What Liver Conditions Cause The Liver To Become Enlarged?

Enlarged liver is a term used to describe a potentially serious medical condition. The main characteristic is that the liver swells to an abnormal size. There are a number of diseases and illnesses that can cause this to happen. In some patients the liver becomes only slightly enlarged. In others, it can grow quite big and be described as grossly enlarged. Some have described the human liver as resembling a small American football in shape. It usually weighs between three and four pounds, or one and a half kilograms.

An enlarged liver is also called hepatomegaly by doctors and medical professionals.

An enlarged liver is a sign or symptom of some other type of liver problem. It is not considered a disease by itself.

There are many types of liver disorders that can cause the liver to swell. The most common include these.

* One of a number of different strains of hepatitis.

* Polycystic liver disease, a disorder in which a series of cysts grow on the liver.

* Infections that can cause problems for the liver, like malaria and mononucleosis.

* Liver cysts, which are small watery or mucous-filled sacs growing on the liver. They’re usually the result of advancing age or poor nutritional habits.

* Cirrhosis, which is more commonly called cirrhosis of the liver. This disease typically results from overuse of alcohol or a disease like hepatitis, which scars liver tissue and reduces the liver’s ability to function.

* Fatty liver disease, which happens when your liver accumulates fat due to poor nutrition or diet (and sometimes other reasons). As fat builds, liver function decreases.

* Certain types of cancer may contribute to enlarging the liver. This is particularly true in the case of leukemia.

Symptoms are not always obvious. This is especially true for a slightly enlarged liver. A grossly enlarged liver, on the other hand, may cause abdominal fullness and discomfort.

Other enlarged liver symptoms include these:

* Ascites, which happens when fluid accumulates in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and abdominal organs (also known as the peritoneal cavity).

* Cholestasis, a condition in which the flow of bile from the liver through the bile ducts is obstructed.

* Jaundice, a condition which causes the eyes and the skin to look yellowish. It results from an accumulation of a substance called bilirubin (pigment) in the blood.

Diagnosis of the cause of an enlarged liver is the key to choosing a proper course of treatment. Often, the cause is excessive drinking. When this is the case, the solution is to stop drinking. If alcohol is not one of the causes, then some lifestyle changes might be in order. Exercise and weight control become extremely important.

There are some simple guidelines you can follow if you want to avoid a problem with an enlarged liver (and who doesn’t?)

Avoid alcohol completely, or keep drinking to a minimum. Never drink while taking medications.

If you’re taking multiple medications, be sure you’ve talked about them with your doctor. Also make sure you follow dosage instructions.

Don’t take herbal supplements unless you talk to your doctor about them. Some may harm your liver.

Certain combinations of vitamins may also be unhealthy for your liver. Make sure your health care provider approves vitamin usage involving vitamins A, D, E and K.

When using certain common household products, be sure the area is well-ventilated. Some insecticides, cleaners and aerosols can cause liver damage.

Finally – and this bears repeating – get regular exercise and eat a healthy diet. These two things alone will go a long way toward keeping your entire body healthy, and especially in avoiding an enlarged liver.

Related topics: liver conditions and enlarged liver. Neal Kennedy is a retired TV and radio journalist. To read more of his articles, click on Liver Health Articles.