Hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver are serious diseases in which changes occur in one of the most important organs. The liver is unique because it is the only organ in the human body that has such a phenomenal ability to regenerate, that is, to recover. It can be brought to a terrible state, deprived of a large part during the operation, and it will again regain its original size and structure, and continue to serve for the benefit of the person.  

Hepatitis – all is not lost!

However, her abilities are not unlimited. As a result of the action of various factors, such as alcohol, chemicals, certain medications, hepatitis viruses, the intake of fatty foods, an inflammatory process can occur in the liver cells. Medical science calls this hepatitis. There are more than enough reasons for the development of hepatitis, as already mentioned, and they are different for each type of hepatitis. 

Hepatitis differs in clinical presentation, course, diagnostic methods, treatment and prognosis. For example, toxic, medicinal, and alcoholic hepatitis can go away over time if the patient stops ingesting the substance that caused the hepatitis. However, autoimmune and viral hepatitis B and C most often require treatment. Hepatitis B in a third of cases can proceed without symptoms, and the patient does not know that he has suffered until he is tested for antibodies to this virus. However, this disease does not end so well for everyone. Cases of spontaneous healing from hepatitis C are extremely rare. But with the elimination of the causative factor and adequate treatment, hepatitis is quite amenable to therapy and can be defeated.  

Liver cirrhosis – it’s too late to drink Borjomi!

Hepatitis and cirrhosis are most often successive stages of liver damage. The prolonged course of the inflammatory process in liver cells without treatment gradually leads to the fact that these cells die. In their place, connective tissue is formed, then fibrous. The final link in this process will be the formation of liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is characterized by a decrease in the number of active liver cells, and the liver tissue is represented mainly by nodes, modified vessels, areas of fibrosis (scar tissue). At the same time, the liver decreases in size and shrinks. She cannot fully perform her work, liver failure occurs.

Chronic hepatitis turns into cirrhosis in the case of a prolonged course of the disease, in the absence of treatment. Most often this happens with viral hepatitis B, C and D, autoimmune hepatitis, sometimes with alcohol (with the abuse of low-quality alcohol substitutes). If the patient is diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, unfortunately it is already impossible to restore it. Doctors will try to maintain the function of the remaining liver cells and combat the effects of liver failure.  

It takes years for cirrhosis of the liver to occur. It is better to prevent than to cure it for a long time and to no avail.