Signs Your Liver Is In Big Trouble

Yellow eyes are a sign your liver isn’t doing very well and is probably the most specific sign of liver disease,” says KV Narayanan Menon, MD, medical director of liver transplantation at Cleveland Clinic. A yellow colored substance called bilirubin is usually broken down by the liver so it can be removed from the body, but when the liver is struggling it can cause bilirubin to build up, leading to yellowing of the whites of the eyes. Watch out for these fatty liver symptoms that could lead to disease.
When viruses or parasites infect the liver, it causes inflammation and reduced liver function. The most common types of liver infection are the hepatitis viruses; A is spread by coming into contact with a contaminated person’s feces or by ingesting compromised food and drink, while B and C are most commonly transmitted through blood, sex, or contact with other bodily fluids. “There are some really good treatments out there if you have hepatitis C, so people should get tested,” says Dr. Menon. Talk to your doctor about what other steps you can take to keep your liver as healthy as possible. (Did you know a lack of sleep decreases the chance that immunizations will be effective in preventing hepatitis B?

Believe it or not, a sick liver can cause itching all over your body. “We don’t know for sure, but it’s thought to be related to bile salt,” says Dr. Menon. Bile is a digestive substance produced by the liver, but in people with primary biliary cirrhosis (an autoimmune liver disease that causes the bile duct to collapse), that bile can accumulate and cause noticeable symptoms, like itching. (Your itching may also be due to Eczema.