturbs the patient constantly, is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and other digestive disorders.

The diagnosis is established after ultrasound, CT, MRI, liver biopsy. In case of pain in the liver caused by benign tumors, surgical treatment is predominantly used.

Malignant tumors

There are several types of liver cancer, but all are characterized by the occurrence of pain in the liver. The pain syndrome is aching in nature, worries the patient almost constantly. At the same time, there are such signs as an increase in body temperature up to 38 o C, weakness, lethargy, fatigue, lack of appetite, bloating. The liver increases in size, when it is felt, the pain increases significantly.

Confirmation that the pain in the liver is caused precisely by a malignant tumor is the data obtained during ultrasound, scintigraphy, CT, MRI, biochemical blood test, blood test for tumor markers - substances that are released into the blood during cancer.

Treatment depends on the type, size, and activity of the tumor. Radiation therapy, surgical treatment, drug therapy (chemotherapy, targeted therapy) are used.

Cholecystitis

Acute cholecystitis

Acute cholecystitis is an acute inflammatory lesion of the gallbladder wall, accompanied by stabbing pains in the liver.

Usually, an attack of pain in the liver region in acute cholecystitis occurs after taking fatty, spicy, smoked, extractive foods. The pain syndrome is very strong, and gives the patient severe torment. There are other symptoms as well:

  • pain often radiates to the right arm, shoulder, under the right shoulder blade, to the right collarbone;
  • at the same time, digestive disorders are noted: nausea and vomiting, bloating, a feeling of discomfort;
  • body temperature rises, sometimes to very high numbers;
  • General weakness and fatigue are noted.
Pain in the liver with acute cholecystitis is an acute condition in which medical care should be provided in the near future. The patient is placed in a hospital, an ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder, and other studies are performed. Most often, surgical treatment is prescribed.

Chronic cholecystitis

Chronic cholecystitis is an inflammatory process in the wall of the gallbladder that lasts for a long time (more than 6 months). It can be stoneless or stone (as a manifestation of gallstone disease).

In chronic cholecystitis, there are dull pains under the liver, accompanied by various digestive disorders. Sometimes jaundice may occur.

Most often, pain under the liver and other symptoms in chronic cholecystitis proceed in waves, with periods of exacerbations and subsidence of the process. In this case, the period of exacerbation resembles acute cholecystitis.

Sometimes there is acute pain in the liver region, like an attack of acute cholecystitis, which then transforms into chronic. But the disease can acquire a chronic course initially.

Treatment of pain in the liver during exacerbation of chronic cholecystitis is most often carried out in a hospital. Appropriate medications are prescribed. When the process subsides, the patient must follow an appropriate diet.

Pain in the liver with gallstone disease

Characteristic sharp stabbing pains in the liver occur with biliary colic, which is a complication of cholelithiasis. The process can begin as acute cholecystitis. But the pain under the right rib is rapidly growing, intensifying, becoming almost unbearable. It does not go away with a change in body position, the patient literally cannot find a place for himself.

Pain under the liver is due to the fact that the stone, which is in the gallbladder, enters the bile duct and blocks it. In this case, a spasm of the duct occurs, which makes the pain even more intensified.

Since the outflow of bile is disturbed, jaundice later joins hepatic colic. The urine becomes dark in color, like beer, and the stool is almost completely discolored.

A patient with pain under the liver due to hepatic colic should be immediately admitted to the hospital. Stones are easily detected by ultrasound. Medical treatment is carried out, indications for surgical intervention are determined.

Liver injury

Liver injuries are always accompanied by a pronounced pain syndrome, since there are a large number of blood vessels in the organ, and many nerve endings are located in the liver capsule.

open injury

Open injuries of the liver are various wounds (stab, cut, chopped, gunshot). Due to the large number of blood vessels, intense bleeding is always noted. At the same time, pain in the liver is the main symptom only for some time after the injury - then a state of shock develops as a result of massive blood loss, which threatens the patient's life.

Victims with open liver injuries should be immediately taken to a hospital for surgical treatment.

Closed injuries

Closed injuries of the liver are the result of a blunt blow to the abdomen. After that, there are pains in the liver area, which can have different intensity and character.

If there is a rupture or crushing of the organ, then against the background of severe pain, the patient turns pale, loses consciousness and falls into a state of shock. His blood pressure drops dramatically.

With liver bruises, the pain is not so strong. There is no indication that the patient is bleeding internally. In principle, this condition is not life-threatening for the patient. But, firstly, pain in the liver after an injury does not make it possible to establish its severity without additional examination. Secondly, without appropriate treatment, these conditions can lead to the development of hepatic tumors, a purulent process.

Pain in the liver with infectious diseases

In some infections, liver damage with the occurrence of pain in it is quite characteristic.

Infectious mononucleosis

Infectious mononucleosis is a disease of viral origin, in which there is an increase in the liver, lymph nodes, as well as signs resembling a cold.

Liver pain in infectious mononucleosis occurs in about 15% of patients. Most often they are not very strong, they are pulling or aching in nature. In this case, there are the following additional symptoms:

  • fever, fever;
  • an increase in the size of the liver, subcutaneous lymph nodes;
  • digestive disorders;
  • enlargement of the spleen.
In infectious mononucleosis, antiviral treatment is prescribed.

adenovirus infection

Adenovirus infection is a disease from the group of acute respiratory infections, in which damage to the liver and lymph nodes can occur. At the same time, some patients experience slight pulling or aching pains in the liver.

Once in the intestine, the larva penetrates through its walls into small blood vessels, and can enter with the blood stream, in principle, into any organ. In 50-70% of cases, invasion into the liver occurs. As long as the larva is small, it does not cause any disturbance to the patient, and does not lead to any disturbances.

In the future, when the echinococcal bladder is already large enough, it begins to compress the liver and stretch its capsule, disrupting the blood flow in the organ and the normal outflow of bile. As a result, there is pain in the liver, a feeling of heaviness, discomfort. In the future, jaundice, digestive disorders may join the pain.

With suppuration of the cyst, pain in the liver may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature, general malaise. Disorders from the function of the digestive system are even more aggravated.

If a cyst ruptures, then a sharp stabbing pain is felt in the liver area, the patient develops a severe allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock. This is a potentially life-threatening condition.

Treatment of echinococcal cyst and associated pain in the liver is carried out surgically.

liver abscess

An abscess is a cavity with pus, which is covered with a capsule, and is located in the thickness of the liver tissue. For a hepatic abscess, pain in the liver area is a very characteristic symptom. It is almost permanent in nature, and is accompanied by fever, fever, a violation of general well-being.

Suspicion of a hepatic abscess appears when pain occurs in the liver region, combined with fever. The final diagnosis is established after ultrasound, CT, MRI. Treatment is surgical, followed by antibiotic therapy.

Pain in the liver with damage to neighboring organs

Next to the liver in humans is the pancreas, intestines, diaphragm (to which the lungs adjoin). Therefore, the cause of pain in the liver can be damage to these organs.

Acute pancreatitis

The head of the pancreas adjoins the liver and gallbladder. With the development of an inflammatory process in it - acute pancreatitis - there are pain sensations that can be mistaken for pain in the liver.

An attack of acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly. Most of all, people who abuse fatty foods, alcohol, and have gallbladder diseases are predisposed to it.
In acute pancreatitis, there is severe pain in the liver area, nausea, vomiting, fever. These signs are similar to the symptoms of acute cholecystitis, but with pancreatitis they are more pronounced. Usually, an accurate diagnosis can only be made after an ultrasound scan. The patient is placed in a surgical hospital, fasting, bed rest, cold on the pancreas area, and drug therapy are prescribed for the first day.

kidney disease

The right kidney is located in such a way that when it is damaged, pain can be given under the right rib, simulating pain in the liver area. Similar symptoms can occur with pyelonephritis, kidney injury, urolithiasis, etc.

To establish the true cause of "pain in the liver" in this case, ultrasound, urinalysis, computed tomography helps.

Duodenal ulcer

With duodenal ulcer, pain in the liver can also occur. They are accompanied by nausea and vomiting, most often occur on an empty stomach and at night (the so-called "hungry" pain).

In order to accurately determine the cause of pain in the liver region, and prescribe the correct treatment, in this case, fibrogastroduodenoscopy and contrast radiography are prescribed.

Osteochondrosis

This disease can sometimes mimic pain in the liver. As a result of the pathological process occurring in the spine, the intervertebral nerve roots are compressed, pain occurs, which gives under the right rib. At the same time, there are no digestive disorders, jaundice and other signs characteristic of liver damage. The diagnosis is established by a neurologist, X-ray or computed tomography may be prescribed.

Acute appendicitis

Usually, in acute appendicitis, pain occurs in the right iliac region. But sometimes the caecum with the appendix can have some anatomical features, and is located very high, right under the liver. As a result, the resulting pain is perceived as hepatic. Pain syndrome is characterized by the following features:
  • very strong, paroxysmal;
  • may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, constipation and diarrhea;
  • body temperature rises, usually up to 37 o C;
  • the general condition of the patient is significantly impaired.
Appendicitis is an acute condition that requires immediate hospitalization of the patient to the hospital. If the condition is confirmed, then surgical treatment is performed.

What to do if you experience pain in the liver?

Which doctor should I contact?

If acute or chronic, dull, aching or stabbing pains in the liver occur, it is undesirable to take any measures on your own. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible - a gastroenterologist, a hepatologist or a surgeon. Only after examination by a specialist can a presumptive diagnosis be established? and begin the treatment of pain in the liver in accordance with the pathology with which they were caused.

In most cases, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound examination to patients. It is safe, and at the same time very informative, so it can provide a lot of useful information.

In the future, the doctor will either prescribe outpatient treatment or give the patient a referral to the hospital.

In the event of acute severe pain in the liver, it is advisable to immediately call the ambulance team. In some cases, this symptom indicates an acute condition that requires immediate admission of the patient to a hospital.

Treatment

To eliminate pain in the liver, painkillers and antispasmodics are most often used as temporary symptomatic agents. However, you should not take them before a doctor's examination: if the pain subsides, then the doctor may have a false impression, as a result, he will not make a correct diagnosis and will not prescribe the necessary treatment.

After the diagnosis is made, the treatment of the underlying disease, which is the cause of pain in the liver, is started. Appointments can only be made by the attending physician.

Diet for pain in the liver

With pathologies of the biliary system, accompanied by pain in the liver, a diet is prescribed, which is designed to unload the organ. A sufficient amount of protein and carbohydrates should be present in the patient's diet, and the content of fats, especially cholesterol, should be reduced.

During a diet for liver pain, it is recommended to consume the following foods:

  • bread, the baking of which was carried out the day before, or dried bread;
  • milk and dairy products: a small amount of sour cream, non-acidic cottage cheese, curdled milk, kefir;
  • you can cook soups from various cereals, vegetables, milk soups;
  • Before use, you should consult with a specialist.

Our liver is the largest internal organ with many functions.. At the slightest malfunction in the liver, serious health problems can occur.

Therefore, if you are at least a little worried about discomfort in the right hypochondrium, then you need to take immediate action.

But what to do at home with pain in the liver? This is what all further information is devoted to.

Causes of pain in the liver

In humans, liver pathology can be caused by such factors:

To know for sure how to treat the liver, it is necessary to confirm the presence of symptoms that indicate problems with this organ. Signs of liver pathologies are very similar to the symptoms of other diseases..

The patient may lose his appetite, become lethargic and irritable. A person's general well-being worsens, the tendency to allergies increases.

This is due to the fact that the liver stops fully processing and removing toxins, causing the nervous system to suffer first of all.

Bilirubin accumulates in the patient's blood. Outwardly, this is very clearly visible: the color of the skin changes towards yellowing, the whites of the eyes also turn yellow.

You have obvious liver problems if you have these symptoms:

  • pain in the right hypochondrium;
  • a sharp and strong change in body weight;
  • a jump in cholesterol levels;
  • permanent soft stool;
  • discomfort and heaviness in the abdomen;
  • bitterness in the mouth, periodic nausea;
  • unexplained fever or chills.

Removal of pain in the liver and treatment at home

There are several home remedies for liver pain. As in any treatment, it is better to act in a complex way here, using, for example, a diet in combination with herbal teas and traditional preparations.

Power correction

A diet for pain in the liver and hepatitis is the key to a speedy recovery.

Often, when a particular pathology is detected, we immediately think about how to treat the disease, but do not revise the diet. And this is very important! Regardless of the causes of pain, the strictest control of the food consumed is necessary.

You need to very radically limit yourself in fats and increase the intake of fiber, proteins and vitamins. If there is a great need, then animal fats can be replaced with vegetable ones.

Meals should be at least 5 per day. Salt will also have to be limited to a minimum. It is advisable to get a double boiler and cook all the products in it, you can also boil and bake in the oven.

If you do not know what to drink for pain in the liver, then nutritionists recommend drinking slightly carbonated mineral water with a high alkali content.

With the appearance of pain in the liver, first aid is the cessation of all physical activity. Reduce muscle tension to a minimum.

Also contraindications include sunbathing and massage. Quit smoking, the intake of nicotine in the body will slow down the process of liver recovery.

If you know for sure that pain is provoked by the liver, then you can drink a drug that relieves spasm (no-shpa, spazmalgon). Hepatoprotectors such as Essentiale, Holosas, Karsil and Allochol have a good effect and popularity.

These drugs contain natural ingredients and have virtually no side effects. Before taking them, you should always consult with a specialist, especially during pregnancy in women.

Those people who do not trust chemicals can treat the liver with folk remedies. More often, hepatic herbs are used for this.

You can make a complex decoction of wild rose, nettle leaves, mint, celandine and wheatgrass rhizomes. Take all the ingredients in equal proportions to make 2 tbsp. l. dry mix.

Fill the collection with 0.5 liters of water and leave to infuse overnight. In the morning, bring the resulting liquid to a boil and drink in small sips throughout the day.

The collection of St. John's wort, tricolor violet, yarrow, peppermint, chamomile and buckthorn bark is also very praised. Take 3 g of each type of dry raw material and pour the mixture with a glass of boiling water.

Let the broth brew for 2 hours. Drink a glass of this warm medicine twice a day.

There is a natural hepatoprotector that can cleanse, repair damaged cells and remove excess bile. These are milk thistle seeds. They need to be crushed in a mortar and taken as a powder in the morning and evening with water. The course of treatment is 3 months.

Many people get liver pain after taking antibiotics for a long time.. Toxic lesions of the liver with these drugs provoke a pain syndrome, which is manifested by a pulling, blurred, but intense pain.

Even during the course of antibacterial drugs, doctors prescribe special drugs that minimize the negative impact. But after stopping therapy, a recovery period will also be required.

The process of liver treatment after antibiotic therapy includes:

  • adherence to a strict diet;
  • the use of herbal medicines;
  • complete cessation of smoking and alcohol;
  • maintaining an active lifestyle.

Hepatoprotectors, essential preparations, herbal teas based on saltwort, helichrysum, "Tibetan tea" are used as medicines.

It is also necessary to protect the liver from exposure to chemicals: dyes and food preservatives, carbonated drinks, smoked meats, flavor enhancers.

After surgery to remove the gallbladder, it is necessary to take herbal decoctions that have a choleretic property. Rosehip, mint, immortelle and tansy are suitable. The diet should include fractional meals - up to 5-7 times a day.

Be sure to consume enough clean water. It is desirable to take vegetable fibers, they are good at eliminating constipation.

For the first 2-3 weeks after surgery, doctors recommend eating mashed, steamed food.. This will greatly facilitate the work of the liver and stomach. What to take from medicines, you will definitely be indicated by the doctor who performed the surgical operation.

Lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right, treat infectious and other ailments in time. If you do all this, then the liver will not bother you for many years.

When trying to find options to overcome the problem, remember that home treatment of the liver can only be done with mild forms of disease. It is best to consult a doctor for diagnosis and development of a treatment strategy..

Recently, it has become fashionable to take care of your health, to “cleanse” various organs from toxins. Many people wonder if the liver can hurt, should it be cleaned and how to do it right?

First of all, it is important not to bring your body to a state where you need to resort to some kind of drastic measures. The human liver is not a garbage dump to be cleaned from some kind of garbage. But it never hurts to check it regularly. This is a very patient organ, and begins to make itself felt only when the disease has already gone far.

Causes of pain

There are many causes of liver disease. At present, the evolution of man as a biological species, which spans many millennia, has come into obvious conflict with scientific and technological progress. The reverse side of this medal was radical changes in climate, ecology, nutrition, lifestyle, habits, and everything that is directly related to health.

The importance of the liver for our body is difficult to overestimate. It cleanses it of harmful toxins, participates in the process of digestion and metabolism. Any failure in the work of the body immediately affects our well-being. Fatigue and irritability can be symptoms of problems in this area.

You should also pay attention to the condition of your skin. It becomes dry and itchy, capillary stars appear on it. Quite often, liver diseases also manifest themselves in the form of allergic reactions, and also affect the normal functioning of the digestive system. A person begins to be disturbed by flatulence, bloating, problems with the stool.

There are several most important factors that adversely affect the human liver.

First of all, excessive consumption of alcohol. In addition, the number of overweight people is growing rapidly. The person began to move less and consume more fatty, sweet, high-calorie foods, as a result of which people began to suffer from obesity. At the same time, fat tends to be deposited not only in the sides, spoiling the figure, but also on the surface of vital internal organs. At first, the liver does not hurt, and then, already ill, a person begins to think about proper nutrition.

Moreover, the patient begins to take many medications, which in turn put a strain on the liver, which adversely affects both its structure and its functions.

In recent decades, there has been a rapid increase in infectious diseases and liver damage by various viruses. If earlier a person could simply stop drinking or change their diet to allow the body to regenerate naturally, today we have to fight viral hepatitis.

Does the liver hurt?

Unlike the heart, stomach and other organs, the liver rarely hurts. And if the patient is already on the In fact, something is bothering in the right hypochondrium - this is a serious signal to sound the alarm. How does a person's liver hurt, and what are the first symptoms to suspect something is wrong?

Unfortunately, in the case of the liver, pain, like the “watchdog” of the body, is simply silent. It often happens that liver disease is diagnosed already in a neglected state. Specific symptoms that would indicate the presence of pathology in the liver at an early stage in most cases are not observed. Sometimes a person may feel a slight heaviness in the epigastric region, experience discomfort in the right hypochondrium after eating fatty, fried foods.

Often there is a manifestation of general asthenia - weakness, irritability, mood deterioration, sleep disturbance, decreased performance. However, these symptoms are not specific and are inherent in many other diseases. Therefore, it is possible to detect liver disease only by diagnostic means.

Invaluable assistance in the early prevention and diagnosis of liver pathologies can be provided by laboratory and instrumental studies prescribed by a specialist.

Liver health

What to do if the tests were not entirely positive? If nothing serious was found, you should pay attention to your diet, and indeed your lifestyle. If you have problems with being overweight, you should make every effort to lose weight, reduce your intake of fatty foods, minimize alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether.

It is also worth paying attention to maintaining the liver with useful substances. Today, pharmacies are filled with various hepatoprotectors, but what is actually considered effective? Often, aggressive and intrusive advertising makes the patient accept everything that is promised to him, begins to self-medicate, and then comes to an even worse condition. Very often, the claimed properties of drugs do not correspond to reality and can do more harm than good. Their use does not cause the desired effect, and the person remains aloof from effective therapy that can be offered in a specialized clinic. For this reason, it is not recommended to take any measures on your own, but at the first signs of the disease, contact a specialist.

How to recognize cirrhosis

Particularly suspicious, or simply too attentive to their health people, are often interested in the question, does the liver hurt with cirrhosis? What if the state of their organs is in a deplorable state, and they don’t even know about it?

Liver damage is a rather lengthy process, and cirrhosis is practically its last stage. If a person has cirrhosis, it will be impossible to somehow hide it, since structural changes in the liver will invariably affect the normal functioning of other organs and the whole organism as a whole. The liver itself may not hurt, but its defeat will make itself felt with such serious symptoms as nausea, vomiting of blood, large accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity, yellowing of the skin and other symptoms.

The liver is a very important organ for a person, one of the largest in the body. In an adult, the weight of the liver is more than 1 kg, it belongs to the digestive organs and performs about eighty different functions. One of the main tasks of the body is the production of bile for the processing of food. Bile is collected through the ducts and then enters the gallbladder, where more than 100-120 g of this substance is collected. This amount is designed to process a certain amount of food, and if we eat more than we should, problems may arise - for example, pain in the liver, aching or acute, discomfort in the right hypochondrium. In one of our publications, we have already answered the question whether the liver can hurt.

Another important function of the liver and bile is the processing of fats. For this reason, to combat diseases such as atherosclerosis, obesity, choleretic drugs are prescribed that contribute to the release of bile and the timely release of the gallbladder.

Diet and bowel stimulation

In case of discomfort or other symptoms indicating pain in the liver, an appropriate diet is prescribed, in which fatty, fried, spicy foods that contribute to inflammatory processes in the gallbladder and liver are excluded as much as possible. It is also recommended to consume a sufficient amount of warm liquid and use drugs that dilute bile. You can brew special bile-thinning herbs even if you have had a stone removed from your gallbladder. Thus, pain in the liver will be minimized, and over time may disappear altogether.

It is very important to stimulate the normal functioning of the intestines. People who complain of problems with the bile and liver, as a rule, have problems with the intestines. They often have constipation, or vice versa, diarrhea is observed after eating a certain type of food, colic appears.

The role of the liver in protein metabolism

Another important function of the liver is participation in protein metabolism. If, for example, a child's protein metabolism is disturbed, this will inevitably affect the speed of his development, weight gain and height. In adults, this is expressed in the form of early aging. Therefore, if you often feel pain in the liver area and notice the appearance of early wrinkles, dry skin, unexplained weight loss, the cause of this may be a violation of protein metabolism, caused, in turn, by inflammatory processes in the liver or gallbladder.

Protein metabolism is the main source of nutrition for brain cells, and therefore it is widely believed that the healing of the whole organism should begin with the liver and other organs of the digestive system. Violation of protein metabolism leads to learning problems, difficulties in memorization, and can cause sclerosis.

It is no secret that with liver diseases a person becomes more irritable, quick-tempered, emotionally unstable. This is due to certain chemical processes occurring in the body. The composition of bile contains bilirubin, which, during stagnation or other disorders, enters the bloodstream, and then to the brain and causes a state of irritability. It is no coincidence that an angry, aggressive, constantly dissatisfied person is popularly called "bilious".

Participation in carbohydrate metabolism

If a person who periodically complains of liver pain abuses sweets, he has a violation of carbohydrate metabolism. This manifests itself in such a way that sugar is converted into alcohol in the liver, which causes excessive overexcitation. In addition, when sugar enters the gastrointestinal tract, it binds to calcium and precipitates, creating insoluble calcium salts.

Cholesterol processing

The primary processing of cholesterol occurs in the intestines, while the secondary is already in the liver, which produces certain enzymes that process cholesterol. Each person at least once in his life passed a biochemical blood test, consisting of more than 15-20 parameters. Whereas our liver makes a similar blood test every three hours, determining up to three hundred varieties of various microelements, hormones and other biochemical components. Cholesterol is processed in the liver with the help of lipoproteins of various densities.

Fat metabolism

As mentioned above, bile produced in the liver processes fats, and lipoproteins are also involved in this process, helping to break down fats that enter the bloodstream.

The liver is actually a unique organ, a real miracle of nature. If a person, for example, ate a large amount of fatty foods, the liver produces as many enzymes as its resources allow, and no more. But if an excess amount of fat has come with the blood flow, and there are no enzymes for its breakdown, then the liver cell takes this fat and puts it in its “archives”, and then on ultrasound you can observe a marble pattern of the liver, which indicates such a phenomenon as fatty hepatosis. In this case, you should not be surprised by symptoms such as pain in the liver and look for the causes of their occurrence.

pigment exchange

There are two types of pigment metabolism disorders. One of them is the appearance on the skin of the so-called "senile" brown spots. Moreover, this phenomenon can often be observed in very young people. This indicates that the liver does not cope with its functions and its powerful intoxication occurs.

The second type of pigment metabolism disorder is vitiligo, when not dark, but white spots appear on the skin, and this happens when, for certain reasons, a sufficient amount of pigment is not produced.

Vascular disorders

Not only aching or severe pain, spasms and other obvious symptoms, but the presence of spider veins on the skin can indicate violations in the liver. This indicates a violation of the vascular function, when microcapillaries are clogged, characteristic nodules are formed, from which subcutaneous capillaries are visible. Such phenomena may periodically appear and disappear, but signal problems with the liver.

So-called "beads" or papillomas may also appear, which have skin color or be of a darker shade, look like small moles. When there are too many such papillomas, this may indicate that viruses are present in the liver.

The liver is an organ that, if it suffers, is not silent and signals its problems in various ways.

Treatment Methods

Many people ask what to do if the liver hurts a lot? First of all, you should pay special attention to what you eat. If you stubbornly disregard the advice of doctors and continue to abuse fatty, fried foods, you should stop and at least temporarily go on a diet.

No one talks about starting a fast eating only bread and water. On the contrary, the diet should be complete and varied. However, the menu should be designed in such a way as to exclude as much as possible products that provoke attacks of pain in the liver, colic in the gallbladder and discomfort in the right hypochondrium. The diet should be saturated with food of plant origin, more often eat fruits and vegetables, both raw and boiled. Useful for the treatment and maintenance of the liver decoctions of wild rose, tea from mint and chamomile.

The mention of alcohol deserves special attention - it should be categorically excluded from the list of permitted consumption. Alcohol has a detrimental effect not only on liver cells, but also on the entire body, especially during periods of exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Under the supervision of a doctor, it is possible to carry out dubazh, when a certain amount of heated mineral water is drunk on an empty stomach in the morning, then the patient lies on his right side and applies a warm heating pad to the liver area. After some time, there will be an outflow of bile, perhaps even such phenomena as diarrhea and flatulence will be observed. However, this is quite normal, and after several such procedures it usually becomes easier, the heaviness disappears and the liver no longer ache.

Do not forget about medical treatment. To date, there is a sufficient number of drugs of both artificial and natural origin. One of them has a choleretic effect, while others, on the contrary, have a sparing effect on the liver and gallbladder. This or that type of medicine should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor, after diagnosing and determining the exact cause of pain in the liver area.

Whatever the nature of the pain in the liver, you should not self-medicate. Do not put off a visit to the doctor, as sooner or later a violation in the functioning of a vital organ can lead to serious complications, including cirrhosis, which is the final stage, which is practically untreatable. However, in the early stages of the disease, modern medicine allows for high-quality rehabilitation. In addition, the liver is a unique organ capable of repairing damaged cells under certain conditions.

If the liver hurts, then it's time to become more attentive to it, remember the need to normalize nutrition and lifestyle. The first thing to do if you are worried in the right hypochondrium is to go to the doctor. Why, where and how does the liver hurt? Read this article!

The liver is a vital organ, a filter. It cleanses the blood of toxins. It is also the largest gland involved in metabolic processes, during the digestion of food, in the implementation of the excretory function and hematopoiesis. The liver is capable of self-healing, continuing to function fully.

This gland is not able to hurt, due to the fact that it does not contain nerve endings. But they are in the fibrous membrane of the liver. This is a Glisson capsule. When pressing on it from the inside, from the side of the liver, a specific soreness of the right hypochondrium.

Important! A clear pain syndrome signals a difficult situation. Here, there is every chance of being diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis or tumors. If the pain is mild, they are rarely perceived as an impetus to seek help, although this is wrong.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Pain when the liver hurts, there are:

  • acute or chronic;
  • stabbing, pulling or aching;
  • disturbing all the time or only at specific moments.

Additional signs of gland dysfunction are:

  • jaundice;
  • itching of the skin;
  • difficulty in stool;
  • diarrhea;
  • puffiness, bags under the eyes;
  • vomit;
  • nausea;
  • bleeding from the gums, plaque on the tongue;
  • unacceptable odor from the mouth.

The deterioration is due to the fact that the liver itself gradually loses the ability to provide sufficient dehydration, the release of toxins. As a result, the body is poisoned by decay products, which initially affects the nervous system, in particular, the brain.

The progression of the condition leads to the appearance of more distinct symptoms: the skin and sclera of the eyes will be yellowish or grayish. The affected liver will increase, the mouth will become bitter despite the measures taken.

An exacerbation of allergic reactions is likely, hair loss, their withering. The nail plates will become weaker, exfoliate. The skin will become dry, acne, blackheads will appear. The urine will be darker and the stool will be discolored. Fever is possible at times.

Men have every chance of developing erectile dysfunction and lowering the number of spermatozoa. Women are more likely to have a menstrual cycle.

Diagnostics

Depending on the alleged diagnosis, the following studies are performed:

  • ultrasound examination;
  • computed tomography;
  • general blood test;
  • biochemistry;
  • tests to establish the presence of viruses and pathological cells;
  • immunological tests;
  • genetic factoring tests;
  • biopsy;
  • laparoscopy;
  • percutaneous sampling of biomaterial.

Important! In order not to blur the clinical picture on the eve of the consultation with the doctor, it is forbidden to take analgesics. These substances with difficulties with the liver will be dangerous and toxic. Do not practice self-medication.

Impact on other organs

The weakening of the liver means an increase in cholesterol levels. This causes a mandatory increase in blood pressure, which actually increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, cardiovascular diseases.

If the liver is bad, then there will be serious consequences for the eyes:

  • image clarity is lost;
  • increased risk of glaucoma;
  • possible development of cataracts;
  • "twilight" vision worsens;
  • Tears flow "for no reason";
  • soreness occurs as a reaction to lighting.

Physical activities

If the liver hurts after serious physical exertion, this is not bad. It happens that it tingles during long walks, while jogging and the like.

The root cause of the phenomenon is that the liver, in fact, plays the role of a depot for venous flows. With body tension, a decent volume of venous blood accumulates in the gland, which means an increase in the liver, followed by an increase in counterpressure on the Glisson capsule.

The process is more active if the exercise technique is violated, and the diaphragm and respiratory muscles are not used correctly. Discomfort increases if you eat a heavy meal before class, especially something fatty.

What to do with painful manifestations in the right hypochondrium during physical exertion - take a break and everything returns to normal on its own.

Minimizing physical activity is dangerous for the liver. Hypodynamia provokes stagnation of bile, which provokes a violation of the outflow. And this is fraught with the formation of stones that cause hepatic colic.

Good to know! Literally all overweight, obese patients have liver disease. Most often, hepatosis develops when the organ is reborn as a result of the fact that the liver cells are replaced by adipose tissue.

Reaction to drugs

Certain drugs—antibiotics, as well as drugs used in neurological and psychiatric practice—end up in the liver, where they are finally processed. The withdrawal of the components of drugs occurs simultaneously with bile.

Accordingly, if you exceed the dosage, or take the drugs of these groups for a long time without medical supervision, the liver will undergo toxic damage. The result will manifest itself in the form of the following symptoms:

  • headache;
  • nausea;
  • jaundice;
  • disorders in the digestion of food.

Important! The appearance of such signals indicates a manifesto of drug-induced hepatitis. Therefore, taking into account well-being, it is important to make an appointment with a doctor, or call an ambulance.

Alcohol

Why does the liver give out soreness after consuming a large amount of alcohol:

  • this organ contains the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which is responsible for cleaning the circulatory system of toxins. This means that when alcohol is abused, the liver is forced to work with overvoltage;
  • organ cells are directly affected by ethyl. Lost liver cells will be replaced by connective tissue;
  • with the simultaneous use of junk food with alcoholic beverages, the liver is forced to work to the limit.

Good to know! A number of drugs used to alleviate a hangover adversely affect the liver tissue. Sometimes the pains provoked by the use of alcohol become permanent.

Hepatitis

The nature of the appearance of hepatitis is different. The general characteristic of the condition is the inflammatory process.

Acute hepatitis

The course of hepatitis is acutely recognized if the malaise is limited to six months.

Hepatitis A, having a viral origin, often manifests itself as an acute respiratory disease. Can a liver hurt in such a patient? Yes, but weakly. The norm is when the head just hurts, there is fever, weakness, increased fatigue is noted. After a month from infection, aching pains are disturbing. More often, where a person’s liver hurts, there is a heavy sensation, discomfort. After a couple of days, the state of health improves, but jaundice appears. Then all the symptoms go away, the condition returns to normal. The person is recovering.

Duration of acute hepatitis B is 7-60 days. As with hepatitis A, it all starts with an imitation of acute respiratory infections. Soreness is rare, it is not very clearly expressed. Gradually, the pain will intensify, the liver will ache. Over time, it will increase, urine and feces will darken, yellowness will appear.

Acute hepatitis D traditionally diagnosed with hepatitis B. The disease syndrome in a sick person is not so obvious.

Hepatitis E, in addition to lethargy and early onset of fatigue, severe pain accompanies. They are felt on the right under the ribs, and above the navel. It is rare, though possible, that soreness is the only evidence of disease.

Chronic hepatitis

Important! Chronic course is normal for viral hepatitis B and C. Pain can be both periodic, for example, if you eat fatty, and constant. Determining the source and location of anxiety is difficult.

At the same time, nausea and vomiting, bloating of the intestines can be observed. On the face and all signs of hepatitis: from jaundice and itching of the skin to fever and an increase in the volume of the abdomen.

It is necessary to treat chronic hepatitis with a doctor, but sometimes, since the condition has gone unnoticed, they go to him when everything has already developed into cirrhosis.


Photo: Why does the liver hurt?

cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is a serious lesion, meaning the transformation of the liver tissues with the impossibility of normal functioning.

There are cirrhosis according to the root cause of occurrence:

  • alcoholic;
  • drug;
  • viral, as a result of hepatitis of a viral nature;
  • primary biliary cirrhosis due to genetic factors;
  • congestive, when the blood supply to the organ is disturbed.

There are frequent cases when torment in the projection of the liver is just one cause for concern. Subsequently, additional signs will be revealed:

  • accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum;
  • varicose veins in the lower body;
  • CNS toxicity.

Steatosis

Steatosis is the accumulation of a large amount of fat in the liver mass. It is not recycled, so it does not go away. As a result, the liver does not cope well with its direct duties.

This happens due to:

  • heredity;
  • abuse of alcoholic beverages;
  • violations of exchange scenarios;
  • poor nutrition;
  • excessive mass.

The disease can torment for decades. With remission, the painful symptoms subside. Self-awareness normalizes when avoiding alcoholic beverages and establishing a competent menu, while easing the emotional component and simple gymnastics. Sometimes medical support is prescribed.

Tumors of the liver

Benign tumor formation at the initial stage does not give itself away. More often neoplasms are found only at the stage when pains are activated. Then observe the growth of pathological matter to a large size. There are the following types of formations:

  • adenomas formed from glandular liver cells;
  • hemangiomas of vascular etymology;
  • nodular hyperplasia of the liver. There are many nodules here;
  • cysts formed from the hepatic ducts. They are innate.

All malignant tumors are recognized by aching, almost non-receding, painful manifestations. For diagnosis, testing for tumor markers is used. Therapy is selected taking into account the type of tumor, its size and activity.

Injuries

Injury to the liver by mechanical means is certainly unbearable pain. There are many vessels in the gland, and millions of nerve endings in the capsule surrounding it. Hence the reaction.

Wounds always come with a terrible loss of blood. The extreme soreness of the injury remains a significant indicator only for a short period after the incident. Then comes the state of shock.

Closed injuries are the result of powerful shocks to the peritoneum. Expect painful manifestations in the projection of the liver, differing in power and nature. If there is a rupture or crushing, then pallor is observed, consciousness leaves. In the future - shock, lowering blood pressure.

With bruises, suffering is not so significant. There is no hidden blood loss. This does not pose a danger. But anxiety in the projection of the liver after injury without additional examination will not allow to establish the severity of the lesion. Even without medical support, such conditions stimulate the growth of tumors and suppurations.


Photo: Side hurts

Liver pain? What other diseases are hidden behind this?

With mononucleosis of an infectious nature, the volumes of the liver and spleen, and lymph nodes increase. The patient feels as if he has a cold. Soreness in the projection of the liver is present in every 8th of the victims. Pain, though weak, but it pulls or aching.

Adenovirus infection rarely affects the liver and lymph nodes. It hurts pulling or cutting. At the same time, there are symptoms that are common for acute respiratory infections. Similar problems occur due to the severe course of the flu.

A liver abscess is a cavity. It is filled with purulent masses and is dressed in a capsule-like formation, and is formed in the hepatic environment. Painful attacks practically do not stop and go with heat, fever.

Anxiety, located in the same place where the liver hurts, occasionally signals abnormal changes in adjacent organs.

Acute and chronic cholecystitis is called inflammation of the membranes of the gallbladder. Malaise, as a rule, is the result of a love of junk food. The pains are excruciating, they move to the right side - on the shoulder, on the forearm, on the back.

Pain near the rib on the right, which manifests itself in the same way as the liver hurts, are due to:

  • pathology of the right kidney due to pyelonephritis, trauma, the presence of stones;
  • blockage of the bile ducts. The symptomatology suggests acute cholecystitis, but the pain, slowly intensifying, becomes unbearable;
  • peptic ulcer of the duodenum. More often, an exacerbation occurs at night or when a person has not eaten for a long time (they are known as “hungry” pains).
  • osteochondrosis. At the same time, the process of food processing has not been changed, there are no jaundice and other manifestations that the liver suffers.

With appendicitis, disturbing manifestations are located on the right side in the iliac region. The pain is extremely strong, it worries periodically.

Therapy and diet

The basic drugs for liver damage are hepatoprotectors, which activate the regeneration of liver cells. Treatment takes a long time. In the presence of concomitant diagnoses, in particular cholecystitis or pancreatitis, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

Important! How to treat the liver has the right to indicate only a doctor. The therapeutic regimen is drawn up based on the results of the research.

Combined drugs are more in demand. They eliminate the painful syndrome, level inflammatory manifestations and normalize the functionality of the liver. A good result can be obtained with therapy: The indicated medications are prescribed for a serious violation of the liver's functionality. When the gland is damaged against the background of inflammation of the gallbladder or when gallstone disease is diagnosed, then the therapeutic regimen is supplemented with:

  • Allochol;
  • Liobil;
  • Ursofalk.

Painkillers or antispasmodics will be prescribed to relieve pain. No-shpa and Drotaverin help. An attack of cholelithiasis is removed by Trimedat, Buscopan or Duspatalin. Extremely painful manifestations are removed by Riabal.

To normalize the functionality of the intestines and biliary tract, patients are treated with Cerucal or Domperidone.

Important! If the painful manifestations do not let go, they call the ambulance service for hospitalization.

Diet regimen

The goal of dietary nutrition is to reduce the load on the gland. The menu must ensure the supply of the vital volume of proteins and carbohydrates. But the content of fats, especially cholesterol, should be limited.

It is important to eat:

  • daily aged bread (yesterday), dried;
  • milk and low-fat dairy products;
  • soups from all kinds of cereals, vegetables. It is acceptable to use milk soups, vegetarian;
  • porridge;
  • lean meat;
  • light boiled or baked fish;
  • pasta;
  • egg white omelet processed in a double boiler or baked in the oven;
  • groats;
  • fruits and vegetables (but not fried), herbs.

Be sure to forget about:

  • alcohol;
  • fried food;
  • legumes;
  • egg yolks;
  • fatty meat;
  • conservation in any variations;
  • coffee;
  • strong brewed teas;
  • spices, especially about peppers;
  • semi-finished products;
  • radish;
  • smoked meats;
  • sweet pastries;
  • soups on mushroom or strong meat broths;
  • garlic;
  • chocolates;
  • cream pastries.

Important! Often the consistent benefits are greater than the medications.