A very complex and dynamic organ, the liver is located in the upper right-hand portion of the abdomen under the rib cage and is the second largest organ in the body. It manages clotting factors in the blood, cleanses the blood of toxins, controls numerous enzymes and proteins, controls cholesterol levels, and produces bile to aid in the digestion of food. When the liver is damaged, the body is unable to perform these vital functions.

Here are a variety of acute and chronic liver conditions:

HEPATITIS

Hepatitis C is a disease that can afflict individuals of all ages, genders and backgrounds. It is readily spread through needle sharing, but it can also occur in hemodialysis patients, alcoholics with liver disease, and healthcare workers who acquire the disease through accidental exposure to infected patients. Viral Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver due to one of several viruses that specifically attack the organ. Autoimmune Hepatitis is a chronic disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks the liver and causes it to become inflamed.

FATTY LIVER

Fatty Liver is a common condition where excess fat exists in the liver. This is not a serious condition if it doesn’t lead to inflammation or damage.

CIRRHOSIS

Cirrhosis is a disorder of the structure of the liver that occurs when there is continuing liver damage over a prolonged period of time.