Alcoholic Hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by drinking alcohol.
Alcoholic hepatitis is most likely to occur in people who drink heavily over many years. However, the relationship between drinking and alcoholic hepatitis is complex. Not all heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, and the disease can occur in people who drink only moderately.
If you’re diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, you must stop drinking alcohol. People who continue to drink alcohol face a high risk of serious liver damage and death.
Signs & Symptoms
The most common sign of alcoholic hepatitis is yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
Other signs and symptoms include:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal tenderness
- Fever, which is often low-grade
- Fatigue and weakness
- Weight loss
Just about everyone who has alcoholic hepatitis is malnourished. Drinking large amounts of alcohol suppresses the appetite, and heavy drinkers get most of their calories in the form of alcohol.
Signs and symptoms of severe alcoholic hepatitis include:
- Fluid accumulation in your abdomen (ascites)
- Confusion and behavior changes due to a buildup of toxins normally broken down and eliminated by the liver
- Kidney and liver failure
When to see a doctor
Alcoholic hepatitis is a serious disease. Up to 30 to 40 percent of people with severe alcoholic hepatitis can die within one month.
See your doctor if, you:
- have any signs or symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis
- feel you can’t control your drinking
- would like help to cut back on your drinking
Causes
Alcoholic hepatitis develops when the alcohol that you drink damages your liver. Just how alcohol damages the liver — and why it does so only in some heavy drinkers — isn’t clear.
It is known that:
- The body’s process for breaking down alcohol produces highly toxic chemicals
- These chemicals trigger inflammation that destroys liver cells
- Over time, scars replace healthy liver tissue, interfering with liver function
- This irreversible scarring (cirrhosis) is the final stage of alcoholic liver disease
Other factors that can contribute to alcoholic hepatitis include:
- Other types of hepatitis
If you have hepatitis C and also drink — even moderately — you’re more likely to develop cirrhosis than if you don’t drink. - Malnutrition
Many people who drink heavily are malnourished, because they eat poorly or because alcohol and its byproducts prevent the body from properly absorbing nutrients. Lack of nutrients contributes to liver cell damage.
Risk factors
The major risk factor for alcoholic hepatitis is the amount of alcohol you consume. The amount of alcohol intake that puts a person at risk of alcoholic hepatitis isn’t known. But most people with the condition have a history of drinking more than 3.4 ounces (100 grams) — equivalent to seven glasses of wine, seven beers or seven shots of spirits — daily for at least 20 years.
Other risk factors include:
- Your sex
Women seem to have a higher risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis possibly because of differences in the way alcohol is processed in women. - Obesity
Heavy drinkers who are overweight might be likelier to develop alcoholic hepatitis and to progress from that condition to cirrhosis. - Genetic factors
Studies suggest there may be a genetic component in alcohol-induced liver disease although it’s difficult to separate genetic and environmental factors. - Race and ethnicity
Although it’s difficult o separate genetic and environmental factors, African-Americans and Hispanics might be at higher risk of alcoholic hepatitis. - Binge drinking
Consuming five or more drinks at one time might increase your risk of alcoholic hepatitis.
Complications
Complications of alcoholic hepatitis include:
- High blood pressure in the liver
Scar tissue can slow the flow of blood through your liver, causing an increase in pressure in a major blood vessel (portal vein). - Enlarged veins (varices)
Blood that can’t flow freely through the portal vein can back up into other blood vessels in the stomach and esophagus. These blood vessels have thin walls and are likely to bleed if filled with too much blood. Heavy bleeding in the upper stomach or esophagus is life-threatening and requires immediate medical care. - Ascites
Fluid that accumulates in the abdomen might become infected and require treatment with antibiotics. Ascites aren’t life-threatening but are usually a sign of advanced alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis. - Jaundice
A damaged liver can’t remove the residue of old red blood cells (bilirubin) from your blood. Bilirubin builds up and is deposited in your skin and the whites of your eyes, causing a yellow color. - Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)
A damaged liver has trouble removing toxins from your body. The buildup of toxins can damage your brain. Severe hepatic encephalopathy can result in coma. - Cirrhosis
This irreversible scarring of the liver frequently leads to liver failure. - Kidney failure
A damaged liver can affect blood flow to the kidneys, resulting in damage to those organs.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will conduct a physical examination and ask about your history of alcohol consumption. It is important to be honest in describing your drinking habits. Your doctor might ask to interview family members about your drinking.
To test for liver disease, your doctor might recommend:
- Liver function tests
- Blood tests
- An ultrasound, CT or MRI scan of the liver
- A liver biopsy, if other tests and imaging don’t provide a clear diagnosis or if you are at risk of other causes of hepatitis
Holistic Treatment
Treatment for alcoholic hepatitis involves drinking cessation and therapies to ease the signs and symptoms of liver damage.
Principle of Holistic Treatment
- Human body has a wonderful self-healing power
- Through excellent drainage system i.e. Liver, Colon, Kidney, Lungs, etc., waste material is thrown out of the body.
- Whole of the body is a unit so it is treated in totality
- Body has a strong defense (immune) system
- At any point of time (age) live tissues can be regenerated and
- Immune system can be modulated
Treatment Protocol
- Avoidance of allergen food: both known to the medical world after various studies and known to the patient itself
- Correction of DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: Regulation of biological clock and right food
- Decongestion of VITAL ORGANS i.e. Liver, kidney, Colon Gall Bladder, Lungs, etc.
- Cellular DETOXIFICATION: through various natural chelation/detoxification methods
- ACID & ALKALI IMBALANCE correction: through alkali forming food and nutrients
- Nutritional cover along with PHYTONUTRIENTS supplementation: initially ONA (Optimum Nutritional Allowance) is recommended followed by RDA (Daily Recommended Allowance).
- Herbs like Tecoma undulata, Phyllanthus urinaria, Taraxacum officinale, Nyctanthes arbortritis & Terminalia arjuna, etc are also used in the treatment of liver.
- Physical exercise and healthy life style choice hasten the process of recovery.
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Duration of the Treatment
Duration of the treatment varies according to the type, duration and severity of the illness.
Positive changes may be observed within days in most of the cases suffering from the disorders. For the best results time period may vary from 4 to 6 months or sometimes more for the complete recovery.
Result
The results are well established. Even the most chronic and severe cases respond early. After complete recovery, patients are advised to follow some maintenance treatment.
Drinking cessation
If you’ve been diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, you must stop drinking alcohol and never drink alcohol again. It’s the only way of possibly reversing liver damage or preventing the disease from becoming worse. Survival rates for people with alcoholic hepatitis who stop drinking are significantly better than survival rates for people who continue drinking.
If you are dependent on alcohol and want to stop drinking, your doctor can recommend a therapy that’s tailored for your needs.
Prevention
You might reduce your risk of alcoholic hepatitis if you:
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all
For healthy adults, moderate drinking means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. The only certain way to prevent alcoholic hepatitis is to avoid all alcohol. - Protect yourself from hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease caused by a virus. Untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis. If you have hepatitis C and drink alcohol, you’re far more likely to develop cirrhosis than is someone who doesn’t drink. - Check before mixing medications and alcohol
Ask your doctor if it’s safe to drink alcohol when taking your prescription medications. Read the warning labels on over-the-counter medications. Don’t drink alcohol when taking medications that warn of complications when combined with alcohol — especially pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).