Cirrhosis affects about 1 in 400 American adults. The condition, which is defined as the manifestation of late-stage scarring of the liver, finds its origins in various different types of other conditions and diseases, including but not limited to chronic viral hepatitis, chronic alcohol abuse, Cystic Fibrosis, and sometimes even certain medications.
Unfortunately, cirrhosis is generally asymptomatic until your liver has undergone extensive damage. However, once symptoms appear, they could include:
There are also a host of potential complications that could arise if you have cirrhosis. If you have it, you could experience:
Splenomegaly, like cirrhosis, is also notoriously difficult to diagnose because it’s often asymptomatic. It’s often discovered by chance, in the middle of a routine physical exam, because physicians can generally feel an enlarged spleen from the outside. The condition has many other potential causes in addition to cirrhosis. They include:
Should you have an enlarged spleen, your treatment will vary depending on what the underlying cause behind it is.
An Ezra MRI could catch splenomegaly. If you’re interested in learning more, you may do so here.
