You’ve probably heard of cirrhosis of the liver. This is a chronic disease that causes slow deterioration of the liver. Damage to the liver from one of many causes changes its structure by replacing the functional cells with scar tissue. When this happens the liver becomes less able to carry out its functions. The most common cause of liver cirrhosis in Phuket is alcohol abuse. Heavy drinking makes the liver susceptible to inflammation and I can assure you that we see many cases of liver cirrhosis at my hospital. The symptoms in the early stages are absent or mild. As the disease progresses loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, weakness and abdominal distention all become more pronounced.

Eventually liver failure will develop, memory is impaired, and life threatening bleeding from enlarged veins may also occur. When cirrhosis develops as a result of chronic active hepatitis, the outlook for recovery is poor. In contrast when it develops as a result of heavy drinking the outlook is promising if the individual stops or lessens the consumption of alcohol. The disease progresses at different rates depending on circumstances. Early detection and treatment is the best chance for recovery.

There’s also a condition known as fatty liver. This is a lesion on the liver and is caused by an inappropriate diet. While starvation and overeating both can cause fatty liver disease, and it’s also common in alcoholism, an imbalanced diet is the most frequent cause of this condition. If the cause of the fatty liver is removed early enough, complete recovery is usual. However, if the condition is allowed to persist, recovery is usually not possible. Sometimes with this condition the liver cells will undergo what is called a necrosis. This means the cells basically die off.

Acute hepatitis is a sudden inflammation of the liver caused by one of several viruses: Hepatitis A, B, C, or D. Hepatitis A is spread from person to person by poor personal hygiene or when water or food is contaminated by sewage. This is why this disease is quite common in developing countries with inadequate sanitation.

Both hepatitis B and C are spread from person to person two main ways: contact with infected blood or sexual activity with an infected person. Hepatitis B and C may be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her foetus. The blood of someone infected with either hepatitis B or C is highly infectious during the incubation period (which is usually six to twelve weeks, sometimes longer, between the time you were infected to the time symptoms appear). It’s so infectious that you’re up to 60 times more likely to catch hepatitis from an infected person than HIV.

Hepatitis D is transmitted the same way as hepatitis B and C, but you can’t be infected with D unless you’re already infected with B. Therefore, if you have the hepatitis B vaccine, you’re immune to D as well.

Thankfully there are vaccines for hepatitis and you should ensure that you’ve been protected. If you’re unsure of your hepatitis vaccination status, discuss this with your doctor as it can easily be checked and vaccination provided if necessary.

As for the more common liver cirrhosis, reflect on your alcohol intake. If you’re an excessive drinker, reduce consumption by having a few alcohol free days per week or if this is not possible, consider getting professional help. Your liver will thank you for it.

Peter Davison is the Manager International Services
at Phuket International Hospital.
Tel: +66 (0)76 249400. Email: info@phuketinternationalhospital.com.