Alcoholic hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by alcohol poisoning, typically seen in perpetual heavy drinkers. However, not all chronic drinkers will develop this type of hepatitis and it can be caused by moderate or occasional binge drinking.
Cause of hepatitis is via a variety of things, such as poisons, drugs, viruses, bacteria, environmental toxins, etc. Because your liver is where alcohol is metabolized, it’s during the breakdown that it has the potential to be poisonous.
During alcohol metabolism, highly toxic acetaldehyde is produced. This compound must be quickly converted to prevent inflammation from destroying liver cells. When alcohol is chronically consumed, this toxin can cause a substantial unhealthy affect on your liver.
Initially, alcoholic hepatitis may cause only slight abdominal pain and low fever. But, if you continue to drink and cause further liver damage, some of these symptoms are likely to materialize:
- pallor
- ascites
- fatigue
- jaundice
- dry mouth
- malnutrition
- appetite loss
- hematemesis
- easy bruising
- unusual thirst
- rapid weight gain
- nausea, vomiting
- mental confusion
- excessive bleeding
Should you continue to drink, the severity of your symptoms will probably get worse. And alcoholic hepatitis can eventually progress to hepatic encephalopathy, cirrhosis and liver failure.
Why alcoholic hepatitis develops in some and not others isn’t clear. What is clear is that if you have alcohol caused abdominal pain and fever symptoms, avoiding alcohol altogether and other substances that harm your liver can allow for some regeneration. Albeit, replacement with healthy liver tissue may take months.
The primary alcoholic hepatitis treatment is complete withdrawal from alcohol. For this treatment to reverse your liver damage, it requires zero consumption of alcohol. Cutting back is insufficient to knock back your hepatitis caused abdominal pain and fever symptoms.
Some other alcoholic hepatitis treatments that may be recommended to improve liver function include:
- health filled nutrition
- maintain a healthy weight
- quit smoking, use of illicit drugs
- antioxidants ~ SAMe, milk thistle
- corticosteroids to reduce inflammation
- supplement vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, calcium, iron
Some of these treatments should be cleared with your health care provider before using them. And if your liver damage is severe enough, a liver transplant may be your only way back to invigorating health.
BTW, hepatitis C and acetaminophen don’t mix well with alcohol. Lest you want a failed liver.