Visible signs that may point to liver disease
One important catch: liver disease can be silent for years, particularly fatty liver and some forms of hepatitis. Visible changes may not appear until the disease has progressed. NIDDK+1
Possible signs include:
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Yellow skin or yellowing of the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
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Swelling of the abdomen or legs/ankles
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Easy bruising or bleeding
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Very itchy skin
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Dark urine, sometimes accompanied by unusually pale stools
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Unexplained weight loss or muscle loss
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Loss of appetite
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Changes in thinking, confusion, or unusual sleepiness in advanced liver disease NIDDK+1
These signs don’t prove that someone has liver disease; several other conditions can cause them. Diagnosis generally requires medical assessment and may include liver blood tests and imaging. NIDDK
Seek urgent medical attention for new jaundice accompanied by severe abdominal pain, fever, vomiting blood, black/tarry stools, or confusion.
If you’d like, I can also explain 5 early liver-disease signs that are easy to overlook.
