When your liver gets damaged over and over, it tries to heal itself—but instead of fixing the problem, it builds scar tissue. This is cirrhosis, a late-stage liver disease where healthy tissue is replaced by nonfunctioning scar tissue. Also known as liver cirrhosis, it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the quiet result of long-term stress on the organ, often from habits or conditions you might not even realize are harming you.
The biggest culprit? alcohol-related liver disease, damage caused by heavy, ongoing alcohol use. It’s not just binge drinking—it’s daily use over years that slowly kills liver cells. Another major cause is hepatitis, especially types B and C, which attack the liver directly. Many people carry hepatitis for decades without symptoms, letting the virus quietly scar their liver. Then there’s fatty liver disease, a buildup of fat in the liver, often linked to obesity, diabetes, or high cholesterol. It’s not just "bad liver"—it’s a metabolic problem that turns into scarring if ignored.
These aren’t the only causes, but they’re the most common. Autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders like hemochromatosis, and even long-term use of certain medications can push the liver past its limit. The scary part? By the time you feel symptoms—fatigue, yellow skin, swollen belly—the damage is already severe. That’s why knowing your risk matters more than waiting for pain. If you drink regularly, have hepatitis, or carry extra weight, your liver might be sending signals you’re ignoring.
What you’ll find below are real, practical guides that break down how these causes work, what they look like in the body, and how people are managing them. Some posts talk about liver health linked to medications, others explore how immune responses or metabolic issues play a role. You won’t find fluff here—just clear facts on what leads to cirrhosis, what to watch for, and how to protect yourself before it’s too late.
Learn how alcohol damages the liver, the stages from fatty liver to cirrhosis, warning signs of liver failure, diagnosis methods, and effective prevention and treatment strategies.