Hepatomegaly: Causes, Complications, and Prevention Tips

A person with an enlarged liver usually does not show any symptoms initially but sometimes, the person experiences pressure in his abdomen.

• If a person has liver disease, they may experience jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes or skin, and poor appetite, dark urine and light stools.

• In addition to an enlarged liver, a person suffering from acute viral hepatitis or an infection that causes liver damage may experience nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, fatigue, muscle and joint pain.

Hepatomegaly that develops rapidly has more symptoms than hepatomegaly that develops slowly.

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Many types of diseases can cause hepatomegaly such as –

• viral hepatitis

• autoimmune disease

• Steatosis, or fatty liver disease

• genetic disease

• binge drinking

• liver tumor

• POEMS Syndrome

• The heart does not pump blood the way it should

• blockage of veins in the liver

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• alcohol abuse

• Bacteria, parasite, or virus infection

• Overdosing on vitamins, supplements, or medications

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Doctors test the condition of the liver to see whether the liver is larger than necessary or not. In other tests-

• CT scan

• x-ray

• MRI

• ultrasound

• ERCP etc.

Hepatomegaly is generally difficult to diagnose if the patient does not feel any abdominal pain. Thus, people can live for years without knowing that they have an enlarged liver. In cases of mild enlarged liver hepatomegaly, the specialist may prescribe any of the following procedures:

blood test

Blood test and lipid profile test will reveal whether there are more red blood cells or white blood cells in the body. If white blood cells are in excess then it is a sign of infection. In addition, the lipid profile test will show the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in the body, which are factors contributing to hepatomegaly symptoms.

LFT

LFT or liver function test determines the health of the liver and the enzymes present within it. If there are abnormal amounts of enzymes in the liver, that is a sign of hepatomegaly.

abdominal x-ray

Doctors do an X-ray of the lower abdomen which gives an idea of the size of the liver and is better than a blood test.

CT scan

CT scan is done when symptoms of hepatomegaly are mild. If any symptoms are seen that require treatment, the doctor will start treatment for hepatomegaly.

MRI and ultrasound

Both of these are common tests in hepatomegaly treatment and diagnosis. These are done to understand the condition of the liver.

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Treatment of an enlarged liver depends on what is causing it. If there is too much fat in the liver or you drink too much alcohol, you can treat it by making lifestyle changes such as -

• by losing weight

• drinking as much water as possible

• Healthy Diet

• physical activity

• Chemotherapy and surgery to remove liver cancer

• liver transplant

Additionally, your doctor may advise you to make lifestyle changes, get more exercise, and maintain a healthy diet.

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To prevent hepatomegaly, you have to pay attention to the symptoms, so you can make some changes to prevent it from increasing:

• exercising to prevent obesity

• eating healthy foods including green leafy vegetables

• abstain from alcohol

• not smoking

• Consult a specialist before taking any medicine

These are some ways you can work to improve the symptoms of hepatomegaly when they appear.

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Enlargement of liver: Hepatomegaly is not a disease but a symptom but it can be a sign of many diseases. This usually involves inflammation and liver disease. If you have never had your liver checked before, this could be the first sign of a problem. Therefore, take care of your health and get yourself checked from time to time.