In response to the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people self-medicated with alcohol. Researchers found that alcohol sales skyrocketed in 2020. As a result, many people ended up needing care for alcohol disorders. Fortunately, many options are available, like a local drug and alcohol rehab center, online therapy, and group therapy sessions.
If you’re uncertain whether you need care for excessive drinking, it’s important to know what alcohol can do to your liver and overall health.
Fatty Liver
Heavy drinkers often develop fatty liver, the first stage of liver disease. Fatty liver does not present many symptoms, and most people with it might feel some aches and pains on the right side of their abdomen. Fortunately, fatty liver can be treated, and the best choice is to stop drinking completely.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
Hepatitis is the medical term for an enlarged liver. Untreated fatty liver can become alcoholic hepatitis. When this occurs, alcohol makes the liver become swollen and inflamed. Liver cells also die. The range of symptoms include everything from fever and jaundice to nausea and vomiting. Many people also experience abdominal pain, at a more severe level than those with fatty liver experience.
Drinkers can have a mild form for many years, but if they keep drinking, they can suffer from more damage. Once alcoholic hepatitis becomes serious, it can result in death. The severe form of the disease often occurs after binge drinking. To prolong life, it’s important to stop drinking.
Cirrhosis of the Liver
People who have been drinking heavily for at least a decade can develop a serious medical condition called cirrhosis of the liver. This is an untreatable disease, as the liver is damaged and the cells are replaced with scar tissue. Like fatty liver disease, patients rarely experience symptoms, until their livers are severely damaged and cannot function properly.
People with cirrhosis can develop additional problems. Many accumulate fluids in their abdomens and legs, and they begin to notice additional pressure in the liver, as it no longer functions efficiently. Additional symptoms of cirrhosis include fatigue and muscular weakness, bleeding in the esophagus, an enlarged spleen, and changes in behavior like confusion and difficulty concentrating.
Most people who develop cirrhosis will benefit from a liver transplant, and some will develop liver failure or liver cancer. People who develop cirrhosis should stop drinking alcohol to give some relief to this important organ.
How Much Drinking Is Healthy?
People respond to alcohol in a variety of ways, mostly related to their age, gender, weight, and genetics. Prescription medications and medical issues can also affect the way people respond to alcohol. Your medical provider can help you understand how much alcohol you should or should not consume.
People who do not have liver disease should consider how they can best protect their bodies. In the medical world, moderate drinking includes two 12-ounce drinks for men and one for women. Drinking more than that is considered high-risk. Binge drinking involves imbibing several drinks within two hours: five for men and four for women.