The swollen liver, also known as hepatomegaly, is characterized by an increase in the size of the liver, which can be palpated below the rib on the right side.
The liver can grow due to several conditions, such as cirrhosis, fatty liver, congestive heart failure and, less often, cancer.
Hepatomegaly usually does not cause symptoms and treatment is done accordingly. In the case of enlarged liver due to hepatic steatosis, for example, the treatment consists of performing physical activities and adopting an adequate diet. Learn how to diet for liver fat.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for the liver aims to identify and eliminate the cause and should be done according to medical recommendations. Some important recommendations in the treatment for swollen liver are:
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle, maintaining the appropriate weight; Exercise daily; Do not consume alcoholic beverages; Adopt a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, vegetables and wholegrains; Do not take medication without medical advice; Do not smoke.
The use of medicines should only be done under medical guidance. Check out some homemade options for liver problems.
Main symptoms
The swollen liver does not usually cause symptoms, however when it is possible to feel the liver, it is important to go to the doctor.
When hepatomegaly is due to liver disease, for example, there may be abdominal pain, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, tiredness and yellow skin and eyes. If the swelling occurs suddenly, the person feels pain on palpation. Usually the doctor determines the size and texture of the liver by palpating it through the abdominal wall, and, from there, can predict what type of disease the person has.
In the case of acute hepatitis, hepatomegaly is usually accompanied by pain and has a smooth and smooth surface, while in chronic hepatitis it becomes hard and firm in cirrhosis, when the surface becomes irregular. In addition, in congestive heart failure, the liver is sore and the right lobe is quite enlarged, while in schistosomiasis the liver is more swollen on the left side.
The diagnosis of hepatomegaly is made by the hepatologist or general practitioner through physical evaluation and imaging tests, such as ultrasound and abdominal tomography, in addition to blood tests. See which tests assess liver function.
If you think you may have liver problems, check your symptoms:
- 1. Pain in the upper right belly Yes No
- 2. Frequent feeling sick or dizzy Yes No
- 3. Frequent headache Yes No
- 4. Easy tiredness for no apparent reason Yes No
- 5. Ease of getting bruises Yes No
- 6. Yellowish color in the eyes or skin Yes No
- 7. Dark urine Yes No
- 8. Loss of appetite Yes No
- 9. Yellowish, gray or whitish stools Yes No
- 10. Swollen belly Yes No
- 11. Itching all over the body Yes No
Possible causes of swollen liver
The main cause of hepatomegaly is hepatic steatosis, that is, accumulation of fat in the liver that can lead to inflammation of the organ and, consequently, its swelling. Other possible causes of hepatomegaly are:
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages; Diet rich in fats, canned, sodas and fried foods; Heart disease; Hepatitis; Cirrhosis; Leukemia; Heart failure; Nutritional deficiencies, such as marasmus and kwashiorkor, for example; Niemann-Pick disease; Infections by parasites or bacteria, for example; Presence of fat in the liver due to diabetes, obesity and high triglycerides.
A less frequent cause of swollen liver is the appearance of a tumor in the liver, which can be identified by means of imaging tests such as abdominal tomography or ultrasound.
