Symptoms & Signs
Symptoms may develop gradually, or there may be no symptoms.
When symptoms do occur, they can include:
- Abdominal indigestion or pain
- Confusion or problems thinking
- Impotence, loss of interest in sex, and breast development (gynecomastia) in men
- Nausea and vomiting
- Nosebleeds or bleeding gums
- Pale or clay-colored stools
- Small, red spider-like blood vessels on the skin
- Swelling or fluid buildup of the legs (edema) and in the abdomen (ascites)
- Vomiting blood or blood in stools
- Weakness
- Weight loss
- Yellow color in the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes (jaundice)
Diagnosis & Tests
During a physical examination the health care provider may find:
- An enlarged liver or spleen
- Excess breast tissue
- Expanded (distended) abdomen, as a result of too much fluid
- Reddened palms
- Red spider-like blood vessels on the skin
- Smaller (contracted) fingers
- Small testicles in men
- Widened (dilated) veins in the abdomen wall
- Yellow eyes or skin (jaundice)
Tests can reveal liver problems including:
- Anemia (detected on a CBC)
- Clotting problems
- Liver function problems (detected on liver function tests)
- Low serum albumin
The following tests may be used to evaluate the liver:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen
- Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen
- Ultrasound of the abdomen
A liver biopsy confirms cirrhosis.
Some patients will be screened for liver cancer every six months. Your doctor will use a blood test to check for levels of alpha fetoprotein and will do an imaging test (ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan).
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Cirrhosis : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Cirrhosis : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Cirrhosis : Treatment
Review Date : 10/18/2009
Reviewed By : George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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