Symptoms of Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis

Hepatitis comes in many forms and can be caused by anything from a virus to contact with infected blood. One of the most common ways people get hepatitis is through alcoholism. Excess drinking is incredibly harmful to your body. The toxins in alcohol can eventually deteriorate the inside of the human body. Here are some symptoms to watch for with acute alcoholic hepatitis.

Significance

Hepatitis, in basic terminology, is the inflammation of the liver. Ten to 30 percent of heavy drinkers develop acute alcoholic hepatitis.

Potential

Acute alcoholic hepatitis can cause a lot of liver damage and destruction. It is rarely life-threatening, but the toxins in the body cause the liver to become very inflamed. An inflamed liver is not comfortable and can cause great health risks. In the worst-case scenario, the hepatitis can lead to heavy scarring and have an increase in immunity to white blood cells. The liver will become red and swollen and destroy red blood cells. However, in some cases the only change is that the liver blood tests show a slight elevation and jaundice develops. Ultimately the patient must stop drinking alcohol and take high doses of vitamin B and thiamine.

Time Frame

Acute alcoholic hepatitis can develop quickly or gradually over time. Often it does not last a long time once diagnosed. The course may last only one or two months. However, if left untreated it can become severe and lead to liver failure. This disease occurs after an extended period of excess alcohol consumption.

Warnings

Many symptoms appear when one falls ill with acute alcoholic hepatitis. These symptoms include: feeling unwell, slight change in liver tests, enlarged liver, fluid in the abdomen, tenderness in the abdomen, spider-like blood vessels, little appetite, low fever, fatigue, paleness, mood swings, vomiting blood, redness in hands, confusion and memory loss. Jaundice is one of the most distinct symptoms, it is easy to tell if you have jaundice or not because your skin turns yellow as well as your eyes.

Identification

After being diagnosed by the various symptoms of acute alcoholic hepatitis, such as hallucinations or jaundice, the doctor will first take a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. The blood test will show the level of inflammation of the liver. He or she may also ask for an ultrasound that will show the changes on the liver.

Effects

If untreated, the symptoms of acute alcoholic hepatitis can cause great damage. First the liver will become spotty. This occurs because the ethanol broken down from the alcohol causes destruction in the liver as it is passed through the body. Ethanol is toxic to the liver so it causes scarring and causes the enzymes in the liver to change.