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Enlarged liver – what to do?

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At the first sign of liver enlargement is necessary, first, to address the underlying cause or disease.


Which means enlargement of the liver?

Enlarged liver is not a disease but a symptom of any problem related to the liver. In medicine this phenomenon is called hepatomegaly means that the liver ceases to perform its functions. Hepatomegaly, if left untreated, can lead to the development of deadly diseases – liver failure. To detect enlargement of the liver, a fairly ordinary medical examination.

To identify the causes will require more careful study and analysis:

  1. Ultrasound or CT scan to pinpoint the size of the liver and to assess the overall condition.

  2. MRI accurately show the condition of the bile ducts.

  3. Blood tests. Necessary for examination of liver enzymes, presence of viral infections and other disorders.

  4. Biopsy. This study is prescribed for suspected cancer or fat disease.


Causes of liver enlargement

  • Liver disease:

  • Hereditary diseases associated with metabolic disorders

  • Diseases associated with impaired blood circulation:

    • Heart failure
    • Obstruction of the hepatic veins

  • Metabolic disorders:

    • Hemochromatosis
    • Disorders of lipid metabolism

  • The appearance of tumors:

  • Exposure to toxins:

    • Alcohol damage
    • Medicinal lose

  • Cholelithiasis

  • Defeat worms


    • Symptoms of enlarged liver

    Enlargement of the liver you can determine when you see these symptoms:

    1. A feeling of discomfort in the right hypochondrium, feeling of heaviness

    2. Dyspepsia, nausea, heartburn, change in stool, belching, accompanied by an unpleasant odor.

    3. Change the color of the skin is jaundiced, characterized by hepatomegaly.

    4. Changes in behavior – nervousness, irritability, drowsiness or insomnia.

    Since the above symptoms can indicate other disorders in the body, for precise diagnosis you need to see a specialist. No need to delay the visit to the doctor in time the measures will help to avoid serious consequences.


    Enlarged liver in a child

    Infants enlargement of the liver may be associated with jaundice of the newborn. It does not need treatment as it takes place during the month. The causes of this condition can be birth trauma, diabetes, and other disorders in the endocrine system of the mother.

    The child under 7 years hepatomegaly is a completely normal physiological phenomenon. Is considered normal if the liver of the baby stands slightly over the edge of the ribs (1-2 cm). The growth of the child, the liver regains its normal size. In any case, the doctor to most accurately determine whether the child needs treatment.

    In children enlarged liver can indicate following diseases:

    1. Inflammatory processes in the body.

    2. Congenital TORCH infection

    3. Liver damage toxins or drugs.

    4. The pathology of metabolism

    5. Disruption of the biliary tract, obstruction of bile ducts

    6. Metastases ortumors

    The reason for concern is the enlarged liver in children in combination with other "danger signals": the fever, the venous network on the abdomen, vomiting, skin rash, weight loss, loss of appetite, yellowness of the mucous membranes. If you encounter these signs pediatrician appoints the advice of a hepatologist, infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist. To identify the exact causes of increase liver requires a number of tests and ultrasound examination.

    The diet for liver enlargement

    Properly organized diet will help the liver to cope with hepatomegalia. Diet for enlargement of the liver exclude acute, salty, fatty foods. The diet must contain proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. The food should be consumed in small portions so as not to overload the diseased liver. It is recommended that smaller meals (6-7 times a day) for best digestion. Read more what you can eat and what is not in diseases of the liver.


    Sample menu with enlargement of the liver for a week

    Monday.

    1 reception – Milk rice porridge without adding butter and sugar, green tea with honey or a decoction of rose hips.

    2 reception – a Glass of fresh Apple juice, oatmeal cookies

    3 reception – Boiled river fish

    4 reception – Boiled carrots, grated

    5 admission – Dish of steamed vegetables (without salt and spices)

    6 reception – Fresh fruit

    Tuesday

    1 – one-egg Omelet (no yolks), a decoction of rose hips or green tea, diet app cookies

    2 – Dried fruit (apricots, prunes, raisins), pre-filled with boiling water.

    3 – Bouillon of veal or chicken, branny bread

    4 reception – Fresh carrot juice, oatmeal cookies

    5 reception – low-fat cottage cheese

    6 – Salad of greens and cucumbers

    Environment

    1 reception – low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese

    2 reception – Broth hips with honey, oatmeal cookies

    3 reception – Steam meatballs

    4 admission – Pumpkin puree and herbal tea

    5 admission Baked cheesecakes with the addition of dried fruits

    6 welcome – Prokofy freshly Squeezed juice, oatmeal cookies

    Thursday

    1 reception – Oatmeal with milk, green tea with honey and lemon

    2 reception – Compote with dried fruits, diet app cookies

    3 reception – River fish, steamed, brannybread

    4 reception – Fresh fruit juice, oatmeal cookies

    5 admission – Casserole of vegetables, branny bread

    6 welcome Herbal tea

    Friday

    1 reception – Boiled pasta in a small amount

    2 reception – a Glass of fresh Apple juice, app cookies

    3 reception – Dietary buckwheat soup, branny bread

    4 – Dried fruit, soaked in boiling water

    5 admission – Milk porridge, diet app cookies

    6 receive – Green tea with honey, oatmeal cookies

    Saturday

    1 acceptance the Buckwheat cerealwelded on water without salt and sugar, herbal tea

    2 reception – Fruit platter

    3 – Bouillon of veal or chicken, branny bread

    4 – Salad of pickled cabbage

    5 reception – Candy or fruit marmalade

    Sunday

    1 – cottage cheese pancakes with dried fruit cooked in the oven, green tea with honey and lemon

    2 reception – Fruit or vegetable juice, app cookies

    3 – Beef or Turkey, boiled and mashed into a puree with the addition of boiled carrot or pumpkin

    4 – Decoction of rose hips, branny bread

    5 – Yogurt or cottage cheese, oatmeal cookies

    6 – fruit Salad or vegetables

    It is also necessary to maintain equal intervals between meals. Any diet you need to discuss with your doctor, who will give all the necessary recommendations. With the increased liver food should be optimally balanced. Therefore, it is periodically necessary to adjust and diversify your diet. With a strong increase of the liver fruit and vegetable juices preferably diluted with boiled water in proportion 1:1. Alcohol, coffee, chocolate, confectionery, salt, pepper, vinegar – the main enemies of the liver. When any disease of the liver is contraindicated legumes in any form, nuts, fizzy drinks.

    On topic: the Best traditional recipes and foods that restore the liver cells


    Treatment for liver enlargement

    If the survey revealed no diseases, and the liver is enlarged, the change in lifestyle will help to quickly return the liver to normal. Often to restore the normal size, you need to get rid of excess weight and give up bad habits. We need to completely change the order of the day, review food. At the slightest hint of enlargement of the liver it is better to refuse from alcohol and Smoking, limit the intake of spicy, salty and fatty foods. Proper distribution of physicalloads, a sufficient amount of time for sleep and rest, walking and physical exercise – all help to restore normal liver function.

    The treatment of an enlarged liver in any case should be under strict medical supervision. Modern methods of treatment include long-term use medicinal and homeopathic preparations, diet, restriction of physical activity.

    Drugs for the treatment of enlarged liver

    • Ovesol. Contains a large number of Botanical ingredients – oat extract, leaves of mint peppery, roots of turmeric, flowers of immortelle and other herbs. Improves the function of the biliary tract, cleanses the liver of toxins.

    • Legalon or analogs (karsil, silibor). The composition contains milk Thistle extract. The drug used in the treatment of any liver diseases. Helps to improve digestion, normalizes metabolism, reduces the risk of inflammatory processes. welcome legalon beneficial effect on endurance.

    • Essentiale. The drug contains a complex of b vitamins and phospholipids. Assigned to the recovery of liver cells in hepatitis, necrosis and cirrhosis. Significantly reduces cholesterol, promotes proper function of the cardiovascular system.

    • Essliver. Restores the liver cells, normalizes metabolism.

    • Hepatamin. A means to normalize the functions of the liver. Active components are obtained from the liver of cattle. Assigned as a protective agent of antibiotics.

    • Rezalyut About. Gepatoprotektor based on soy beans. Assign with chronic liver diseases, revitalizes the cells, reduces cholesterol.

    • Galstena. A homeopathic remedy that is used in the treatment of an enlarged liver in hepatitis and gallstones. Has no age restrictions and contraindications.

    • Liv– 52. Stimulates the liver, protects from toxins. Is assigned as an additional tool in hepatitis and cirrhosis. Contains herbal extracts – chicory, capers, yarrow.

    • Gepabene. Prescribed for toxic liver damage and hepatitis. Contains botanicals – milk Thistle, Zimnenko.
    • Tsikvalon. Synthetic drug that has powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

    • Ursofalk. The drug is based on ursodeoxycholic acid. Is indicated for enlarged liver due to hepatitis, toxic lesions. Enhances the activity of the bile ducts.

    These drugs themselves cannot cure an enlarged liver. For full healing to get rid of the chief "provocateur". The treatment is carried out on the basis of the complete clinical picture of the patient, laboratory studies and under the supervision of a physician.

    For the rapid restoration of liver function should be closely monitored by the digestive system. To help the liver can be assigned the appropriate preparations:

    Allohol, holenzim. Normalize the gastrointestinal tract, helping, thus, to cope the liver with the load. Improve the flow of bile.

    Zantac (Pancreatin) – fermentoterapiya drug, help in digestion and improve the functioning of pancreas and intestines.

    On topic: the list of the best hepatoprotectors to restore the liver


    orshenin Elena Ivanovna, doctor-gastroenterologist