An Unhealthy Liver in Older People

Seven possible signs of an unhealthy liver in our dear older people

1- Fatigue and lethargy

A liver that does not work well is not able to destroy toxins, and the consequence of toxins remaining in the body is depleted energy, hormonal imbalance and chronic fatigue.

2- Dry or irritated skin

Dry and itchy skin is one of the potential signs of liver damage. When the fluids needed to supply the body’s moisture are not provided, the skin becomes dry
This condition can include redness of the hands or feet, yellowing of the mucous membranes and the appearance of dark and light patches in specific areas of the body.

3- Nausea or vomiting

One of the main functions of the liver is detoxification. If the liver’s detoxification function is impaired, digestion and metabolism are disrupted and, through the build-up of toxins that the liver is not able to eliminate, nausea and vomiting set in.

4 Abdominal pain

If the liver is damaged, a feeling of pain around the abdominal area is a common sign. This pain is often described as shooting or throbbing, and its improvement is possible only by treating the source of the problem, so one should see a specialist doctor for evaluation as quickly as possible.

5- Bruising

One of the most important duties of the liver is helping to produce essential protein enzymes. One group of these protein enzymes helps to prevent the blood from clotting. When this mechanism is disrupted and the production in the liver of the proteins essential for blood clotting slows down or stops, a person easily suffers bruising and bleeding.

6- Jaundice

Liver problems cause a change in the colour of the eyes and the skin. This change of colour arises because of the build-up of a bile pigment called bilirubin that cannot be excreted properly.
Apart from the change in the appearance of the eyes, jaundice can cause other signs, including darkening of the urine, itching all over the body and cognitive impairment.

7- Swelling of the abdomen and the lower legs

Liver damage disrupts the normal flow of blood to the organs and increases the pressure in the surrounding vessels, including the vessels responsible for carrying blood from the spleen and the intestines to the liver. Disruption of this process causes a kind of severe rise in blood pressure that is called portal hypertension. Portal hypertension causes swelling of the lower legs and a build-up of fluid around the abdomen, and this condition is known as injury or abdominal ascites.
The damage may also arise as a result of the liver’s inability to produce blood proteins.