Causes of enlarged human liver, symptoms and treatment

A feeling of pressure and a feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium, as well as discomfort after eating, soreness are clear symptoms of problems with the hepatobiliary system in the body. If you ignore these kinds of symptoms, they will cause an increase in the size of the liver. If the organ increases significantly in size, then the situation can be considered very critical. For this reason, it is important to track bloating, stopping the problem at the initial stage of development. Be sure to see a doctor to get professional treatment. There is no point in trying to get rid of the disease on your own, and trying may make it worse. But how to treat an enlarged liver? What would such a symptom indicate? For what reason does this organ enlarge? We will talk about this and much more in the article.

Symptoms

Symptoms of diseases are not always easy to recognize even for an experienced doctor. And of course, not everyone knows how to recognize liver disease. Liver diseases have a number of characteristic signs:

Decreased appetite.
Increased fatigue.
Nausea and vomiting.
Pain in the right hypochondrium.
Abdominal enlargement.
Increased bleeding.
Digestive disorders.
Poor general health.
Problems with hormonal levels.

Pain and bruising

The gland itself does not have pain receptors, so pain occurs due to tension in its capsule when the organ increases in size or inflammation spreads to its fibrous membrane. The pain is localized in the right hypochondrium, but in some cases it can be diffuse.

The character can be varied - from a feeling of discomfort to sudden attacks of pain. The increase can be determined by palpation of the abdomen. Due to its increased size, its lower edge will extend beyond the right costal arch, which will be noticeable upon palpation.

Most often this occurs with cirrhosis or acute infectious diseases, when other symptoms prevail over the pain syndrome.

Bruising occurs due to inhibition of the functions of hepatocytes, as a result of which the hemostasis process is disrupted and the walls of blood vessels are weakened. Bruises and hematomas occur even with the slightest injury, slight pressure and during sleep. It becomes difficult to stop bleeding even with a small cut. Wounds and scratches do not heal for a long time and periodically bleed.

Visual cues

One of the most characteristic signs of pathology of this organ is a change in skin color and turgor. Due to the fact that fat metabolism is disrupted, the skin becomes dry, flabby, various peelings appear, and there is a tendency to allergic rashes such as dermatitis and eczema.

In addition, spider veins and areas of hyperpigmentation are observed on the body. A man's appearance takes on feminine characteristics - fat is deposited on the hips, arms become thinner, mammary glands enlarge, and hair loss occurs.

How to test your liver at home

Not everyone knows how to properly check the liver at home. Many people believe that the function of this organ can only be studied in a hospital.

However, carrying out simple procedures at home can be quite informative in order to suspect this disease in the human body.

To check the health of the liver, it is necessary to examine the skin. You need to visually examine your skin, evaluate its color, elasticity, moisture, and the presence of allergic foci.

The examination should begin with the face, then go down. On the face, be sure to pay attention to the appearance of brown spots, deep wrinkles between the eyebrows, swelling, dark circles under the eyes. On the upper extremities, you need to pay attention to the axillary area - is there any darkening of the skin or thinning of the hairline.

Liver function at home can be checked by the presence of darkening of the skin, which is most often localized on the elbows, knees and back of the hands. Incorrect organ function is indicated by bright red spots on the palms of the hands.

The fact that the liver is sick can be indicated at home by the severity of the venous network in the abdomen. If the gland is unhealthy, then the veins are very pronounced and bulge above the surface of the skin. Another sign of the disease is an increase in the abdomen in a relatively short period of time, a feeling of fluid in the abdominal cavity, which will also be noticeable upon palpation.

Hepatic purpura can have a different appearance and localization - from the smallest multiple pale pink spots to massive bright red lesions. Most often localized on the lower extremities.

Tests at home

How can you tell if your liver is healthy using a test?

Special test strips will help you check the condition of your liver at home. Their principle of operation is similar to a pregnancy test. In this test, the strip must be placed in a container with urine for a certain time.

The strip contains special substances that react to increased levels of certain pigments in the urine (bilirubin, urobilinogen). When interacting with them, the strip changes its color.

If the level of these elements is normal, then no reaction occurs. This is a very simple and affordable way to find out at home whether your liver is healthy.

Palpation

Palpation of the gland allows you to determine its size, density and structure. Normally, the lower edge of the organ does not extend beyond the costal arch. It should be sharp or slightly rounded, soft, painless and fairly mobile.

The structure of a healthy organ is even, smooth, without compactions.

If upon palpation there is pain in combination with a rounded edge, then this is a sign of an inflammatory process. This often occurs with viral hepatitis.
A lumpy, dense, uneven edge indicates echinococcosis or syphilis. The tubercles in this case are echinococcal blisters or syphilitic chancre.
A very dense structure of the gland is observed with cancerous damage to the organ.
A firm margin combined with lumpiness indicates cirrhosis. In this case, the tuberosity is formed due to fibrous degeneration and disruption of the lobular structure of the gland.

Toxic liver dystrophy

It manifests itself as massive progressive necrosis of liver tissue, is an acute, less often chronic disease, characterized by progressive massive necrosis of the liver and the development of associated liver failure.

Etiology and pathogenesis of toxic liver dystrophy

Massive liver necrosis usually develops mainly due to exogenous (food poisoning, including mushrooms, phosphorus compounds, arsenic, etc.) and endogenous (thyrotoxicosis, toxicosis of pregnant women) intoxications. It can occur with viral hepatitis as a manifestation of its fulminant form.

Pathological anatomy in toxic liver dystrophy

The changes that occur during toxic liver dystrophy are different in different periods of the disease. At the beginning of the disease, there is some increase in the size of the liver; it becomes dense or flabby, with a yellowish tint. With further progression, the liver decreases in size, becoming flabby, and its capsule acquires a wrinkled structure. The liver tissue becomes gray and clayey in appearance.

Microscopically, the development of fatty degeneration of hepatocytes in the center of the liver lobules is observed, followed by their further necrosis and processes of autolytic decay with the formation of protein-fatty detritus with crystals of the amino acids leucine and tyrosine. With progression, these necrotic changes affect the remaining sections of the lobules. These changes in the liver characterize the onset of the stage of so-called yellow dystrophy.

After 3 weeks of illness, the liver further decreases in size and becomes red in color. The reticular stroma of the liver is exposed with dilated and sharply engorged sinusoids. Hepatocytes are retained only at the periphery of the lobules. These changes characterize the onset of the stage of red dystrophy.

Symptoms of toxic liver dystrophy

With massive liver necrosis and toxic liver dystrophy, the development of jaundice, processes of hyperplasia of the lymph nodes and spleen located near the portal vein, the appearance of multiple hemorrhages in the skin, mucous and serous membranes, necrosis of epithelial cells in the kidney tubules, dystrophic changes in the tissues of the pancreas and myocardium are noted hearts.

As this form of the disease progresses, patients often die from the development of hepatorenal syndrome and liver failure.

Toxic chronic liver dystrophy is observed extremely rarely when the disease recurs, during which a postnecrotic form of liver cirrhosis develops.

Who treats and what tests need to be taken

Many people do not know which specialist to contact if they suspect a pathology of this organ. If you have complaints and symptoms, you should contact a therapist who will prescribe basic tests and instrumental studies.

This pathology is treated by a gastroenterologist or hepatologist. If the disease has an infectious etiology, then the patient is treated by an infectious disease specialist. If cancer is diagnosed, the oncologist takes over the treatment. Depending on the nature of the disease, its course and complications, consultation with other specialists may be required.

The required minimum of tests and studies to assess the functioning of the gland are:

Complete blood count - anemia can often be observed,
General and biochemical urine analysis - albumin, bilirubin, urobilinogen,
Biochemical screening:

AST and ALT are an indicator of liver cell death. The more this indicator exceeds the norm, the more hepatocytes are destroyed,
Bilirubin is a component of bile, which, in case of organ pathology, enters the bloodstream as a result of the destruction of hepatocytes, which gives the skin a yellow color,
Prothrombin index is an indicator of blood clotting, which decreases with liver failure,
Proteinogram – to assess blood protein levels,

Ultrasound examination (ultrasound) - allows you to evaluate the structure and size of the organ and the presence of any pathological formations (cysts, tumors) in it,

If a more detailed diagnosis is necessary, the doctor may prescribe additional studies:

Biopsy - allows you to identify abnormalities at the cellular level of the lesion. Rarely used due to the risk of complications.
MRI is the safest and most painless procedure that allows you to study the structure of an organ in detail.

Video

Symptoms of liver diseases.

An enlarged liver is an alarming signal that requires examination of the entire body and the gland itself.

Normally, with a weight of up to 1500 g, its dimensions are quite constant. Information that your liver is enlarged may appear after an ultrasound or tomography (then it will also be clear which specific proportion is larger than normal), as well as after a simple examination by a doctor. During palpation, the gland should not protrude from under the costal arch and, moreover, disturb the person - be painful during examination.

The organ performs about 30 different functions, so even minor deviations from the norm should be taken seriously - it is necessary to establish why the liver is enlarged and eliminate it. If we are not talking about a tumor or acute infection, then this is usually quite possible to do using natural remedies

How to notice its manifestations?

A healthy human liver is called upon to perform many vital functions of the body. Anatomically, this gland (in a state of health) is located in the right hypochondrium; it occupies the upper right part of the abdominal cavity, without protruding beyond the ribs.

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The healthy, physiologically normal weight of this organ in the average adult can range from 800 to 1200 grams.

Usually, upon palpation, doctors can barely notice the lower edge of the liver structures - this is considered normal!

But how can the patient himself determine that he has an enlarged liver, how can he find out that there is something wrong with the organ, since it is not very convenient to palpate the hypochondrium area on your own?

It turns out that there are certain signs (peculiar symptoms of liver enlargement) that should force the patient to see a doctor and be examined.

Signs of an unhealthy liver may include:

The appearance of the first alarm signal - a feeling of heaviness or discomfort in the right hypochondrium.

If a person, by changing the position of his own body, can feel some kind of volumetric compaction under the ribs on the right, then he should consult a doctor for advice.

Moreover, it is important to do this even if there are no other symptoms of liver enlargement;

In the periodic occurrence of otherwise unreasonable nausea or even vomiting; In the occurrence of digestive disorders - changes, discoloration of stool, dark coloration of urine; Also, symptoms of diseases that cause an enlarged liver may include: yellowing of the skin, itching, and the appearance of specific stars on the skin.

If such symptoms develop, as well as if it is possible to independently palpate the liver in the right hypochondrium, the patient needs to consult a doctor as soon as possible to undergo an adequate examination and find out the causes of such phenomena.

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Attention! Unfortunately, it is often not possible to find out on your own whether the liver is sick or enlarged in a particular case!

TOP 10 reasons for liver enlargement

Liver enlargement is not a disease, but a syndrome indicating the presence of any pathologies of the body or the gland itself. The organ reacts painfully to the influence of negative factors of the internal and external environment, and can increase in size due to certain diseases and conditions.

TOP 10 main reasons for liver enlargement in adults:

Hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Oncology.
Fatty liver (steatosis, fatty hepatosis).
Stagnation of bile.
Alcohol intoxication.
Metabolic disease.
Wilson's disease (a disorder of copper metabolism) and Gaucher's disease (accumulation of glucocerebroside in the liver and other organs).
Infectious diseases (hepatitis, mononucleosis, leptospirosis, borreliosis).
Consequences of treatment with antibiotics, hormones, psychotropic, antitumor drugs, cytostatics.
Pathology of the cardiovascular system, for example, heart failure.

The causes of liver enlargement may be different. The syndrome can occur during pregnancy, during long-term use of medications or regular overeating of heavy foods. The gland can become enlarged due to injury, cyst formation, or poisoning with toxic substances. As a rule, this phenomenon is accompanied by a number of characteristic symptoms confirming the presence of pathology.

Clinical picture

Hepatocytes are responsible for waste disposal; if there are too many toxic substances in the body, the liver does not have time to get rid of them in time.
In this case, the cells of the organ increase in size, and the compensatory function is activated. A prerequisite for changes in liver size is also cardiovascular failure; with pathology, the blood moves more slowly and stagnates in the vessels.

Problems with the parenchyma appear during inflammatory processes of the liver and poisoning. If the increase in hepatocytes is not stopped in time, the cells die and are replaced by connective tissue. This process is irreversible.

An enlarged liver is a logical consequence of fatty hepatosis. The tissues gradually become overgrown with adipose tissue, and cirrhosis develops. Among the causes are hereditary and congenital diseases.

Symptoms in adults

The first alarming symptom indicating an enlarged liver is a feeling of heaviness under the right rib. Symptoms intensify after eating or drinking alcoholic beverages.

The patient complains:

pain in the abdomen;
periodic visual and taste hallucinations;
severe heartburn;
attacks of nausea.

With severe lesions, confusion and significant weight loss are noted.

Symptoms include changes in skin color, sclera, general muscle weakness, increased temperature, body itching, increased nervousness and irritability. From time to time the patient faints and develops an unpleasant odor from the mouth.

Signs in children

In childhood, liver enlargement is indicated by bitterness in the mouth, heartburn, and fatigue. The child becomes absent-minded, his performance at school decreases, his appetite disappears, and the bursting pain under the rib on the right increases.

Enlarged liver in a child

In infants, liver enlargement may be associated with neonatal jaundice. It does not require treatment as it goes away within a month. The causes of this condition may be birth injuries, diabetes and other disorders of the endocrine system in the mother.

In a child under 7 years of age, hepatomegaly is a completely normal physiological phenomenon. It is considered normal if the baby’s liver protrudes slightly beyond the edges of the ribs (by 1–2 cm). As the child grows, the liver becomes normal in size. In any case, the doctor will most accurately determine whether the child needs treatment.

In children, liver enlargement may indicate the following diseases:

Inflammatory processes in the body;
Congenital TORCH infections;
Liver damage from toxins or drugs;
Metabolic pathology;
Disorders of the bile ducts, blockage of the bile ducts;
Metastases or tumors.

A cause for concern is an enlarged liver in children in combination with other “danger signals”: fever, venous network in the abdomen, vomiting, skin rashes, weight loss, loss of appetite, yellowness of the mucous membranes. When these signs appear, the pediatrician prescribes a consultation with a hepatologist, infectious disease specialist, or gastroenterologist. To identify the exact cause of liver enlargement, a number of tests and ultrasound examination are necessary.

Causes

The consumption of alcohol and its surrogates (toxic (poisonous) substitutes) is the cause of atrophic cirrhosis of the liver in approximately 40-60% of cases.

Poor nutrition (insufficient intake of protein, vitamins, minerals).

Taking hepatotoxic (detrimental to the liver) medications; combination of taking these drugs with drinking alcohol.

Chronic viral hepatitis.

A gastroenterologist will help in treating the disease

Symptoms of an enlarged liver

It should be noted that the liver is one of the few organs that does not have nerve endings. Therefore, in most cases, the patient does not observe any symptoms. Any pathologies that are associated with this organ are diagnosed in the later stages, when the underlying factor affects other organs or systems of the body, which, in turn, leads to an intensive manifestation of the clinical picture.

At the initial stages, liver enlargement does not appear. The patient may occasionally experience pain or discomfort in the area where the organ is located. As the underlying disease worsens, the clinical picture may appear as follows:

discomfort in the right hypochondrium;
a feeling of heaviness, even with a minimal amount of food or liquid intake;
belching, which is accompanied by an unpleasant odor;
heartburn;
disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract - frequent constipation, attacks of diarrhea for no apparent reason;
nausea, rarely with bouts of vomiting;
yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes;
“liver palms”;
irritability, sudden mood swings;
sleep disturbance - drowsiness or, on the contrary, insomnia.

If liver enlargement is caused by cardiovascular failure, the following characteristic signs may be added to the overall clinical picture:

high blood pressure;
increased sweating;
tachycardia;
chest pain, feeling of tightness.

Often an enlarged liver is a sign of gallstone disease. In this case, the following possible symptoms may appear:

heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
chest pain;
vomiting bile, which does not bring relief;
feces are discolored and often contain undigested food particles;
yellowing of the skin.

You also need to understand that symptoms do not always accurately indicate one specific ailment. It is possible to accurately determine which disease is a manifestation of this or that symptom and why the liver is enlarged only after diagnosis. Therefore, you cannot independently compare the symptoms and take treatment, as this can only aggravate the course of the disease and lead to irreversible pathological processes.

What happens to the liver at the decompensated stage

When the disease reaches the final stages of its development, all laboratory parameters sharply deteriorate, and the patient’s symptoms become more intense. As cirrhosis of the liver develops, scar tissue gradually affects more and more areas, inhibiting the organ's ability to remove toxins from the body. When the organ is completely covered with scars and fibrous tissue, the organ begins to decrease in size, the right lobe always looks larger compared to the left. The organ begins to deform due to the fact that it cannot pump blood. The liver tissue gradually “shrinks” because it cannot restore its normal appearance. With cirrhosis at a late stage, the organ becomes flabby, and its capsule acquires a wrinkled structure. The liver tissue takes on a gray tint and a clayey appearance. An ultrasound examination will reveal a heterogeneous structure of the organ, various kinds of tubercles and necrotic areas.

As the disease progresses, necrotic changes spread to healthy parts of the lobules, and the organ is destroyed. These changes in the liver are called yellow dystrophy. After 3 weeks, with decompensated cirrhosis, the liver shrinks even more and becomes red. There is exposure of the reticular stroma with dilated and blood-filled sinusoids. Healthy liver cells are preserved only at the periphery of the lobules of the reduced organ. Such changes are called in medicine the stage of red dystrophy.

At this stage, it is impossible to cure cirrhosis in a conservative way; a person can only be saved by an organ transplant, a strict diet and, of course, lifelong maintenance therapy with medications.

Diagnostics

The doctor can make the primary diagnosis during examination - if the liver is very enlarged, severe pain occurs when pressure is applied. The structure of the organ also matters - with cirrhosis it is hard to the touch, with obesity it is loose.

How to determine the cause of liver enlargement:

clinical, biochemical blood test - methods allow you to understand the degree of liver damage, the presence of inflammatory and infectious pathologies, and assess the level of necessary liver enzymes;
general urine analysis;
coprogram;
markers for hepatitis of viral origin;
liver tissue biopsy;
X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI of the abdominal cavity.

Ultrasound examination is one of the most informative diagnostic methods; it allows you to assess and find out the condition of the organ lobes, portal vein, and hepatic artery. Normally, the length of the liver is 14–20 cm, in cross section – 20–22.5 cm, size in the sagittal plane – 9–12 cm. The length of the right lobe is 11–15 cm, the left lobe is about 6 cm thick, height - less than 10 cm. Permissible deviations are no more than 1–1.5 cm.

Diagnostic measures can be adjusted depending on the current symptoms. Most often, the left lobe enlarges; if the diagnosis shows a strong expansion of the right lobe, it is necessary to additionally check the pancreas and spleen.

Medicines

The selection of medications that will be used to treat an enlarged liver is carried out exclusively with a doctor. Most patients are prescribed hepatoprotectors, designed to protect the diseased organ, normalize functioning, and stop further cell changes. In addition to them, the following may be written:

Enzyme medicines - tablets, capsules, which compensate for the lack of digestive enzymes, are especially important for pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic insufficiency.
Choleretic drugs – stimulate the flow of bile.
Antiviral drugs - make sense for viral hepatitis, but only in the early stages (the probability of cure is 85%).
Glucocorticosteroids - used in the later stages of cirrhosis as anti-inflammatory drugs.
Diuretics are prescribed in the presence of ascites (when fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity) and are absolutely contraindicated in the treatment of advanced stage cirrhosis, when there is a risk of hepatic coma.

Hepatoprotectors

Medicines aimed at protecting the liver often have a natural composition (mostly herbal) or belong to homeopathic medicines, so the main contraindications to them are hypersensitivity, and allergic reactions are side effects. The most effective hepatoprotectors:

Gepabene - capsules with milk thistle and fume powder, have a choleretic effect, prescribed for adults, 1 piece. before meals 3 times a day. The duration of the course of treatment is determined by the doctor. Effective for dyskinesia, hepatitis and toxic lesions, well tolerated, not prescribed for acute diseases of the gallbladder.
Ovesol is a combination preparation of turmeric, immortelle, mint and oats. It has 2 release forms - tablets and solution. Taken 2 times a day, 15-50 drops or 1 tablet before meals. The treatment lasts a month, no adverse reactions have been identified. Contraindication is bending of the gallbladder.
Karsil is a drug based on milk thistle fruits, a safe food additive that protects against intoxication and restores liver cells. Well tolerated, but may cause diarrhea. Take 1 tablet with food (do not chew) 3 times a day, treatment lasts 3-4 weeks.
Heptral is a potent medicine prescribed for cirrhosis, steatosis, fibrosis, hepatosis, and drug intoxication of the liver. Works on admetionine, has neuroprotective, antioxidant, antidepressant properties. It is prohibited for children, pregnant women and lactating women; it has a large number of side effects. Take tablets between main meals, in the first half of the day. The dose is prescribed by the doctor.

In the treatment of hepatomegaly, enzyme and choleretic drugs play an important role, one of which is Allochol. It is of plant origin: it consists of nettle and garlic extracts, supplemented with activated carbon and animal bile. Allochol is prescribed for hepatitis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, dyskinesia of the gallbladder, cholelithiasis. It improves the function of the organs of the hepatobiliary system, improves the process of bile secretion. Key points:

Principle of administration: after meals, for a course of 4 to 8 weeks. Dosage for adults – 1-2 tablets up to 4 times a day for the acute stage of the disease and 1 tablet up to 3 times a day for the chronic stage.
Side effects: heartburn, belching, diarrhea, allergic reactions.
Contraindications: acute stages of hepatitis, steatosis, pancreatitis, entercolitis, gastric ulcer, obstructive jaundice, large gallstones.

Mezim - prescribed for replacement therapy for pancreatic enzyme deficiency, works on pancreatin. It is safe, no cases of overdose have been recorded, but the tablet form is not used in children under 3 years of age. Can be used for long-term treatment (more than a year). Key points from the instructions:

Direction of administration: with or after meals, washing down the tablet with water (100-150 ml). Adults are prescribed 1-2 tablets, children over 7 years old - 1 tablet. The daily dose for an adult patient is 4 tablets.
Side effects: well tolerated, can provoke allergic reactions and constipation.
Contraindications: exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.

Treatment for enlarged liver

Treatment for an enlarged liver depends on the cause of its enlargement. When, fortunately, no diseases of the body have been identified, but the limits of the determined liver size are still far from normal, the doctor recommends reconsidering your lifestyle, nutrition, giving up bad habits and, if necessary, losing weight. It is also important to avoid situations that are stressful for the body (fasting, nervous stress), to properly allocate time for work and rest, and to engage in feasible physical labor.

Treatment may be prescribed based on three factors:

Drugs for the liver - hepatoprotectors and choleretic drugs;
Diet;
Limiting heavy physical activity.

Hepatoprotectors

In the case where the liver is enlarged, a number of certain drugs - hepatoprotectors - will help restore its structure and relieve local symptoms.

Essentiale. A unique preparation containing essential phospholipids derived from soybeans. The capsules are presented in the form of a khaki-colored shell with viscous contents that are similar to honey. Also available in the form of an injection solution. Symptoms of hepatomegaly can be treated with 2 capsules taken 3 times a day with meals. The duration of treatment should be at least 3 months.
Legal. Brown capsules with a dark yellow powder inside consisting of milk thistle seed extract. One capsule contains 140 mg of silymarin. Capsules cannot be opened, because... silymarin is destroyed under the influence of sunlight and, in this case, taking the drug may be pointless. Adolescents over 12 years of age and adults, if hepatomegaly is diagnosed, are prescribed 1 capsule of Legalon three times a day to improve their condition. The course is determined by the doctor individually.
Gepabene.Gepabene capsules are a gelatin shell containing inside a light or dark brown powder that is heterogeneous and has white or yellowish inclusions. The powder is obtained from dry extracts of fume and milk thistle. Hepatomegaly in adults is treated with 1 capsule of Hepabene, three times a day.
Ovesol. A combined herbal remedy made from extracts of oats, mint, immortelle and turmeric powder. Available in the form of both tablets and alcohol solution. The solution is prescribed by the doctor twice a day in an amount of 15 to 50 drops. It is recommended to take 1 tablet, also twice a day. The general course of treatment for liver disease lasts for a month.
Liv-52. Combined herbal preparation, which contains extracts of chicory, cassia, yarrow, nightshade, radish, emblica, fume, as well as iron oxide and other components. Adults and adolescents over 14 years of age, if the liver is enlarged, take 2 tablets three times a day.

These drugs alone cannot cure an enlarged liver. For complete healing, it is necessary to get rid of the main “provocateur”. Treatment is carried out based on the complete clinical picture of the patient, laboratory tests and under the supervision of a physician. To quickly restore liver function, it is necessary to carefully monitor the functioning of the digestive system. The following medications can be prescribed to help the liver:

Allohol, cholenzim. They normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, thus helping the liver cope with the load. Improves bile flow.
Mezim (pancreatin) is an enzyme-containing drug that helps digestion and improves the functioning of the pancreas and intestines.

Prevention of atrophic cirrhosis of the liver

A balanced, nutritious diet, eating enough proteins.
Quitting alcohol consumption
Timely examination by a gastroenterologist - once a year.

Prevention of complications of atrophic cirrhosis of the liver.

Prevention of bleeding from varicose veins (characterized by an increase in the lumen of the veins, thinning of their walls and the formation of nodes along the veins) of the esophagus and stomach.

Performing fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy (FEGDS, examination of the inner surface of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum using a flexible optical device (endoscope) once every 12-24 months for all patients with diseases that can lead to portal hypertension).
If varicose veins are detected, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

With significant varicose veins, repeated FEGDS are performed every 6 months.
For small varicose veins, a repeat examination is carried out after 2-3 years.

If varicose veins are not detected during the first FEGDS, a repeat study is carried out after 3-5 years.

Prevention of hepatic encephalopathy.

Reducing the amount of protein consumed (no more than 30 grams per day is allowed, evenly distributed throughout the day) to reduce the formation of toxic (poisonous) nitrogen compounds that can damage the brain.

Preparations of lactulose (a synthetic analogue of lactose - milk sugar). They remove harmful substances from the intestines that accumulate due to disturbances in the liver and can cause toxic damage to the brain.

Nutrition and diet

If the liver is swollen, it is necessary to reconsider the diet - with a slight increase, the size of the organ can be reduced to normal values using diet. The amount of salt should be limited to 10–12 g, sugar to 55 g, and the daily volume of clean water to at least 1.5 liters.

low-fat dairy products;
fresh, boiled, stewed, baked vegetables;
honey, marmalade, jam, biscuits;
lean meat and fish;
first courses based on vegetable broths;
fruits, dried fruits;
vegetable and butter;
all cereals, vermicelli;
egg white omelet;
slightly dried bread;
sauerkraut.

It is not recommended to eat the following foods:

any fried, spicy, salty, junk food;
fatty meats, meat broths;
fatty fish, seafood;
boiled eggs, mushrooms, legumes, spinach, sorrel, onions, radishes;
sauces with lots of spices;
high fat dairy products;
pastries from butter dough, fresh bread;
desserts with cream, ice cream, cocoa, nuts;
alcoholic, carbonated drinks, coffee, strong tea, sour juices.

Meals should be fractional - you need to eat 5-6 times a day, in small portions, dinner no later than 19 hours, you can drink weak green tea, a glass of water before bed.

Sample menu

For convenience and clarity, the diet is scheduled for a week.

7.30 – oatmeal with milk, green or black tea.
10.30 – persimmon or apple, juice.
13.00 – portion of boiled or steamed meat or fish.
15.30 – boiled carrots, baked apple.
17.30 – steamed vegetables.
19.00 – any fruit.

7.30 - oatmeal or diet cookies, herbal tea.
10.30 – steamed dried fruits.
13.00 – low-fat poultry soup, bran or rye bread.
15.30 – dry cookies with juice.
17.30 – kefir or low-fat cottage cheese.
19.00 – fresh vegetables.

7.30 – a glass of milk or kefir.
10.30 – oatmeal cookies, herbal tea or rose hip decoction.
13.00 – steamed chicken or fish cutlets.
15.30 – pumpkin puree.
17.30 – cheesecakes with fruits or berries.
19.00 – oatmeal cookies and juice.

7.30 – milk rice porridge, weak black tea with honey, dry cookies.
10.30 – dried fruit compote or berry jelly.
13.00 – boiled fish, crackers.
15.30 – juice and biscuits.
17.30 – vegetable casserole, bran bread.
19.00 – herbal tea.

7.30 - pasta dishes, tea.
10.30 – cookies, apple juice.
13.00 – buckwheat soup with chicken, bran or rye bread.
15.30 – one citrus or apple.
17.30 - milk porridge, tea with oatmeal cookies.
19.00 – rosehip decoction, cookies.

7.30 – rice or buckwheat porridge, green tea.
10.30 – chicken or turkey liver, fruit salad.
13.00 – low-fat chicken or beef broth, bran bread.
15.30 – fresh vegetables.
17.30 – milk porridge.
19.00 – black tea with marmalade.

7.30 – low-fat cottage cheese pancakes, tea with lemon and honey.
10.30 – any juice, dry or oatmeal cookies.
13.00 - steamed chicken with vegetables.
15.30 – oatmeal cookies, rosehip infusion.
17.30 – yogurt or kefir.
19.00 - boiled vegetables.

Any diet must be discussed with a doctor, who will give all the necessary recommendations. With an enlarged liver, nutrition should be optimally balanced. Therefore, it is periodically necessary to adjust and diversify the diet. If the liver is severely enlarged, it is advisable to dilute fruit and vegetable juices with boiled water in a 1:1 ratio. Alcohol, coffee, chocolate, confectionery, salt, pepper, vinegar are the main enemies of the liver. For any liver disease, legumes in any form, nuts, and carbonated drinks are contraindicated.

What does traditional medicine offer?

To reinforce drug therapy, the patient is recommended to include alternative medicine recipes in the treatment regimen.
Before starting use, you must make sure that there is no intolerance or allergy to the components of the products. How to treat an enlarged liver with herbs? Compositions based on natural honey received good reviews. You will need to take a third of a glass of bee product, the juice of half a lemon, mix the ingredients, take a tablespoon before each meal. In the morning on an empty stomach, drink a glass of warm water with two tablespoons of honey.

Eating boiled beets helps treat an enlarged liver; it can be eaten without anything or included in salads and other dishes. Juices are prepared from beets, but before use they will need to be diluted with warm boiled water.

Against hepatomegaly, the patient needs to use remedies from medicinal plants. Good fit:

It is useful for the liver and pancreas to take a decoction of agrimony. You need to take a couple of tablespoons of the raw material, pour a glass of boiling water over it, let it brew, filter it, and consume 50 g per day.

In the morning, drink a tablespoon of flaxseed oil on an empty stomach. The product relieves the inflammatory process, works as a choleretic, laxative. If the acidity of the stomach is reduced, it is useful to drink sauerkraut brine; it is enough to drink half a glass of juice a day. The method helps improve the condition of the mucous membrane of the stomach and liver.

Fresh pumpkin can eliminate inflammation; it is eaten raw in the morning. The vegetable is grated and seasoned with a small amount of vegetable oil. Positive dynamics are observed when drinking a cocktail of cool boiled water, to which is added:

juice of half a lemon;
a large spoon of natural honey.

If intoxication occurs, cleansing the body is indicated. Detoxification is carried out with oat infusion, you need to take a glass of washed oats, three tablespoons of lingonberry leaves, and the same amount of birch leaves. Oats and herbs are poured with boiling water, infused, and a quarter of a glass is consumed every hour. The recipes are suitable for elderly patients and young children.

Prognosis and complications

An enlarged liver indicates the existence of a serious pathology in the body that requires medical intervention. The consequences of ignoring this problem in 1/3 of cases will lead to serious complications, including organ failure.

What are the dangers of liver enlargement and how dangerous is it? Viral and infectious hepatitis are reversible; timely treatment usually results in recovery and the return of the organ size back to normal limits. Damage caused by toxic substances, particularly alcohol, is usually irreversible. The prognosis for fatty hepatosis and fulminant forms of hepatitis will not be positive.

Preventing liver disease will help by switching to proper nutrition, giving up bad habits, regulating your sex life, and promptly consulting a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease.

Enlarged liver, or hepatomegaly, is characterized by pathological enlargement of this organ. Medicine knows of cases where the weight of the liver reached 15 kilograms. If this symptom is not eliminated in a timely manner, then a life-threatening illness – liver failure – may develop. It should be noted that the presence of this symptom does not always indicate pathologies in the liver area. Quite often, the manifestation of this symptom may indicate the development of pathological processes in other organs and systems of the body.

Using Herbs to Combat Liver Bloating

Hepatoprotectors can be conditionally called traditional medicine, because they contain ingredients of plant origin. Some choleretic agents (for example, Allochol) are also created on a natural basis. They do not treat the liver, but restore the tissues of the organ, normalize the functioning of the gallbladder, and promote the formation and excretion of bile. The purpose of taking the drugs is to strengthen the liver, relieve pain, and restore normal functioning of the organ.

Oats

Cereal normalizes metabolism, has a positive effect on the liver, improving blood composition. A decoction (1 glass of oats is poured with a liter of boiling water and simmered for 40 minutes over low heat) is drunk for a month, 50 g each before meals.

Turmeric

The root of the plant is used in cooking and folk healing. There are several varieties of the plant in nature, but long turmeric is used in medicine and as food. The plant has a whole range of effects on the body:

bactericidal;
urinary and choleretic;
pain reliever;
healing.

A solution of ¼ teaspoon of spice is poured into a glass of hot water and honey is added. The resulting mixture is drunk before meals for 2 weeks.

Herbal infusions

Combining several medicinal plants enhances the healing effect, complementing the effect of one remedy with another. This makes healing faster.

A collection of mint leaves, St. John's wort, motherwort and immortelle flowers is boiled in 0.5 liters of water. Drink before meals for 30 days.
A mixture of celandine + calendula flowers + St. John's wort + coltsfoot is mixed in equal parts. Add 0.5 liters of boiling water to 2 tablespoons of the composition and leave for an hour. Take half a glass before meals for 4 weeks.

Corn silk

The plant is used as a choleretic and decongestant. Take a decoction or infusion of fibers. To prepare the decoction 1 tsp. plants are poured with 1 glass of hot water and placed in a water bath. They simmer for half an hour. The strained and chilled drink is taken before meals for 3 weeks. Infusion 2 tbsp. l. Stigma is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for 30 minutes.

Drink 1/3 glass of the cooled solution before meals. The course of treatment is a month.

Beetroot and carrot juice

The benefits of root vegetables have been known for a long time; combining 2 juices accelerates the production of bile and quickly restores the liver. Drink freshly squeezed juice.

The drink is made in the proportion of 1 part beet juice to 10 parts carrot juice. To improve the taste and healing qualities, honey, caramel or sugar are added to it, but you can use the drink without additional components. The treatment is carried out for a month, drinking 100 ml before meals. To maintain the liver in normal condition, it is recommended to take beetroot and carrot juice in 2 courses per year.

Etiology

An enlarged liver can be observed in the following pathological processes:

It should also be noted the reasons for liver enlargement that are not directly related to the functioning of this organ:

cardiovascular failure;
genetic diseases;
vein blockage;
disruption of fat metabolism and metabolic functioning;
hemochromatosis;
oncological processes;
benign tumors;
cysts;
exposure to toxins, including alcohol and drugs.

Separately, we should highlight factors that can lead to liver enlargement in a child:

inflammatory processes;
toxic poisoning with heavy metals, chemical compounds, poisons;
sepsis;
abnormal development of the bile ducts;
metabolic pathologies;
poor nutrition of the child, which can lead to obesity or “fatty” liver syndrome;
congenital infections;
congestive liver pathologies.

It should also be noted that an enlarged liver in a child can be a signal of a blood disease - leukemia, hemolytic anemia, etc. Therefore, if an enlarged liver is noticed in a child, you should urgently seek medical help. Delay in this situation can lead to disability or death.

What is the threat?

The liver plays an important role in the human body, performing many protective functions. The length of the organ in a normal state is 25-30 cm, the width is approximately 20 cm. With hepatomegaly, under the influence of certain negative factors, the size of the liver increases. In medical practice, pathology of the right side of the organ is more common, as a result of which the patient may feel heaviness in the right hypochondrium. This pathology can be observed at any age, including children.

An enlarged liver can cause the following consequences:

liver failure;
disruption of the functioning of important body systems;
exacerbation of other existing pathologies.

Symptoms

discomfort in the right hypochondrium;
a feeling of heaviness, even with a minimal amount of food or liquid intake;
belching, which is accompanied by an unpleasant odor;
heartburn;
disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract - frequent constipation, attacks of diarrhea for no apparent reason;
nausea, rarely with bouts of vomiting;
yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes;
“liver palms”;
irritability, sudden mood swings;
sleep disturbance - drowsiness or, on the contrary, insomnia.

If liver enlargement is caused by cardiovascular failure, the following characteristic signs may be added to the overall clinical picture:

Often an enlarged liver is a sign of gallstone disease. In this case, the following possible symptoms may appear:

heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
chest pain;
vomiting bile, which does not bring relief;
feces are discolored and often contain undigested food particles;
yellowing of the skin.

What is not recommended to do?

If the liver is enlarged, you cannot ignore the symptoms and neglect the treatment of the pathology. It is important to undergo a full examination as soon as possible and identify the cause of the development of hepatomegaly. It is not worthwhile to carry out therapy only with medicinal herbs or folk recipes. Such treatment may alleviate symptoms, but will not get rid of the underlying disease.

For hepatomegaly it is not recommended:

self-medicate;
prematurely interrupt the course of treatment;
independently select medications for treatment;
neglect the rules of dietary nutrition;
eat prohibited foods;
abuse alcohol;
ignore signs of exacerbation of the disease.

Diagnostics

If the liver is enlarged, the doctor conducts a comprehensive examination to clarify the root cause of this symptom, establish a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

The diagnostic program may consist of the following activities:

physical examination with palpation (if the liver is greatly enlarged, this will be clearly visible), clarification of complaints, medical history and life history;
general and biochemical blood test;
general analysis of urine and feces;
determination of markers of viral hepatitis;
biopsy of the affected organ;
Ultrasound;
radiography;
immunological studies.

The diagnostic program can be adjusted depending on the current symptoms, the patient’s condition, medical history and the patient’s life.

Treatment

Basic therapy will depend on the underlying factor. In general, drug therapy may include the following:

antibiotics;
antiviral;
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
immunomodulatory;
glucocorticosteroids;
vitamin and mineral complexes.

If the cause of this symptom is a hereditary disease, then the metabolic process is corrected with replacement therapy. The use of vitamin-mineral complexes is mandatory.

In case of oncological processes, surgical intervention is carried out with chemotherapy and a subsequent course of rehabilitation.

For cholelithiasis, in most cases, radical treatment methods are used, i.e., surgical removal of the gallbladder.

Regardless of the etiological factor, special nutrition is prescribed. A diet for an enlarged liver implies the following:

exclusion from the diet of fatty, salty, fried, pickled and alcoholic drinks;
food should be boiled, steamed or baked without fat;
the consistency of the dishes should be liquid or puree;
Meals should be frequent, in small portions, but with an interval of at least 3 hours between meals.

The dietary table is determined based on the underlying ailment.

Self-medication or the use of traditional medicine, in this case, is unacceptable. You should strictly follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding medication, nutrition and lifestyle.

Patient reviews

Nikita, 47 years old

My liver became enlarged as a result of improper treatment of cirrhosis. He took the disease too lightly. He ignored nutritional recommendations, abused alcohol and violated medication courses. During the examination, the doctor said that if such mistakes are made in the future, the liver will continue to enlarge, as a result of which its performance will be permanently impaired. Now I take my medications according to the instructions, changed my diet and gave up alcohol. Experts began to note good trends.

Irina, 52 years old

The reason for my liver enlargement remains unclear. On the one hand, it could be obesity, from which I have been suffering for many years. On the other hand, poor nutrition. I couldn’t refuse fried foods, marinades and smoked foods. When the doctor urgently began to recommend changing my diet, I thought that I would not be able to cope with such a task. However, after studying recipes for steamed dishes, I realized that I was too biased towards dietary food. Additionally, I take medications for the liver and against obesity, and undergo regular examinations. So far, the doctors' forecasts have been only positive.

Alina, 48 years old

I have never been in perfect health. Having cured one disease, it was necessary to begin treatment for another. The result of this state of the body was an increase in the size of my liver, which was discovered almost by accident. Because managed to diagnose the deviation in the early stages, doctors decided to treat with medications. I took herbal preparations, immunomodulators and hepatoprotectors. I carry out prevention with decoctions of milk thistle, peppermint, rose hips and based on turmeric and honey.