Liver Enlargement - Can It Be Reversed?

Introduction

Liver enlargement is seen when the size of the liver is more than normal. Enlargement of the liver can also be termed as hepatomegaly. This can be used due to various underlying conditions. The treatment of enlargement of the liver largely depends on the underlying condition. If the underlying condition is acute, it can be treated easily by treating the condition.

What Is an Enlarged Liver?

The liver is a vital organ of the body involved in digestion. It filters out toxins from the body. Enlarged liver is a condition termed when the size of the liver becomes larger than the usual size, or it gets swollen. It can be caused due to multiple underlying reasons, such as viral hepatitis, alcohol-associated hepatitis, genetic diseases, heart disease, etc.

What Causes Enlargement of the Liver?

Enlargement of the liver is seen as a symptom of various diseases. Some of the most common causes are:

• Mononucleosis: It is a frequently occurring liver infection.

• Metastatic Cancer - Cancer that begins in other organs and spreads to the liver

• Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): A condition where fat buildup in the liver occurs not due to alcohol.

• Heart and Blood Vessel Abnormalities - These conditions result in the blockage of the veins that are responsible for draining the liver or bringing blood to it.

• Cancer of the liver or cancer that begins within the liver.

• Cirrhosis is another cause for liver enlargement. It is a kind of advanced damage and scarring of the liver because of toxins like alcohol.

• Viral hepatitis (most commonly A, B, or C), or other liver infections, each caused by a virus.

• Alcoholic Liver Disease - It is a range of liver damage due to various reasons like fatty deposits, inflammation, and scarring due to alcohol consumption.

One more reason can be congestive heart failure in which blood backs up into the hepatic veins. These are the veins responsible for helping the drainage of blood from the liver. When they are backed up, the liver turns congested and grows larger in size. This is termed as congestive hepatomegaly.

Less frequent causes of hepatomegaly are:

• Lymphoma - It is a type of blood cancer of the lymphatic system.

• Leukemia - It is a type of blood cancer associated with the bone marrow.

• Multiple Myeloma - It is a type of blood cancer of the bone marrow specific to plasma cells.

• Hemochromatosis - A condition in which iron builds up in the liver.

• Wilson’s Disease - A condition where copper builds up in the liver

• Gaucher’s Disease - It is a disorder in which fatty substances build up in the liver.

• Toxic Hepatitis - A form of liver inflammation that is caused because of chemical poisoning.

• Bile Duct or Gallbladder Obstruction - It is a form of bile duct obstruction and inflammation within the liver caused frequently by gallstones.

• Hepatic Cysts - It is a fluid-filled sac within the liver due to multiple causes

A few infections and some medical conditions are responsible for causing growth within the liver. Growths inside the liver can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Most of the time, any growth will result in an increase in the size of the liver.

What Are the Symptoms of an Enlarged Liver?

The symptoms of an enlarged liver are not noticed on their own. They might be noticed as a result of some other problem. The frequently seen symptoms are:

• The feeling of fullness.

• Bloating.

• Jaundice ( yellowing of the skin and eyes).

• Muscle aches.

• Fatigue.

• Itching in the skin.

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

• Abdominal pain (in the upper right region) or mass.

• Poor appetite.

• Swelling of the feet and legs.

• Easy bruising.

• Weight loss.

• Increasing abdominal size.

• Enlarged spleen.

Some of the other symptoms that can be an alarming situation include:

• Severe abdominal pain.

• Fever and jaundice.

• Bloody or coffee-ground vomit.

• Shortness of breath.

• Black, tarry stools or bright red blood in stools.

In such a situation, one must seek medical help. The doctors might find a palpable liver on touch in case of hepatomegaly, which is not in the general case.

How Can an Enlarged Liver Be Reversed?

The enlargement of the liver occurs as a symptom of an underlying condition. It can be reversible and can be treated by treating the underlying condition. This is done by performing certain tests such as blood and imaging tests (X-rays, computed tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging scans, etc.).

A liver biopsy might be advised in severe cases. Further treatment is initiated based on these results. The ability of the liver to repair and regenerate itself is considered best. It contains a sufficient amount of healthy tissue as well. If liver enlargement occurs because of an acute condition, it can be reversed easily by treating it. At the same time, it might take time to cure chronic disease, or it can be done by modifying the lifestyle in a few ways. The other contributing factors in the treatment are the condition, diet, age, genetics, adherence to the treatment, etc. Some of the cases that can be reversed by following some lifestyle changes are:

1. Alcohol Use Disorder: It can be managed by quitting the consumption of alcohol.

2. Non- Alcoholic Fatty Liver: It can be managed by reducing weight to some extent.

3. Heart Disease: Take a few measures to lower high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, etc.

4. A healthy diet with exercise should be followed daily.

5. It is seen in a few cases that fish oil can be used in the reversal of hepatomegaly.

The enlargement of the liver can be prevented by following certain measures:

• Take a healthy diet.

• Limit alcohol consumption.

• Vitamins, medications, or supplements must be taken with proper advice.

• Weight should be maintained.

• Practice a little exercise daily.

• Quit smoking.

Conclusion:

The enlargement of the liver is caused as a symptom of an underlying condition. The size of the liver becomes larger than the usual size. It is caused by conditions like alcohol use disorder, viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiac issues, in some cases, as a result of cancer, etc. The usual symptoms are abdominal pain in the upper right portion, bloating, or a feeling of fullness. Doctors might find the liver palpable on touch while examining, which is usually not. It can be reversed with proper diet, exercise, medications, etc.