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What Causes an Enlarged Liver? - What if Liver Size Increases

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Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna
Written by Rajath R Prabhu, last updated on 17 July 2023| min read
What Causes an Enlarged Liver? - What if Liver Size Increases

Quick Summary

  • The liver is an important organ that plays a central role in metabolism, detoxification, and other important bodily functions.
  • An enlarged liver can cause serious symptoms and health problems.
  • There are many possible causes of an enlarged liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis.

The liver, an important organ, plays a central role in metabolism, detoxification, and other important bodily functions. However, when the liver becomes enlarged, it can cause serious symptoms and health problems.

There are many possible causes of an enlarged liver, including Liver Hepatitis, Fatty Liver Disease, and Liver Cirrhosis. The treatment for an enlarged liver hinges on the underlying reason but may involve lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery. This post looks at the causes, risks, and treatments for an enlarged liver.

What is an Enlarged Liver?

  1. The liver is a vital organ in our body. It takes care of some of the body's most crucial functions, such as blood cholesterol regulation, filtration of toxins from the blood, and much more.
  2. This very role of the liver makes it susceptible to toxin overload, which can lead to inflammation in the liver. This condition is widely known as Liver Hepatitis.
  3. When the liver is swollen beyond its normal size, it is said to be an enlarged liver or hepatomegaly in medical terms. One can say that enlarged liver is not just a disease but more of a symptom of underlying health conditions, such as obesity, viral hepatitis, autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders, liver lesion, etc. However, as far as the liver's health is concerned, it is a liver disease.
  4. There could be numerous complications related to hepatomegaly. If you have any such issues, you must meet with your healthcare provider to address them.
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Symptoms of Enlarged Liver

The symptoms of an enlarged liver are mild, and you wouldn't notice them most of the time. Sometimes, you may not even understand why your liver is enlarged, as you may not have any visible symptoms.

The following are some of the symptoms of an enlarged liver:

  1. Feeling of fullness.
  2. Constant discomfort in your stomach.
  3. Symptoms of jaundice include yellowing skin, eyes, and urine.
  4. Constant weakness, exhaustion, and fatigue.
  5. Nausea.
  6. Weight loss.

Causes of an Enlarged Liver

There are many potential causes of an enlarged liver. Below are some of the most common causes of liver enlargement in adults.

Liver Diseases

  1. Liver Cirrhosis: This end-stage liver disease replaces the healthy liver tissue with scar tissues.
  2. Viral hepatitis: This disease can damage the liver and cause inflammation. There are different types of hepatitis caused by viruses, such as A, B, C, D, and E. The A and C viruses are found to cause severe infections, while the others cause chronic and acute infections.
  3. Alcohol-related fatty liver disease: This liver disease develops due to excessive alcohol consumption. This can cause the enlargement of the liver.
  4. Non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease: There are many reasons, such as diabetes and a high-fat diet, that can cause an enlarged liver. 
  5. Liver lesions: Liver cysts, liver cancer, and benign liver tumours are a few examples of this type of medical condition to cause an enlarged liver.
  6. Amyloidosis: Amyloidosis is a condition where amyloid, a type of protein, builds up in a person’s organs. The protein can accumulate in the liver and be a reason for enlarged liver.
  7. Steatosis: When fat starts to deposit in your liver, it is called steatosis in medical terms. It can happen for various reasons, such as obesity, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, alcohol disorders, type 2 diabetes, hepatitis, etc.
  8. Wilson’s disease: This genetic disorder causes the deposit of copper in one’s liver. The accumulation of copper can lead to an enlarged liver if not diagnosed and treated.

Heart Diseases

  1. Heart failure: Heart failure is another major cause of an enlarged liver. Heart conditions can put unnecessary pressure on the portal vein, which is one of the most important veins. The portal vein is also responsible for pumping blood to the liver, and when heart failures occur, due to the increased pressure, over a while, the liver may suffer, leading to cause an enlarged liver.
  2. Congestive heart failure: This is when a person's heart fails to pump as well as it needs to. This can be due to weakened or weakening muscles in the heart's wall. This is one of many enlarged liver causes.

Cancer

  1. Cancer: cancer that first develops in another part area of the body and spreads to the liver.
  2. Liver Cancer: This type of cancer affects the liver cells, as the liver cells start to proliferate and in an uncontrolled manner. This leads to enlargement of the liver.
  3. Lymphoma: This type of cancer affects the entire lymphatic network of a person’s body. Cancer causes severe damage to the person's internal organs and can lead to an enlarged liver.

Autoimmune diseases

  1. Are caused by an individual's immune system attacking its healthy tissue. Rheumatoid arthritis is one such example, and it can be a reason for an enlarged disease.

Genetic disorders

  1. Many genetic disorders can result in the accumulation of fat, protein and other substances in an individual's liver, which can directly lead to hepatomegaly.

Causes of liver enlargement in Infants

Although enlarged livers are often seen as an adult health condition, it is also prevalent in infants for various reasons. The causes of the enlarged liver in infants are as varied as in the case of adults. Some of the causes of the enlarged liver in infants are:

  1. Infection
  2. Viral Hepatitis 
  3. Heart problems
  4. Low blood flow to the liver due to other medical conditions
  5. Diseases of the bile ducts, such as biliary atresia
  6. Inherited metabolic diseases
  7. Genetic disorders 
  8. Autoimmune diseases

However, many treatment methods are available to treat these conditions in infants as well.

Risks Factors Associated with an Enlarged Liver

You can be at a higher risk of developing enlarged liver if you have the following issues:

  1. Excessive Alcohol: If a person consumes alcohol excessively, the chances of enlargement of the liver are high. 
  2. Obesity: One of the most common reasons for enlarged liver is obesity. This condition is when your body has more fat than needed, which risks your health. Obesity is a grave situation, and enlarged liver is only one of the issues associated with obesity.
  3. Abuse of medications and supplements: Taking health and vitamin supplements or large amounts of over-the-counter medications can also elevate the risk of liver enlargement. 
    1. Another reason for increasing the risk of an enlarged liver is the overuse of acetaminophen. An overdose of acetaminophen can result in acute failure of the liver and contribute significantly to an enlarged liver.
  4. Herbal supplements: If you are a person that takes herbal supplements, you should show caution about the same. Certain supplements like valerian, cohosh, etc., can stress the liver’s health.
  5. Infections: Bacterial, viral or parasitic infections can also increase the risk of liver enlargement. As the liver is primarily involved in removing toxins from the blood, this functionality can be affected when the liver is infected. And this can cause further liver damage and lead to serious health complications.
  6. Poor eating habits: A poor diet can put your liver at extreme risk. Consuming food with large amounts of salt, sugar, and fat can be dangerous to your liver.
  7. Other health problems: In addition to the above-discussed risks, there are plenty of health risks and conditions that an enlarged liver can also cause. Some of them include high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease. All these diseases can, if left untreated, certainly grow to become life-threatening for the individual.

Diagnosis of the Enlarged Liver

The first step of any diagnostic procedure to understand if you have an enlarged liver is a physical examination by your doctor. However, other types of diagnosis include:

  1. Blood tests
  2. CT scan
  3. MRI scans
  4. Ultrasound scan
  5. Liver biopsy

Treatment for an Enlarged Liver

Based on the diagnosis, treatment plans can be charted out with a healthy diet, a suitable exercise regime, etc.

  1. If the enlarged liver results from fatty liver disease, treatment may involve weight loss, exercise, and a healthy diet.
  2. When the enlarged liver cause is alcoholism mainly, treatment may involve abstaining from alcohol, as well as nutritional support and counselling.
  3. Sometimes, the enlarged liver is due to hepatitis. In such cases, treatment may include antiviral medications, immunosuppressive drugs, or a liver transplant.
  4. There are instances when medications may not be enough to manage an enlarged liver. You may need to make lifestyle modifications and adjustments, such as:
    1. Stop drinking alcohol.
    2. Exercising.
    3. Indulging yourself in enough physical activities.

Takeaway

Enlarged liver is a condition where the liver has abnormally increased in size. The causes can be benign or malignant, but most often, it is due to fatty liver disease. However, what is important is that when you have any issues consult a doctor immediately. This will help your doctor uncover the cause and recommend the best treatment to cure the issue in its early stage itself. 

If you want the best and most qualified professionals to diagnose and treat your enlarged liver, HexaHealth is the ideal platform. HexaHealth has brought together the best healthcare professionals and institutes from all parts of the country in diverse healthcare practices to create a strong network of healthcare options.

The network helps patients not only find the best doctors and healthcare institutes but also seek all the help they need in determining the best treatment plans, health coverages, and expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

We may not be able to determine a specific timeframe for the enlarged liver to return to normal size, as it depends on a range of factors. If the patient adheres to all the advice and treatment plans of the doctor based on the diagnosis, it may take 6 months to 1 year. However, it works only in the case of alcohol habits, obesity, etc. There are conditions like cirrhosis where the damages cannot be undone by any treatment.

There are many causes for an enlarged liver, including drinking alcohol excessively, obesity, lack of physical activity, viral hepatitis, autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders, congestive heart failure, liver lesions, etc. Untreated, these can result in making a patient's liver abnormally larger.

When the liver size increases abnormally, the organ will fail to function as it is supposed to function. Since the liver's primary function is to filter toxins in the blood and regulate metabolism, related health problems may arise. These conditions can range from liver damage, infection, cancer, etc.

Some of the infants' most common causes of enlarged livers range from genetic disorders to autoimmune problems, infections, metabolic diseases, and toxins.

Left lobe of liver enlargement can happen due to any underlying health condition of the patient, such as hepatitis, high cholesterol, or cancer.

Alcohol, red meat, added salt, fried fruits, added sugar, and food with heavy fat must be avoided in any case.

There are conditions when an enlarged liver can be reversed with the right treatments, exercise, and diet. However, enlarged livers due to certain conditions are permanent.

Treating enlarged liver on time, sticking to the treatment regime planned by your doctor, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a proper diet and exercise plan will help you get your liver back to normal size.

Citrus fruits are preferred by doctors to be eaten by patients having liver conditions as it contains citric acid, bioflavonoid, vitamin C, and potassium, which are good for the liver. 

To regulate its function, the liver requires large amounts of fluid. Hence, drinking enough water and keeping the body hydrated for a healthy liver is advised.

While eggs are good for your liver, you must consume them carefully. Over-consumption of eggs may result in indigestion, and the yolk is also known for bad cholesterol. Hence, consult your doctor before including eggs in your diet.

Yes, walking is good for enlarged liver. One of the prime reasons for enlarged liver is obesity and lack of physical activity. Walking can reduce the chances of obesity.

If the enlarged liver is due to alcohol, obesity, or lack of proper exercise, it can be cured by adopting an alcohol-free and healthy lifestyle with enough exercise and a healthy diet. However, enlarged liver due to other serious symptoms may take more time to cure, even with medications.

With timely diagnosis and adopting the right treatment plan can help most infants be cured of liver diseases. However, it again depends on various factors specific to the specific infant.
Many reasons, such as genetics, autoimmune, and metabolic problems, cause enlarged liver and spleen in babies. However, there may be many reasons, as the case can be very person-specific.

Last Updated on: 17 July 2023

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational and learning purposes only. It doesn't cover every medical condition and might not be relevant to your personal situation. This information isn't medical advice, isn't meant for diagnosing any condition, and shouldn't replace talking to a certified medical or healthcare professional.

Reviewer

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

MBBS, DNB General Surgery, Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, FIAGES

12 Years Experience

Dr Aman Priya Khanna is a well-known General Surgeon, Proctologist and Bariatric Surgeon currently associated with HealthFort Clinic, Health First Multispecialty Clinic in Delhi. He has 12 years of experience in General Surgery and worke...View More

Author

Rajath R Prabhu

Rajath R Prabhu

MSc. Clinical Research I PG Diploma in Public Health Services Management

3 Years Experience

His work in medical content writing and proofreading is noteworthy. He has also contributed immensely to public health research and has authored four scientific manuscripts in international journals. He was assoc...View More

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