Liver pain

Liver pain is a painful sensation in the Glisson capsule and peritoneum covering the liver. There are no pain receptors in the liver itself, but there are many in the fascia (connective tissue of the capsule). Thus, liver pain can only appear in the case of hepatomegaly - an increase in the organ and tension of the capsule walls, or due to inflammation of the gallbladder and bile ducts.

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Causes of liver pain

Functional causes of liver pain:

• Alcohol intoxication.
• Excessive physical activity, overexertion.
• Chronic or acute stress.
• Food load – consumption of fatty, heavy foods.
• Drug intoxication.

Organic causes of liver pain:

• Cirrhosis - primary biliary, autoimmune or alcoholic.
• Liver steatosis (fatty transformation of liver cells).
• Chronic or acute hepatitis.
• Liver abscess.
• Liver cysts.
• Benign and malignant tumors of the liver.
• Amyloidosis of the liver.
• Wilson's disease is an enzymatic degeneration, a disorder of copper metabolism.
• Hyperbilirubinemia – Gilbert's syndrome (genetic disease – pigment hepatosis).

Causes of liver pain include hepatic colic and diabetes.

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What causes liver pain?

Other conditions that cause liver pain due to irritation or pressure on the liver include:

• Acute and chronic cholecystitis
• Cholangitis
• Gastritis
• Right lower lobe pneumonia
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Liver pain may be incorrectly interpreted with general abdominal pain. In this case, pain in the liver area may be caused by gallstones, intestinal pain, pancreatic disease (acute and chronic pancreatitis).

Pain in liver diseases

Pain in liver diseases does not always indicate diseases of the organ itself, most often it is a sign of pathological changes in the hepatobiliary system as a whole. The most frequently diagnosed diseases, which are characterized by painful sensations in the right hypochondrium, are viral hepatitis, both acute and chronic. Less often, purulent inflammatory pathologies, parasitic diseases and liver tumors are detected, this is due to the high ability of the organ to regenerate. Thus, the liver resists any disease for quite a long time until its resources are depleted.

Pain in liver disease may indicate the following diseases:

• Hepatitis associated with infectious processes in the body (gastrointestinal tract, lungs, heart).
• Acute and chronic viral hepatitis.
• Infectious mononucleosis (a viral pathology affecting the lymph nodes).
• Leptospirosis (acute infectious disease).
• Hepatitis caused by the herpes virus.
• Yellow fever (febris flava) is a hemorrhagic disease of infectious origin.
• Enterovirus hepatitis.
• Cytomegalic hepatitis caused by cytomegalovirus.
• Hepatitis caused by gram-negative or gram-positive bacteria (cocci).
• Legionellosis is a severe form of infectious pneumonia with hepatomegaly.
• Autoimmune hepatitis.
• Liver cirrhosis of various etiologies.
• Steatosis (fatty degeneration) of the liver.
• Sclerosing cholangitis - acute or chronic.
• Hemochromatosis is a hereditary pigment pathology, cirrhosis.
• Tumors, including malignant ones.
• Liver abscesses, including those of parasitic origin.
• BID – biliary dyskinesia.
• Gallstone disease.
• Acute or chronic cholecystitis.

Pain associated with liver disease is not specific, a nagging or sharp pain in the right side can indicate a dozen diseases, so it is advisable to consult a doctor who will differentiate the symptoms and make the correct diagnosis.

Pain in liver cirrhosis

Pain in liver cirrhosis is typical for an advanced process, when complications associated with cirrhosis develop. Cirrhosis is a progressive pathology, the rate of its development can be varied - from one year to many years, when the disease practically does not manifest itself with obvious signs. A gradual decrease in the number of functional hepatocytes and the replacement of parenchymatous tissue with connective, fibrous growths disrupt almost all functions of the liver, but it does not hurt until it is enlarged. With hepatomegaly (enlargement of the organ), liver failure develops, there may be portal hypertension, and then the first alarming symptoms appear. The appearance of dull, nagging pain indicates a serious pathology of the organ. Chronic pain in liver cirrhosis can be accompanied by vomiting or nausea, ascites, a yellow tint of the skin and eyes, diffuse itching, dyspepsia, and an increase in body temperature. A characteristic feature, in addition to pain, are the so-called “liver signs” - common vascular “stars”, as well as redness (erythema) of the palms.

Pain in liver cancer

Oncologic processes in the liver, like many other pathologies of this organ, often develop and proceed for a long time without clearly expressed clinical symptoms, which is a real disaster both for the diagnosis of cancer and in terms of attempts to treat it. Only when the process often becomes irreversible, pain in liver cancer becomes pronounced. This is due to the high regenerative capacity of the liver, which tries to fight the pathology on its own until the last moment, and when its resources are depleted and the tumor increases in size, signs of the disease appear. The tumor puts pressure on nearby structures and organs, the general condition of the person worsens. Pain in liver cancer is rarely acute, they are usually combined with the following symptoms:

• Decreased performance, severe fatigue, weakness.
• A gradual decrease in appetite, which leads to weight loss up to cachexia.
• Change in stool - causeless alternation of constipation with diarrhea.
• Ascites is fluid in the abdominal cavity.
• Pain in the right hypochondrium becomes chronic, constant, and independent of diet or physical activity.
• Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes may occur.

Pain with metastases in the liver

Pain in liver metastases is almost always associated with the terminal stage of the oncological process in many organs - in the stomach, in the large intestine or mammary gland, in the lungs, pancreas, skeletal system or brain. Most often, pain in liver metastases occurs in patients with stomach or intestinal cancer, as well as in those patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer. Such patients make up more than half of all those with liver metastases. About a third of patients with liver metastases are patients with esophageal cancer and melanoma. Pain in liver metastases is almost never found in laryngeal cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian or uterine cancer, bladder and kidney tumors. Liver metastasis is asymptomatic at the first stage, only when the process becomes extremely destructive, hepatomegaly develops, typical pain in liver metastases appears, which are constant and chronic. The painful sensations themselves are not so terrible for the patient; rather, the general condition is aggravated by a complex of pathological symptoms – subfebrile fever, weight loss, weakness, constant nausea, ascites.

Pathogenesis

The mechanism of pain development is as follows:

• pathological processes in the liver parenchyma occur latently, without obvious symptoms.
• perihepatitis develops – inflammation of the peritoneum.
• the liver begins to enlarge and hepatomegaly develops.
• the walls of the Glisson capsule are stretched.
• pain appears.

The more the capsule wall is stretched, the more intense the painful sensations in the right hypochondrium. Liver pain can also develop due to external pressure on the capsule and peritoneum from the gallbladder and bile ducts, sometimes painful symptoms are associated with an inflamed appendix or intercostal neuralgia. The causes of painful sensations in the right hypochondrium are varied, they can be both organic and functional in nature.

Symptoms of liver pain

Pain in the liver can be of different nature: a feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium; constant throughout the day; aching; pain that intensifies with physical exertion, running; after eating fatty, fried or spicy foods.

Symptoms of liver pain may manifest as follows:

• Aching, dull pain in the right side (under the ribs).
• Pain on the right side radiating to the back.
• Itching that can be felt in the abdominal area or throughout the body.
• Belching with a characteristic rotten egg smell.
• A yellowish tint to the skin and whites of the eyes.
• General weakness, apathy.
• Headache.
• Muscle pain (most often in the back and legs).
• Nausea

Symptoms of liver pain are characterized by the fact that they can change the level of intensity depending on physical activity, changes in diet. It should be taken into account that dull, aching pain is a sign of an acute process, since in the chronic course of the disease the liver, as a rule, does not hurt at all. The main danger of liver pathologies lies in the asymptomatic nature, since without timely diagnosis and treatment, chronic hepatitis can lead to fatty degeneration, cirrhosis and even liver cancer.

Also, symptoms of liver pain are often signs of a disease of a nearby organ - the gallbladder, which is anatomically located nearby. Biliary colic can be mistaken for liver pathology, and inadequate treatment (mainly self-medication) leads to calculous cholecystitis and rupture of the bladder. In addition, pain relief for nagging or acute pain with antispasmodics complicates differential diagnosis and aggravates the inflammatory process in the bile ducts.

Of great diagnostic importance is the irradiation of pain in the liver to other parts of the body. Often the pain irradiates to the back, right shoulder blade, right side of the neck.

Often, liver pain is accompanied by other symptoms: heartburn, nausea, vomiting, bitterness in the mouth, belching, bad breath, bloating (flatulence), bowel problems - constipation or diarrhea.

In case of complications or exacerbation of the disease or involvement of other organs in the pathological process, the following symptoms may occur: fever, weakness, fatigue, decreased performance, lethargy, jaundice, skin itching. Headaches and fainting, hemorrhages on the skin, impotence and menstrual irregularities may be observed.

Symptoms of liver pain that require emergency medical care:

• Frequent vomiting with bile.
• Sharp pain in the right hypochondrium.
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes.
• The appearance of telangiectasias (spider veins) on the face, shoulders, abdomen, chest.
• Hyperthermia combined with pain in the liver area.

Severe pain in the liver

Severe pain in the liver is not usually characteristic of hepatitis; it is rather associated with biliary colic, when the muscles of the gallbladder or duct spasm due to blockage by a stone. Such pain is specific – it manifests itself in attacks, suddenly beginning and gradually subsiding. Often before colic, a person is very irritated, nausea and discomfort in the middle of the chest (“under the spoon”) may be felt. Pain symptoms are clearly localized in the right hypochondrium, less often in the middle, radiating to the right shoulder, interscapular space. The pain is so acute that a person loses the ability to work, his body temperature rises sharply, vomiting appears. Colic can last quite a long time, up to 20-24 hours. Severe pain in the liver can also be evidence of cancer in the last stage, infectious mononucleosis. Pain symptoms can be associated with a ruptured cyst of parasitic origin, an abscess, an attack of acute pancreatitis, pathological changes in the right kidney and appendicitis.

Aching pain in the liver

This is a typical pain that accompanies many organ pathologies. It should be noted that almost all chronic functional changes in the hepatobiliary system, including inflammatory ones, are asymptomatic. Aching pain in the liver indicates an advanced disease that has been developing for a long time. The first symptom that you need to pay attention to in order to prevent the development of the disease is a periodically appearing feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium. The feeling of heaviness can occur both after eating and during physical exertion, or on its own, without having an objective cause. Over time, the heaviness develops into aching, pulling pains that can radiate upward - under the shoulder blade, to the neck, to the back. A characteristic feature of aching pain in the liver is the property to intensify with overexertion, bending or stress. Quite often, these symptoms are accompanied by belching, a feeling of nausea, flatulence, stool disturbance (constipation or diarrhea). Yellowing of the skin indicates that the disease is developing into an acute form, in which intense pain is not always manifested. If the yellow tint of the skin, whites of the eyes does not force a person to see a doctor and begin treatment, in addition to the fact that the aching pain in the liver becomes constant, itching of the skin appears all over the body, work capacity decreases, weakness develops.

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Throbbing pain in the liver

A pulsating pain in the liver is actually a pulsation of the organ synchronously with the heartbeat, which may indicate pathological insufficiency of the tricuspid or aortic valve. With advanced pathology, pulsation can be felt during palpation, sometimes it can be seen with the naked eye, especially if the liver itself is enlarged. Also, a pulsating pain in the liver can be a sign of an aneurysm of the hepatic artery.

Pulsation may be a consequence of chronic congestive processes in the liver, which in turn are provoked by cardiac pathologies - tricuspid valve insufficiency, mitral valve stenosis, adhesive pericarditis. If a congestive process develops in the right atrium, the pressure in the hepatic veins also increases, and the central veins are forced to expand. Slow blood circulation leads to the fact that the central veins are overfilled with blood, provoke portal hypertension and hypoxia. Centrobular necrosis of liver cells develops, the degeneration of the parenchyma into connective tissue. The liver increases in size, can shift from its place, pulsates. Pulsating pain in the liver is accompanied by nausea, a feeling of heaviness, painful sensations in the right hypochondrium, similar to the signs of hepatitis. In clinical practice, this syndrome is called cardiac cirrhosis, which, in addition to the above symptoms, is manifested by a characteristic combination of jaundice and cyanosis of the skin.

Sharp pain in the liver

Sharp pain in the liver is not typical for most diseases of the organ, rather, it is the main symptom indicating acute cholecystitis. Cholecystitis is manifested by sudden, sharp pain that radiates up and to the right. Pain can be felt under the right shoulder blade, collarbone, in the neck and even under the right jaw. Sharp pain in the liver is so intense that changing posture or position does not bring relief to the patient. The attack is accompanied by chills, fever, nausea, often with vomiting, and the skin may also turn yellow. These painful sensations are often a sign of hepatic colic, which would be more correctly called biliary colic. Colic develops when a gallstone moves along a narrowed, stagnant bile duct. This syndrome is also characterized by sharp, sharp pain in the liver, which is combined with a headache, but does not cause vomiting or fever. Biliary colic, especially primary, is usually relieved by an antispasmodic, which is not typical for acute cholecystitis.

Dull pain in the liver

This is a characteristic pain in diseases of the hepatobiliary system. Acute pain is rare and a sign of a protracted inflammatory process in the terminal stage. A nagging, aching, dull pain in the liver is evidence that the organ is pathologically enlarged and the fibrous capsule surrounding it is stretched together with the peritoneal layer. These fascia contain many pain receptors located throughout the layer, so the pain most often does not have a clear localization. It should be noted that the liver as an organ is not equipped with specific nerve endings that signal pain, liver tissue can only regenerate or pathologically transform into fibro-fatty scars. Dull pain in the liver is not a specific symptom, it can be a sign of many diseases, which can only be differentiated by a gastroenterologist. In addition to aching pain, other symptoms may indicate diseases of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts - yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, nausea and lack of appetite, irritability, general weakness, constipation or diarrhea. In tumor processes, dull pain in the liver is accompanied by cachexia, obvious signs of liver failure and appears only in the late stages of the disease.

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Pain under the liver

Pain under the liver, that is, in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen, may indicate not only pathologies of the organ itself, but also be a symptom of the following diseases:

• Inflammation of the appendix.
• Inflammatory process in the ureter.
• Gynecological diseases in women (ectopic pregnancy, inflammation of the appendages).
• Cholecystitis.
• Bowel diseases.

Pain under the liver, especially acute, accompanied by fever, nausea, can primarily indicate appendicitis. Characteristic signs of an inflamed appendix are:

• Precise localization of pain, which is not typical for liver pathologies.
• The pain does not change intensity for several hours.
• The pain may move to the navel area.

They can also be associated with ulcerative colitis, granulomatous enteritis (Crohn's disease), helminthic invasion, amebiasis, lumbosacral osteochondrosis, urolithiasis. Among the gynecological diseases that are characterized by pain in this area, one can name tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, ovarian cysts or tumors, chlamydia or trichomoniasis, endometriosis.

Liver pain after antibiotics

Liver pain after antibiotics develops because the drug is perceived by the organ as a toxin when it is utilized, but sometimes the interaction of the liver and the drug is unequal. The mechanism of drug detoxification is as follows:

1. Antibiotics are metabolized by enzymes, resulting in the formation of metabolites, both active and inactive, which damage the liver parenchyma. Thus, it is not the drug itself that causes damage, but its decay products.
2. The liver tries to neutralize metabolites by binding them with glutathione and other substances, which somewhat reduces the toxic effects and pain in the liver after antibiotics.
3. The liver attempts to remove processed, bound metabolites through urine and bile. Metabolites can change the consistency of bile, making it thicker and more viscous (sludge syndrome), which causes stagnation, impaired outflow, and inflammation.

Liver pain after antibiotics develops due to acute drug-induced hepatitis, which develops 5-7 days after the start of antibiotic use. The danger of drug-induced hepatitis is that it is clinically similar to classic acute hepatitis. The symptoms are almost identical - yellowing of the skin, nausea, lethargy, mild pain in the right hypochondrium, dark urine, discolored feces. As soon as the drug is discontinued, positive dynamics are visible, which is not typical for true hepatitis in acute form. Cholestasis, bile thickening syndrome and even biliary colic can be caused by drugs from the group of macrolides, cephalosporins, penicillins.

Liver pain after alcohol

The liver is capable of "tolerating" alcohol load for quite a long time, therefore liver pain after alcohol indicates acute intoxication of the body or that the latent degeneration of the parenchyma into fibrous tissue has entered the terminal stage. The liver processes alcohol with the help of specific enzymes - alcohol dehydrogenases, which break down alcohol into acetaldehydes, which are strong toxins. Then the liver tries to remove acetaldehydes, but it takes time for the entire processing process. It takes the liver an entire hour to process 10 grams of alcoholic beverage at 40 degrees. If a person drinks much more and more often, liver pain after alcohol is inevitable, since the organ is simply not able to work at such a speed. A pathological condition develops - fatty degeneration (infiltration) of tissues, since instead of processing lipid compounds, the liver fights an alcohol attack. The liver's regenerative resources are depleted, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and then liver failure develop.

Nausea and pain in the liver

Nausea and liver pain are two "inseparable" companions that are characteristic of many diseases of the hepatobiliary system. Hepatitis - both drug-induced and viral, alcoholic, as well as cholecystitis, gallstones and other diseases of the liver and biliary tract are accompanied by dull or sharp pain and nausea. They are a sign of an exacerbation of the disease, this is especially typical for hepatitis and cirrhosis in the terminal stage. Nausea can be persistent, constant, which indicates an active process of inflammation and degeneration of the liver parenchyma. If these symptoms are combined with a yellow tint of the skin and itching - this is a sign of a severe exacerbation, which requires immediate medical attention. Also, a feeling of nausea, and then aching pain are typical for drug-induced hepatitis and exacerbation of cholecystitis. Nausea and pain in the liver in combination with chills, fever, profuse sweating indicate possible gallstone disease. Periodically appearing nausea and pain in the liver in the absence of pathological functional changes can be a consequence of banal overeating, especially if the menu included fatty, smoked and spicy dishes.

Pain in the liver after eating

Pain in the liver after eating occurs only when there are problems in the hepatobiliary system, that is, the function of the liver and bile ducts is impaired. A normal liver is quite efficient and can withstand any food load, of course, a one-time one. For the liver, however, as for any other organ or system of the human body, a healthy, balanced diet is of great importance. The amount of food, its composition, and the combination of substances contained in the products are important. Pain in the liver after eating can occur with the abuse of heavy fats, that is, food containing animal fats - meat, fatty broths, as well as any pastries with butter, cakes or pastries. Also, the liver does not really "like" the abuse of sour and spicy foods, including those of plant origin - garlic, radish, mustard, sorrel, horseradish, marinades, hot pickles. Pain in the liver after eating can also develop due to bile stagnation, in which case we are not talking about liver disease, but about the condition of the gallbladder and bile ducts.

Liver pain during pregnancy

Pregnancy means serious changes in the woman's body, including protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, which can put additional strain on the liver. Liver pain during pregnancy is most often associated with a decrease in the organ's detoxification activity, less often with chronic, latent pathologies or abuse of fatty, spicy foods. Any painful symptom alerts the expectant mother, because the disease can affect the condition of the fetus. This directly concerns pain in the right hypochondrium. Liver pain during pregnancy that is not associated with external influences (food, physical overload) may indicate cholestasis, latent hepatitis, gallstone disease. Any of these pathologies is a serious threat to the process of bearing a child, in addition, both acute hepatitis and narrowing of the bile ducts provoke early toxicosis of pregnant women. It should be noted that hepatitis A or B are not transmitted to the baby, they rather play a pathological role in intrauterine development and affect the mother's condition during pregnancy. Hepatitis C, which is called the "gentle killer", does not manifest itself with pain symptoms, but can be deadly for the fetus and the mother herself. Pain during pregnancy can be associated with cardiopathology, when insufficiency of the tricuspid or mitral valve is detected. Almost 100% of pregnant women undergo a medical examination when registering at a women's clinic, so threatening pathologies of internal organs and systems are usually detected in the early stages of pregnancy. Pain during pregnancy that appears later rather indicates that the diet is disrupted or the mother's body has been exposed to a viral infection. All alarming symptoms require immediate contact with the attending physician for adequate therapy.

Acute pain in the liver

Acute pain in the liver can be caused by biliary dyskinesia (BD). Dyskinesia is classified into two types - hypotonic and hypertonic. Such pain is typical for hypertonic dyskinesia, when the activity of gallbladder contractions is much higher than normal, and bile stagnates. This leads to inflammation and often to the formation of stones. The inflammatory process, developing, is manifested by vegetative neurosis, a violation of defecation - constipation alternates with diarrhea, a feeling of nausea and acute pain in the liver appears, radiating to the right collarbone, shoulder blade, shoulder.

Also, acute pain in the liver is a typical sign of cholelithiasis - cholelithiasis and colic. Hepatic colic can be provoked by fatty or spicy food, psychoemotional stress, physical overexertion, body vibration when traveling in transport or working in a bent position. Hepatic colic in women can be associated with the menstrual cycle or the postpartum period. The attack is preceded by a feeling of heaviness on the right side, nausea. Acute pain in the liver most often wakes a person in the middle of the night, radiates to the right upper side, sometimes under the right jaw. The pain is spastic in nature and can be accompanied by vomiting, fever.

Another cause for which acute pain in the liver is characteristic is an attack of malaria, a disease that is quite rare. The fibrous capsule of the inflamed liver is greatly stretched, the spleen is enlarged, if the fever lasts for a long time, the pain intensifies.

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What to do if you have pain in your liver?

Many people ask themselves the question: liver pain, what to do? Of course, a gastroenterologist, hepatologist or oncologist can best answer this question. If for some reason the patient is unable to immediately consult a doctor, the following recommendations will help to reduce the intensity of the pain a little:

• First of all, at the first symptoms of nagging periodic pain, preventive measures should be taken - a course of hepatoprotectors and choleretic agents. Hepatoprotectors such as Gepabene, Essentiale, Karsil, Darsil are suitable. Choleretic drugs - Hofitol, Allochol, Cholemax. Herbal infusions with immortelle, corn silk, artichoke are also suitable.
• Acute pain can be treated with antispasmodics, taking a tablet of papaverine or no-shpa, spazmalgon or baralgin.
• It is mandatory to follow a strict diet, excluding spicy, fatty, fried or sour foods for at least 10 days.
• An alkaline drink is recommended – still mineral water.
• It is necessary to include pangamic acid (vitamin B15) in the diet, which is found in barley and rice bran. You can also take a course of methionine (14 days, 2-3 tablets a day before meals).

If the alarming symptoms do not subside, but only develop, to the question - pain in the liver, what to do, there is one answer - urgently consult a doctor in order to stop the pathological process in a timely manner and prevent complications.

Liver pain treatment

This is not only the neutralization of pain, but also general therapeutic measures to eliminate the underlying cause of pain. It is for this reason that at the first alarming symptoms you need to contact a doctor - undergo an examination, clarify the diagnosis and begin treatment. At home, liver pain treatment should be as safe and simple as possible, this is due to the fact that the pain symptom can indicate many diseases not related to the liver, for example, an attack of appendicitis. Uncontrolled medication can really relieve discomfort, but at the same time blur the clinical picture and complicate differential diagnosis.

Treatment of liver pain may involve relieving the most acute symptom – the pain itself. Any over-the-counter antispasmodics, such as no0shpa, baralgin, papaverine, are suitable for this. It should be noted that liver pathologies are usually not associated with acute intolerable pain that needs to be relieved immediately. If such pain is present, it may mean hepatic (biliary) colic or an attack of acute cholecystitis, which, by the way, is not treated with antispasmodics.

In hospital conditions, treatment of liver pain during an attack of hepatic colic is carried out using injection antispasmodics (atropine, platifillin, baralgin), and sublingual nitroglycerin is also indicated. Novocaine blockade is carried out in exceptional cases. Further therapy is carried out according to a drawn up therapeutic plan, which is developed on the basis of symptoms and data from a comprehensive examination - biochemical blood test, urine and feces tests, ultrasound.

Treatment of liver pain can be quite long - up to one year, everything depends on the severity of the pathological process, the reserve capacity of the organ and the hepatobiliary system as a whole. Long-term use of hepatoprotectors, adherence to a strict diet, limitation of physical activity and constant medical supervision are indicated.

Medicines for liver pain

Medicines for liver pain are usually drugs that eliminate stagnation or obstruction of the bile ducts and drugs that protect the liver from possible aggressive influences (hepatoprotectors). The modern pharmaceutical industry offers new, complex drugs that combine these two actions in one capsule or tablet - eliminating bile stagnation and protecting the liver. Also, drugs for liver pain can be antispasmodic, that is, those that relieve the primary pain symptom. After the pain has been relieved, a long course of combined hepatoprotectors and enzyme intake is indicated in order to reduce the load on the liver.

Plant-based preparations are effective as hepatoprotectors – Liv-52, Galstena, Darsil, Karsil. This also includes essential phospholipids, which, in addition to having a hepatoprotective effect, regulate lipid and carbohydrate metabolism well. This can be Lipostabil, Essentiale Forte, Livolin, Essliver, Phosphonciale.

Regular intake of Mezim, Enzimtal, Unimax or Festal is recommended as drugs that improve fermentation.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned drugs improve liver function. However, drugs for liver pain, in the sense that patients perceive it, are drugs that quickly relieve the pain symptom. One of the most effective means for neutralizing biliary tract spasms, which are most often associated with acute pain, is No-shpa and baralgin.

A more detailed and comprehensive treatment plan can only be drawn up by the attending physician based on the results of a comprehensive examination and depending on the diagnosis.

How to relieve liver pain?

How to relieve liver pain? Especially if the liver hurts periodically, without attacks and exacerbations, is there a remedy that can be used independently, without fears and worries?

To relieve chronic, nagging pain in the liver area, provided that you know for sure that there is no inflammation of the appendix or possible displacement of a gallstone, herbal preparations or herbal decoctions are suitable. The following plants have antispasmodic properties:

• Fennel.
• Common anise.
• Dill.
• Peppermint.
• Chamomile.
• Silverweed.
• Marsh cudweed.
• St. John's wort.

All these plants contain an effective alkaloid that relieves spasms. In addition, the question of how to relieve liver pain can be answered by advice from traditional healers, who claim that the use of plants containing bitterness helps to relieve painful sensations. Among the herbs that contain bitterness, the following are available:

• Wormwood.
• Calamus.
• Gentian.
• Icelandic moss.
• Dandelion.

These plants activate the outflow of bile, which significantly alleviates pain in the liver area during hepatic colic.

Also, the answer to the question of how to relieve liver pain may be drinking warm mineral water without gas. If you add one tablespoon of natural honey to a glass of mineral water at room temperature (Essentuki 4, Borjomi) and drink the mixture on an empty stomach in the morning, in the afternoon, most likely, liver pain will not bother you.

All other symptoms - more acute pain, uncontrollable vomiting or nausea, hyperthermia, fever - require urgent medical attention.

Pain reliever for liver pain

A painkiller for liver pain is taken in cases of severe hepatic (biliary) colic, acute cholecystitis, and less often in other pathologies. This is due to the fact that many liver diseases, although accompanied by pain, do not have the character of strong, intense sensations, that is, it is tolerable. In addition, quite often severe nagging pain occurs during active physical exertion, in which case abdominal deep breathing techniques are indicated to restore the blood flow rate in the liver to the general accelerated blood circulation. All other situations when a painkiller is needed for liver pain are associated with an attack, and, therefore, with a spasm. It is logical to assume that an antispasmodic will help relieve the pain. In the list of relatively safe, over-the-counter drugs, the leading position is occupied by No-shpa (Drotaverine), which is an effective myotropic antispasmodic. It is also possible to take papaverine, dibazol, duspatalin. A good painkiller for liver pain is any preparation containing mint, and even a homemade infusion or decoction of peppermint can relieve low-intensity colic. If taking over-the-counter drugs does not give results, self-medication can lead to threatening consequences, so you should call a doctor who will differentiate the true disease by symptoms and prescribe adequate treatment.

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Herbs for liver pain

Herbs for liver pain are a good auxiliary remedy, improving the outflow of bile, activating the regenerative properties of the liver, and having a hepatoprotective effect. In addition, almost all pharmaceutical drugs aimed at protecting the liver are developed on the basis of plant components, among them the well-known Karsil and Darsil, Gepabene, Legalon.

Herbs for liver pain that can be taken independently in the form of decoctions and tinctures:

• Milk thistle is a leader among herbal remedies for liver restoration.
• Lupine clover.
• Calendula.
• Sand immortelle.
• Peppermint.
• Corn silk.
• Tansy.
• Birch leaves.
• Barberry.
• Hop.
• Dandelion.
• Rose hip.

The simplest recipes that use herbs for liver pain are:

• You need to take 20 grams of dry crushed mint and 1 tablespoon of chicory roots, pour 1.5 liters of boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes, no more. The decoction must be infused for 10-12 hours, it is most convenient to brew the remedy in the evening and infuse overnight. Strain in the morning and drink during the day in parts. The course is 14 days, then a break for one week and the treatment is repeated. In addition to the fact that such a composition normalizes liver function, improves bile flow, mint has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and improves sleep.
• In spring, as soon as dandelions bloom, you should stock up on a healing agent - honey from flowers. 300-350 dandelion heads, which are collected in an ecologically clean place, are poured with a kilogram of natural high-quality honey. In 1.5 months, the healing agent will be ready. Dandelion honey can relieve nagging pain in the liver, but it is better to use it for preventive purposes. You need to take this honey 1 teaspoon twice a day before meals (half an hour).

Diet for liver pain

Nutrition for liver pain is one of the most important elements in the general therapy of the hepatobiliary system. The diet should fulfill the main task - to relieve the liver as much as possible, but the menu should include a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins. The rules of dietary nutrition are as follows:

• The food should contain easily digestible protein – white poultry meat, rabbit meat, veal.
• Consumption of vegetable fats - vegetable oil, preferably purified and refined.
• The diet should contain a reduced amount of carbohydrates, this is especially important for overweight patients.
• All products must be gently steamed; fried foods are excluded.
• Food intake should be small, frequent, every 1.5-2 hours.
• It is better to prepare food in the form of pureed dishes, well steamed or baked in the oven.
• The menu should contain fiber (bran bread, mashed raw vegetables).

Diet for liver pain includes the following foods:

• Dried rye bread, bread made from wholemeal flour, with bran.
• Dry biscuits.
• Vegetable Lenten soups.
• Lean meats – poultry, lean beef, veal.
• Lean sea fish – hake, cod, flounder, horse mackerel.
• Fats: butter – no more than 30 grams per day, vegetable oil – up to 50 grams per day.
• Baked or boiled vegetables – cabbage, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini.
• Raw fruit juices.
• Porridges – oatmeal, buckwheat, rice.
• No more than 1 chicken egg per day, preferably every other day.
• Fruits with a sweet taste, sour ones are excluded.
• Fruit jelly, puree.
• Honey.
• Cottage cheese and fermented milk products.
• Rosehip and raisin decoction.
• Weak tea, preferably green.

Diet for liver pain excludes fatty meats, lard, duck, lamb, strong rich broths. Alcohol in any quantities, mushrooms, chocolate and cocoa, as well as all kinds of canned, smoked or spicy foods are strictly contraindicated.

Diet for liver pain

Diet for liver pain is the long-known diet No. 5 according to Pevzner, intended for the treatment of the liver and biliary tract. The task of this diet is to maximally unload the liver from fats, while maintaining a reasonable amount of carbohydrates and proteins. Diet for liver pain involves the following chemical and quantitative composition of the diet for the day:

• Animal proteins – 50-60 g.
• Vegetable proteins – 50-60 g.
• Vegetable fats – 30-50 g.
• It is better to exclude animal fats.
• Carbohydrates – 400-450 g (sugar no more than 50-70 g).
• Salt – no more than 10 g, better to exclude.
• Liquid – 1.5-2 liters (fruit drinks, compotes, decoctions).

The diet for liver pain is distributed as fractionally as possible - 5-7 times a day in small portions. The total caloric content of the diet is from 3000 to 3500 kilocalories.

An example of a daily diet, which is suggested by a diet for liver pain:

1. Casserole made from 140 g of cottage cheese, 1 egg and two tablespoons of sugar.
2. Oatmeal with milk – 200 g.
3. Vegetable Lenten soup – 500 ml.
4. Stewed meat – 250 g.
5. Stewed vegetables – 30-350 g.
6. Apple jelly – 100 g.
7. Semolina casserole with milk and raisins – 20-250 g.
8. Dried fruit compote – 200 ml.
9. Low-fat kefir – 200 g.
10. Still mineral water – optional.

The diet should be followed for at least a month, and preferably 2-3 months until the organ’s functions are fully restored.

In any case, if you have pain in the liver, you need to consult a gastroenterologist, hepatologist or oncologist. When conducting certain tests and instrumental research methods, the doctor will determine what to do if the liver hurts and prescribe adequate and effective treatment.

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