Health Tip: Know The Signs of Liver Disease

(HealthDay News) -- The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. According to Loyola University Health System, it is also one of the most important, so it''s necessary to have knowledge of the signs of liver disease, which affects 25 million people in the United States.

Here are some of the signs of liver disease:

• Jaundice: A yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to abnormal levels of bilirubin in the bloodstream.
• Itching
• Liver enlargement, which causes a "full feeling."
• Bleeding from the esophagus and stomach (portal hypertension).
• Ascites: fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity.
• Hepatic encephalopathy: toxic substances in the blood that lead to deterioration of brain function.
• Liver failure.

-- Kimberly Sferruzzo

Last Updated: Nov. 14, 2005