A general refresher on diverse stages of Alcohol-related liver disease or ARLD

Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) progresses in three stages. Fatty Liver, the earliest stage, involves fat buildup in the liver. Alcoholic Hepatitis causes inflammation and liver cell damage, often accompanied by jaundice and discomfort. Cirrhosis, the final stage, leads to irreversible scarring, severe symptoms, and potential liver failure.

Alcohol-related liver disease, or ARLD, refers to the damage suffered by the liver owing to years of excessive drinking. Long-term alcohol abuse can cause the liver to become swollen and inflamed. Such damage can even lead to scarring, known as cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is essentially the final stage of ARLD.

While many patients do not face symptoms of alcoholic liver disease till the situation gets severe, some do start showing signs earlier. The symptoms of this condition include nausea, loss of appetite, jaundice, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, increased thirst, swelling in the legs and abdomen, weight loss, darkening or lightening of the skin, red hands or feet, dark bowel movements, fainting, unusual agitation, as well as mood swings. Anyone diagnosed with this condition must seek out Alcoholic liver disease treatment at once.

In the first stage of ARLD, fat accumulates around the liver. This condition is known as Alcoholic fatty liver disease and can be cured by not drinking alcohol anymore. In case the patient keeps drinking alcohol, they might develop acute alcoholic Hepatitis. This refers to inflammation of the liver. Depending on the severity of the condition, prompt Alcoholic liver disease treatment in India needs to be sought out.

In certain cases, high alcohol consumption can lead to acute liver failure. Even though this condition can be reversed with treatment at times, in many situations, a liver transplant may be the only acute liver failure treatment option.