Liver Cirrhosis – Causes

Liver is a vital organ of our body that is situated under the diaphragm in the upper right abdominal cavity. It performs various important functions that include controlling infections, making proteins that regulate blood clotting, producing bile, urea and cholesterol, metabolising various drugs used in medicines and so on.

Any kind of chronic injury can result in abnormal functioning and slow deterioration of the liver that culminates into cirrhosis of the liver. Healthy liver tissues get replaced by scar tissues, fibrosis and regenerative nodules that do not allow the liver to perform its vital functions. Though liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, with cirrhosis, it loses the capability to do so.

Liver cirrhosis has numerous causes though the most common amongst them all are excessive consumption of alcohol and chronic hepatitis C. Here are the causes in detail:

Alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcohol over a period of several years can cause chronic injury to the liver that can lead to cirrhosis. Individual tolerance levels to alcohol vary between males and females. The normal metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates gets obstructed with excessive alcoholism.

Chronic Hepatitis C

When a person is affected by the hepatitis C virus, it causes inflammation and low grade damage to the liver which can culminate into cirrhosis over the years. A person can contract the virus by coming in contact with an infected person’s blood.

Chronic Hepatitis B and D

Similar to the hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B causes inflammation and injury to the liver that can lead to cirrhosis over years. One can contract the virus by contacting infected person’s blood, semen or other body fluids. The hepatitis D virus can infect only people who already have hepatitis B.

Autoimmune Hepatitis

Research has led to the belief that some people may be more prone to autoimmune diseases because of genetic factors. In autoimmune hepatitis, the body’s immune system attacks the liver cells as the body’s antibodies do not recognise the liver as its own tissue. This causes inflammation, injury and over a period of time, cirrhosis.

Impaired Bile Ducts

Bile ducts can be impaired by birth or can develop later in life. There are various diseases that can cause damage to the ducts that carry bile from the liver. This causes the bile to accumulate in the liver and eventually leads to cirrhosis.

Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

This is an increasingly common liver disease nowadays in which the liver gets accumulated with fat which eventually leads to cirrhosis. This form of hepatitis is associated with diabetes, obesity, protein malnutrition, coronary artery disease and corticosteroid medication.

Drugs, Toxins and Infections

Cirrhosis can also be caused by protracted exposure to poisonous chemicals, adverse reaction to specific drugs, parasitic infections and repeated spells of heart failure coupled with liver congestion.

Abnormal Storage of Copper or Iron

These metals are present in the body but when they accumulate in excess amounts in the liver, it may lead to scarring and eventually cirrhosis of the liver. Abnormal storage of copper is called Wilson’s disease while that of copper is called Hemochromatosis.


Ayurvedic Liver Medicine    Herbal Treatment Cirrhosis