What happens if u have a fatty liver

It's important to make lifestyle changes to prevent the condition getting worse. You probably will not know you have it unless it's diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason. If cirrhosis the most advanced stage develops, you can get more severe symptoms, such as yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes jaundice , itchy skin, and swelling in the legs, ankles, feet or tummy oedema. NAFLD is often diagnosed after a blood test called a liver function test produces an abnormal result and other liver conditions, such as hepatitis , are ruled out.

The condition may also be spotted during an ultrasound scan of your tummy. This is a type of scan where sound waves are used to create an image of the inside of your body. This may involve a special blood test or having another type of ultrasound scan Fibroscan. Some people may also need a biopsy , where a small sample of liver tissue is taken using a needle so it can be analysed in a laboratory. In the United States, it is the most common form of chronic liver disease, affecting about one-quarter of the population.

Some individuals with NAFLD can develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis NASH , an aggressive form of fatty liver disease, which is marked by liver inflammation and may progress to advanced scarring cirrhosis and liver failure.

This damage is similar to the damage caused by heavy alcohol use. The liver is your largest internal organ. About the size of a football, it's located mainly in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath the diaphragm and above your stomach. NAFLD usually causes no signs and symptoms.

When it does, they may include:. Possible signs and symptoms of NASH and advanced scarring cirrhosis include:. Make an appointment with your doctor if you have persistent signs and symptoms that cause you concern. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news.

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Experts don't know exactly why some people accumulate fat in the liver while others do not. Similarly, there is limited understanding of why some fatty livers develop inflammation that progresses to cirrhosis. This is known as alcoholic steatohepatitis. Otherwise, the condition is called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. An inflamed liver may become scarred and hardened over time.

This condition, called cirrhosis, is serious and often leads to liver failure. NASH is one of the top three leading causes of cirrhosis. Eating excess calories causes fat to build up in the liver. When the liver does not process and break down fats as it normally should, too much fat will accumulate. People tend to develop fatty liver if they have certain other conditions, such as obesity, diabetes or high triglycerides. Alcohol abuse, rapid weight loss and malnutrition may also lead to fatty liver.

However, some people develop fatty liver even if they have none of these conditions. Most, but not all fatty liver patients are middle-aged and overweight. The risk factors most commonly linked to fatty liver disease are:. Many researchers now believe that metabolic syndrome — a cluster of disorders that increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke — plays an important role in the development of fatty liver.

Signs and symptoms of metabolic syndrome include:. Of these, insulin resistance may be the most important trigger of NASH. It is unclear how a liver becomes fatty. The fat may come from other parts of your body, or your liver may absorb an increased amount of fat from your intestine. Another possible explanation is that the liver loses its ability to change fat into a form that can be eliminated. A fatty liver produces no symptoms on its own, so people often learn about their fatty liver when they have medical tests for other reasons.

NASH can damage your liver for years or even decades without causing any symptoms. If the disease gets worse, you may experience fatigue, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, weakness and confusion. But they think that obesity is the most common cause. Obesity in the U. Although children and young adults can get fatty liver disease, it is most common in middle age.

Fatty liver disease can happen without causing any symptoms. Your health care provider may suspect fatty liver disease with abnormal test results, especially if you are obese. Imaging studies of your liver may show fat deposits. Some imaging tests, including special ultrasound and MRI scans can help diagnose the disease and spot scar tissue in the liver. But the only way to be certain that fatty liver disease is the only cause of liver damage is with a liver biopsy.

A liver biopsy involves getting a tissue sample of your liver with a needle. The needle removes a small piece of liver tissue that can be looked at under a microscope.

If you have a type of scar tissue in your liver called fibrosis, you may be developing cirrhosis. But making some lifestyle changes can control or reverse the fat buildup in your liver.