12 Signs Of Liver Disease That You Can See

“Liver spots” are not, in fact, a sign of liver disease. But here are 12 things that are:

Making sure your liver isn’t about to defy its name

Dr. Siobhan Deshauer explains:

1. Muehrcke’s lines: horizontal white lines under the fingernail that don’t move as the nail grows; associated with low albumin levels due to liver disease.
2. Terry’s nails: pale nails with a reduced or absent lunula (the half-moon shape at the base); also linked to low albumin from liver dysfunction.
3. Clubbing: nails curve around enlarged fingertips and lose the diamond-shaped gap when nails are pressed together; associated with various chronic diseases including liver disease.
4. Ascites: swelling of the abdomen due to fluid buildup caused by portal hypertension from liver scarring.
5. Caput Medusae: enlarged, visible veins around the navel due to blood rerouting from high pressure in the portal vein.
6. Varices: dilated veins in the esophagus or stomach that can rupture and bleed dangerously due to portal hypertension.
7. Palmar erythema: redness on the palms, especially over the thenar and hypothenar areas, due to dangerously elevated estrogen levels being common in liver disease.
8. Spider nevi: small, spider-like blood vessels on the skin that blanch when pressed; common in liver disease due to very high estrogen.
9. Muscle wasting: loss of muscle mass, particularly noticeable in the hands and temples, as the body breaks down muscle for energy when the liver fails.
10. Dupuytren’s contracture: thickening and tightening of the palm fascia leading to curled fingers, especially in the ring and pinky fingers.
11. Hepatic encephalopathy: brain dysfunction from high ammonia levels due to the liver’s inability to get rid of toxins; includes symptoms like confusion and a flapping tremor (asterixis).
12. Jaundice & easy bruising: yellowing of skin and eyes from bilirubin buildup, and frequent bruising or bleeding due to reduced clotting factors and platelets from liver dysfunction.

For more on each of these plus visual illustrations as applicable, enjoy:

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Take care!