Treatment of Fatty Liver at Welling Homeopathy involves a specially formulated treatment based on our CUREplus treatment protocol, which includes customized homeopathic medicines for reversal of fatty liver and cure of fatty liver. Meet our specialist for a detailed assessment today before any of the complications of fatty liver sets in.
What is Fatty Liver?
Fatty liver, or hepatic steatosis, is a term that describes the buildup of fat in the liver. It’s normal to have some fat in your liver, but too much can become a health problem.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a manifestation of an abnormality of metabolism within the liver. The liver is an important organ in the metabolism (handling) of fat. The liver makes and exports fat to other parts of the body. It also removes fat from the blood that has been released by other tissues in the body, for example, by fat cells, or absorbed from the food we eat. In nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the handling of fat by liver cells is disturbed. Increased amounts of fat are removed from the blood and/or are produced by liver cells, and not enough is disposed of or exported by the cells. As a result, fat accumulates in the liver.
The liver is the second largest organ in the body. Its function is to process everything we eat or drink and filter any harmful substances from the blood. This process is interrupted if too much fat is in the liver. Fatty liver is when fat accounts for more than 5 to 10 per cent of your liver’s weight
What are the symptoms of fatty liver?
The fatty liver typically has no associated symptoms. You may experience fatigue or vague abdominal discomfort. Your liver may become slightly enlarged, which your doctor can detect during a physical exam.
However, excess fat in the liver can cause inflammation. If your liver becomes inflamed, you may have symptoms such as:
- a poor appetite
- weight loss
- abdominal pain
- physical weakness
- fatigue
- confusion
If fatty liver progresses to cirrhosis and liver failure, symptoms can include:
- an enlarging, fluid-filled abdomen
- jaundice of the skin and yellowing of the eyes
- confusion
- a tendency to bleed more easily
Diagnosis of Fatty Liver
Because the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease causes no symptoms in most cases, it frequently comes to medical attention when tests done for other reasons point to a liver problem. This can happen if your liver looks unusual on ultrasound or if you have an abnormal liver enzyme test.
Tests done to pinpoint the diagnosis and determine disease severity include:
Blood tests
- Complete blood count
- Liver enzyme and liver function tests
- Tests for chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, hepatitis C and others)
- Celiac disease screening test
- Fasting blood sugar
- Hemoglobin A1C, which shows how stable your blood sugar is
- Lipid profile, which measures blood fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides
Why is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease important?
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is important for several reasons. First, it is a common disease, and is increasing in prevalence. Second, NASH is an important cause of serious liver disease, leading to cirrhosis and the complications of cirrhosis–liver failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and liver cancer. Third, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with other very common and serious non-liver diseases, perhaps the most important being a cardiovascular disease that leads to heart disease and strokes. Fatty liver probably is not the cause of these other diseases but is a manifestation of an underlying cause that the diseases share. Fatty liver, therefore, is a clue to the presence of these other serious diseases which need to be addressed.
Cause of Fatty Liver
The most common cause of fatty liver is alcoholism and heavy drinking. In many cases, doctors don’t know what causes fatty liver in people who don’t drink much alcohol.
Fatty liver develops when the body creates too much fat or cannot metabolize fat fast enough. The excess fat is stored in liver cells where it accumulates to form fatty liver disease. Eating a high-fat, high-sugar diet may not directly result in fatty liver, but it can contribute to it.
Besides alcoholism, other common causes of fatty liver include:
- obesity
- hyperlipidemia, or high levels of fats in the blood
- diabetes
- genetic inheritance
- rapid weight loss
- side effect of certain medications, including aspirin, steroids, tamoxifen (Nolvadex), and tetracycline (Panmycin)
What are the types of fatty liver?
There are two basic types of fatty liver: non-alcoholic and alcoholic.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) develops when the liver has difficulty breaking down fats, which causes a buildup in the liver tissue. The cause is not related to alcohol. NAFL is diagnosed when more than 10 percent of the liver is fat.
Alcoholic fatty liver
Alcoholic fatty liver is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease. Heavy drinking damages the liver, and the liver cannot break down fats as a result. Abstaining from alcohol will likely cause the fatty liver to subside. Within six weeks of not drinking alcohol, the fat will disappear. However, if excessive alcohol use continues, cirrhosis may develop.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and alcoholic steatohepatitis
When enough fat builds up, it will cause the liver to swell. If the original cause is not from alcohol, it’s called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This disease can impair liver function.
Symptoms can be seen with this disease. These include:
- appetite loss
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- jaundice
If left untreated, steatohepatitis can progress to permanent scarring of the liver and eventual liver failure.
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy
Acute fatty liver is a rare, and potentially life-threatening, a complication of pregnancy.
Symptoms begin in the third trimester. These include:
- persistent nausea and vomiting
- pain in the upper-right abdomen
- jaundice
- general malaise
Women who are pregnant will be screened for this condition. Most women improve after delivery and have no lasting effects.
Who’s at risk for fatty liver?
Fatty liver is the buildup of extra fats in the liver. It’s more likely to develop if you’re overweight or obese. Having type 2 diabetes also may increase your risk for fatty liver. Fat accumulation in the liver has been linked to insulin resistance, which is the most common cause of type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that a high-choline diet is associated with a lower risk of fatty liver disease.
Other factors that may increase your risk for fatty liver are:
- excessive alcohol use
- taking more than the recommended doses of certain over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- pregnancy
- high cholesterol
- high triglyceride levels
- malnutrition
- metabolic syndrome
How is fatty liver diagnosed?
Physical exam
If your liver is inflamed, your doctor can detect it by examining your abdomen for an enlarged liver. Let your doctor know if you’ve been experiencing fatigue or loss of appetite. Also, tell your doctor about any history of alcohol, medication, and supplement use.
Blood tests
Your doctor may find that liver enzymes are higher than normal on a routine blood test. This doesn’t confirm a diagnosis of fatty liver. Further analysis is necessary to find the cause of the inflammation.
Imaging studies
Your doctor may use an ultrasound to detect fat in your liver. The fat will show up as a white area on the ultrasound image. Other imaging studies may also be done, such as CT or MRIscans.
Another imaging test similar to ultrasound is a FibroScan. Like an ultrasound, a Fibroscan utilizes sound waves to determine the density of the liver and the corresponding areas of fat and normal liver tissue.
Imaging studies can detect fat in the liver, but they cannot help your doctor confirm any further damage.
Liver biopsy
In a liver biopsy, your doctor will insert a needle into the liver to remove a piece of tissue for examination. Your doctor will give you a local anesthetic to lessen the pain. This is the only way to know for certain if you have fatty liver. The biopsy will also help your doctor determine the exact cause.
Treatment of Fatty Liver
Usually your conventional doctor will offer ways to reduce your risk factors. These recommendations include:
- limiting or avoiding alcoholic beverages
- managing your cholesterol and reducing your intake of sugar and saturated fatty acids
- losing weight
- controlling your blood sugar
If you have fatty liver because of obesity or unhealthy eating habits, your doctor may also suggest that you increase physical activity and eliminate certain types of food from your diet. Reducing the number of calories you eat each day can help you lose weight and heal your liver.
You can reverse fatty liver disease with right Homeopathy treatment for fatty liver and get a long-term solution from Welling Clinics.
Visit one of the Welling Homeopathy Clinic today for an expert pre-treatment analysis and speciality treatment of Fatty Liver.
