Cirrhosis is a disease that occurs due to the destruction of liver cells, which in turn affects the proper functioning of the organ and significantly conditions its processes and the overall health of the patient. Cirrhosis is a chronic condition that can result from diseases like hepatitis C or alcoholism, and its presence produces liver scarring and loss of organ functions.
No matter whether they suffer from this disease or not, many people want to know more about it. If you are asking yourself "can cirrhosis be cured", stay here at OneHowTo; we will explain it in detail.
Is there a cure for cirrhosis?
The short answer is no.
But why? Cirrhosis is a chronic disease. There is no cure as once liver damage occurs, it is irreversible. However, there are ways to make cirrhosis bearable and to live a relatively normal life even when suffering from it. It is of key importance that the patient take profound steps to change their lifestyle; this way the disease will progress much more slowly and their quality of life will be noticeably better.
If all standards of care are ignored after being diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, the damage in that organ will be so great that the disease will pass to a terminal or end-stage where an organ transplant is needed. Chronic liver failure is no small matter, since it means that scar tissue has replaced all healthy tissue so that the organ can't function - preventing infections, processing and storing nutrients any more.
What steps should you take to treat cirrhosis?
The first essential step to prevent the significant progression of liver cirrhosis is to completely stop drinking alcohol because this produces deep liver damage - in fact, excess alcohol consumption is often the cause of cirrhosis in the first place. If you suffer from alcoholism, it is very important to seek professional help.
It is also important to consider other measures:
- Avoid consuming pharmaceutical drugs without a prescription; no medical treatment should be initiated without the supervision of a professional.
- Follow a proper diet to maintain the liver's tissues as healthy as possible. In our article what to eat if you have cirrhosis we explain in detail which are the most suitable foods for patients.
- Get vaccinated against diseases such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia, as the decline in the immune system caused by cirrhosis can make the patient more prone to these conditions, which may severely affect the liver.
Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor may consider products such as diuretics, antibiotics and vitamins. The intake of these products should be under strict medical supervision.
The answer to "Can cirrhosis be cured?", then, is no. However, a healthy lifestyle can help prevent it, and the described steps will make a cirrhosis patient's life much easier.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Can Cirrhosis Be Cured?, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.