Recently, a man in his 30s came to Apollo Hospital in a state of prolonged fatigue, jaundice, loss of appetite and bloating. According to Dr. Chatterjee, an internal medicine specialist at Apollo Hospital, Delhi (India): The patient said that the cause of the weight loss was unknown, there was mild abdominal pain, swollen legs and a feeling of weakness. All are typical signs of the stage of cirrhosis".
The underlying cause was identified as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a disease that is increasingly common due to a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet. The silent disease progresses over many years, the accumulation of fat in the liver causes chronic inflammation and gradually forms liver scars, leading to cirrhosis, a condition that may not be able to recover.
Hunger is not just due to alcohol
Contrary to popular thinking, cirrhosis does not only occur in people who are addicted to alcohol. According to doctors, the disease can develop within 10 - 20 years in people with fatty liver and is accompanied by risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol. These cases are often overlooked due to initial mild or unclear symptoms.
The liver is an organ with great self-healing ability, so many people do not realize they are suffering from the disease until liver function is seriously impaired, warns Dr Chatterjee. When signs such as jaundice, swollen legs, bulging abdomen or confusion appear, the liver is often severely damaged.
Difficulty in detecting early
The ability to diagnose early stage cirrhosis is still limited. Regular tests such as ultrasound or liver enzymology may not detect mild or moderate damage. In many cases, only liver cystography or elasticity measurement provides accurate results, but these tests are only done when there are clear clinical doubts.
Prevention is still a top priority
Dr. Chatterjee emphasizes that for fatty liver patients, lifestyle changes are key to preventing cirrhosis. Quitting alcohol, controlling blood sugar, losing weight and maintaining a healthy diet can help improve liver function, even reverse damage at an early stage.
A diet rich in green vegetables, fruits, whole grains and limiting processed foods, refined sugar, and bad fats is strongly recommended. At the same time, patients should maintain regular health check-ups and not ignore imaging tests to monitor liver progress.
Fatty liver is no longer a "cultural" disease if not detected and controlled early. Taking the right perception and taking timely action is the only way to protect your liver leaves.
