Liver pain is pain located in the upper right region of the abdomen and can be a sign of diseases such as infections, obesity, cholesterol or cancer or can occur due to exposure to toxic substances such as alcohol, detergents or even medications.
Treatment depends on the disease that causes it and the associated symptoms, however, it can also be prevented with vaccination, correct nutrition, physical exercise or avoiding risky behaviors such as sharing syringes or unprotected sexual intercourse.
Therefore, if it is in the liver, it is important that the hepatologist or general practitioner is consulted so that tests can be carried out to help identify the cause of the pain and, thus, be able to indicate the most appropriate treatment, if necessary. necessary. Find out about the tests that evaluate the liver.
Main causes
The main causes of liver pain are:
1. Infection
The liver can be infected by viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites, causing inflammation and changes in its functioning. The most common types of liver infection are hepatitis A, B and C, transmitted by viruses, which in addition to causing liver pain, can cause symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, pain in muscles and joints, pain headache, sensitivity to light, light stools, dark urine, yellowish skin and eyes.
How to deal with: Treatment must be indicated by a hepatologist or general practitioner and may vary according to the type of infection, and the doctor may recommend the use of antiviral, antibiotic or antiparasitic medications, in addition to being recommended to have an easily digestible and poor diet. in fats, as this makes it possible to prevent the liver from becoming more inflamed.
Don’t ignore the signs your body is giving you!
In people with autoimmune diseases, their immune system attacks the body itself, which can also affect the liver. Examples of these diseases are autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Autoimmune hepatitis is a rare disease, in which the organism attacks the liver’s own cells, causing it to become inflamed and causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, yellowish skin or nausea. Primary biliary cirrhosis, on the other hand, consists of the progressive destruction of the bile ducts located in the liver, and sclerosing cholangitis causes their narrowing, causing fatigue and itching, or even cirrhosis and liver failure.
How to deal with: Autoimmune hepatitis can be cured if a liver transplant is performed, in the most severe cases. However, the disease can be controlled with the use of corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, or immunosuppressants, such as azathioprine. In addition, you should eat a balanced diet, avoiding alcohol and foods with a lot of fat.
In primary biliary cirrhosis and sclerosing cholangitis, ursodeoxycholic acid is the treatment of choice, and if started as soon as the first symptoms appear, it can reduce the speed of disease progression, preventing the occurrence of cirrhosis. In a terminal phase, the only treatment that cures the disease is a liver transplant.
3. Genetic diseases
Pain in the liver region can also be caused by genetic diseases that lead to the accumulation of toxic substances in the liver, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, which causes excess iron to accumulate in the body, oxaluria, which leads to an increase in oxalic acid in the liver or Wilson’s disease, in which there is an accumulation of copper.
How to deal with: Hemochromatosis can be treated by avoiding foods with large amounts of iron, such as red meat, spinach or green beans, for example, and it is important that your diet is guided by a nutritionist.
In the case of oxaluria, the consumption of oxalate present in spinach and nuts, for example, must be reduced and, in more severe cases, it may be necessary to resort to dialysis or liver and kidney transplantation. Wilson’s disease can be treated by reducing the intake of foods rich in copper, such as mussels or by taking substances that bind to copper, helping to eliminate it in the urine, such as penicillamine or zinc acetate, for example.
4. Excessive alcohol
Excessive and regular consumption of alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis, which causes severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, for example, and if left untreated, can cause serious liver damage.
How to deal with: Treatment consists of stopping alcohol intake and using medications such as ursodeoxycholic acid or phosphatidylcholine, which reduce liver inflammation and relieve symptoms. In more serious cases, a liver transplant may be necessary.
5. Medication abuse
Drug-induced hepatitis is caused by exposure to toxic substances, excessive use of medications or even due to allergic reactions to them, which can cause damage to liver cells.
How to deal with: Treatment consists of immediately suspending the medication or toxic substance that is causing the problem and, in more serious cases, it may be necessary to use corticosteroids until liver function is normalized.
6. Cancer
Liver cancer can affect hepatocytes, bile ducts and blood vessels and is generally very aggressive, which can cause pain in the abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite and yellowing eyes, for example. See more symptoms of liver cancer.
How to deal with: It is generally necessary to resort to surgery to remove the affected region of the liver, and it may be necessary to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy before performing it, in order to reduce the size of the cancer.
7. Reye syndrome
Reye’s syndrome is a rare disease that occurs more frequently in children and is characterized by pain in the liver due to a rapid accumulation of fat in this organ, as well as inflammation in the brain. Therefore, the child may also have a headache, vomiting, drowsiness and irritability, for example. Know how to recognize the symptoms of Reye’s syndrome.
The causes of Reye’s syndrome are not completely known, however it is believed that it may be related to some viruses, such as the flu virus and chickenpox, and may also be linked to excessive use of medications, such as aspirin and paracetamol. .
How to deal with: The treatment of Reye’s syndrome varies depending on the possible cause. In other words, if the symptoms are being triggered by the use of medications, their suspension may be recommended. Furthermore, it is recommended that the person goes to the hospital to be monitored and administered electrolytes and glucose, directly into the vein, to maintain the body’s balance, and vitamin K to prevent bleeding.
Reye’s syndrome should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible to prevent complications.
8. Fat accumulation
The accumulation of fat in the liver is common in people with obesity, high cholesterol or diabetes, and can be asymptomatic or cause symptoms such as pain on the right side of the abdomen, swollen belly, nausea and vomiting.
How to deal with: Treatment for fatty liver consists of regular exercise and a healthy diet based on low-fat proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables. If there is a change in blood cholesterol levels, the doctor may recommend the use of medication to control it. Watch the following video with tips on what to eat and what to avoid to treat fatty liver:
Liver problem symptoms test
Check the symptoms you present below and find out if you may have a liver problem or what other diseases may be related:
The symptom test is only a guidance tool and does not serve as a diagnosis or replace consultation with a hepatologist or general practitioner.
How to prevent liver pain
Pain in the liver region can be prevented if the following precautions are taken:
- Drink alcohol in moderation;
- Avoid risky behaviors such as having unprotected sex, using drugs, or sharing syringes, for example;
- Take vaccines against hepatitis A and B viruses;
- Use medications sparinglyavoiding drug interactions;
- Wear a mask and protect your skin during the use of toxic products contained in paints and detergents, for example;
Furthermore, it is also very important to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet, with foods that help detoxify the liver, such as lemon or artichokes, for example. See more foods that detoxify the liver.
When to go to the doctor
You should go to the doctor when abdominal pain becomes intense and persistent or when it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as yellowing of the skin and eyes, swelling in the legs, generalized itching of the skin, the presence of dark urine and pale or bloody stools, loss of weight loss, tiredness, nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite.
During the consultation, the doctor will perform a physical examination, in order to understand where it hurts and may ask several questions about other symptoms and eating habits, and may request some tests such as ultrasound, MRI or tomography, blood tests or liver biopsy. Find out more about tests to evaluate the liver.
