Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Disease
Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Disease may not appear until the condition is relatively advanced. They vary with the severity of the disease and worsen after a bout of heavy drinking.
Alcoholics are at an increased risk for gastrointestinal disorders, heart diseases and high blood pressure. Excessive alcohol use can also cause peptic ulcers, aggression, anxiety and depression.
A number of cancers can be developed as a result of alcoholism. Cancer of mouth, throat, oesophagus, stomach and liver are the few commonly-occurring ones.
Common symptoms:
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue / nausea / loss of appetite
- Swollen abdomen due to an enlarged liver
- Pain in the abdomen
- Jaundice / fever / Pallor
- Weight loss
- Fluid build-up in legs (oedema) and abdomen in case of cirrhosis
- Pain/numbness in hands and legs
- Hypo / hyper pigmentation on the skin
- Small spider like blood vessels on skin
- Red colouration on hands / feet
- Yellow colouration of skin / eyes in case of jaundice
- Bloody faeces
- Bleeding nose / gums
- Vomiting blood
- Changing moods / confusion/hallucinations/decreased alertness
- Impaired memory / poor judgment
Serious complications of alcohol consumption include advanced diseases such as brain damage (Alcoholic Encephalopathy) and hypertension (high blood pressure within the liver). The disease usually affects those who are older than 30 years.
