You may be asked: Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and acetaminophen, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. The only specific treatment for most cases of cirrhosis caused by certain medicines is to stop taking the medicine that caused the problem. For hepatitis C , there are now antiviral treatments that lead to a cure in the vast majority of people. Your doctor will consider a liver transplant when cirrhosis leads to liver failure. Health Information Center, Phone: +1-800-860-8747 Treatment for liver disease that causes or has led to liver failure may ultimately require a liver transplant. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm. Should I stop taking certain medications or supplements? Doctors most often treat the causes of cirrhosis with medicines. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes around three to four times a week at a moderate intensity. Doctors consider liver transplants only after they have ruled out all other treatment options. Accessed Dec. 23, 2019. It is a secretory gland because it has a specialized structure that is designed to allow it to make and secrete bile into the bile ducts. Hoodeshenas S, et al. Does anything seem to improve your symptoms, or make them worse? Liver Biopsy. (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. Mayo Clinic. Liver biopsy is a procedure used to remove a small piece of liver tissue for examination for signs of disease or damage to the liver. Your doctor may treat liver cancer with the medical procedures that remove or destroy cancer cells, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Preparation for liver biopsy includes discontinuing certain medications. Have you ever had your skin or eyes turn yellow? Diagnosing Liver Disease. Treating the underlying causes of cirrhosis may keep your cirrhosis from getting worse and help prevent liver failure. It also is an endocrine gland since it makes and secretes chemicals directly into the blood that have effects on other organs in the body. Treatment for liver disease depends on your diagnosis. … Doctors also treat liver cancer with a liver transplant. Goldman L, et al., eds. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (adult). AskMayoExpert. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Alcoholic liver disease (adult). Learn how. Some of the diseases that cause cirrhosis can be cured. Inherited liver diseases. Your doctor will recommend that you stop activities such as drinking alcohol and taking certain medicines that may have caused cirrhosis or may make cirrhosis worse. Has anyone in your family ever been diagnosed with liver disease? Other liver problems may be treated with medications or may require surgery. Do these tests require any special preparation? Approach to the patient with liver disease. Accessed Dec. 23, 2019. Liver Transplantation. Does your job involve exposure to chemicals, blood or body fluids? Treatment most often focuses on managing symptoms and complications. Treatments for the complications of portal hypertension include. All rights reserved. Treatments are aimed at treating symptoms and managing complications. Hepatitis A. Some liver problems can be treated with lifestyle modifications, such as stopping alcohol use or losing weight, typically as part of a medical program that includes careful monitoring of liver function. Saunders Elsevier; 2016. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Hepatic drug metabolism and liver disease caused by drugs. Are my children at risk for liver disease? Approach to the patient with liver disease. Accessed Dec. 20, 2019. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. 10th ed. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Updated February 23, 2018. When do doctors consider a liver transplant for cirrhosis? Treatments for the complications of cirrhosis include the following. 2018; doi:10.1097/RMR.0000000000000177. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Our caring team of Mayo Clinic experts can help you with your liver disease-related health concerns, Mayo Clinic researchers identify potential new therapy for liver diseases, Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition, Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition, FREE book offer – Mayo Clinic Health Letter. The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. The liver is actually two different types of gland. Doctors treat autoimmune hepatitis with medicines that suppress, or decrease the activity of, your immune system. Nov. 14, 2019. This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Accessed Dec. 20, 2019. Fatty liver disease. Inherited liver diseases: Treatment depends on the specific inherited disease. https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/the-progression-of-liver-disease/. Treatment of inherited liver diseases depends on the disease. When did you first begin experiencing symptoms, and how severe are they? 2. What can I do to help keep my cirrhosis from getting worse? Fat buildup in the liver can lead to fatty liver disease. Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this disease. A liver biopsy is a procedure to remove a small sample of liver tissue for laboratory testing. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This ultrasound shows a liver tumor. Liver failure, also called end-stage liver disease, happens when the liver stops working. Make a donation. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. If you have chronic hepatitis C, your doctor may prescribe one or more medicines that have been approved to treat hepatitis C since 2013. TTY: +1-866-569-1162, Email: healthinfo@niddk.nih.gov Get a screening blood test for hepatitis C. Avoid raw or undercooked shellfish, fish, and meat. 26th ed. Treatment for liver disease depends on your diagnosis. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. There are two types of fatty … Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Get help if you use illicit intravenous drugs, and don't share needles used to inject drugs. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create an image. This content does not have an English version. Babu AP, et al. Accessed March 26, 2018. Changing certain lifestyle habits can often help improve your liver health. Feldman M, et al. Magnetic resonance elastography of liver-Current update. Doctors treat portal hypertension with medicines to lower high blood pressure in the portal vein. A liver biopsy is commonly performed by inserting a thin needle through your skin and into your liver. On the other hand, some dietary and herbal supplements can harm your liver. Your doctor may also recommend surgery. Treatment of diseases of the liver depends on the cause. Studies have shown that these medicines can cure chronic hepatitis C in 80 to 95 percent of people with this disease.5. Liver disease caused by anesthetics, chemicals, toxins, and herbal preparations. In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment. Cirrhosis. Some liver problems can be treated with lifestyle modifications, such as stopping alcohol use or losing weight, typically as part of a medical program that includes careful monitoring of liver function. Brown A. Allscripts EPSi. Get the latest grant and research information from NIH: www.nih.gov/coronavirus. Talk with your doctor about whether a liver transplant is right for you. Accessed Dec. 20, 2019. Avoid red meat, trans fats, processed carbohydrates and foods with high-fructose corn syrup. The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Your doctor is likely to start with a health history and thorough physical examination. Ferri FF. 2019; doi:10.1002/ncp.10449. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/hepatitisC. The progression of liver disease. 10th ed. Long-term use of certain medicines. Accessed Dec. 23, 2019. What is a liver function test? Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. He or she may refer you for alcohol treatment. People may not know that the liver is also the largest gland in the body. Finding the cause and extent of liver damage is important in guiding treatment.