The liver is an organ about the size of a football. It sits just under your rib cage on the right side of your abdomen. The liver is essential for digesting food and ridding your body of toxic substances. Liver disease can be inherited (genetic). Liver problems can also be caused by a variety of factors that damage the liver, such as viruses, alcohol use and obesity.Liver disease doesn’t always cause noticeable signs and symptoms. If signs and symptoms of liver disease do occur, they may include: Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice) Abdominal pain and swelling Swelling in the legs and ankles Itchy skin Dark urine color Pale stool color Chronic fatigue Nausea or vomiting Loss of appetite Tendency to bruise easilyParasites and viruses can infect the liver, causing inflammation that reduces liver function. The viruses that cause liver damage can be spread through blood or semen, contaminated food or water, or close contact with a person who is infected. The most common types of liver infection are hepatitis viruses, including: Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis CDiseases in which your immune system attacks certain parts of your body (autoimmune) can affect your liver. Examples of autoimmune liver diseases include: Autoimmune hepatitis Primary biliary cholangitis Primary sclerosing cholangitisAn abnormal gene inherited from one or both of your parents can cause various substances to build up in your liver, resulting in liver damage. Genetic liver diseases include: Hemochromatosis Wilson’s diseaseExamples include: Liver cancer Bile duct cancer Liver adenoma Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiencyFactors that may increase your risk of liver disease include: Heavy alcohol use Obesity Type 2 diabetes Tattoos or body piercings Injecting drugs using shared needles Blood transfusion before 1992 Exposure to other people’s blood and body fluids Unprotected sex Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins Family history of liver disease
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-problems/symptoms-causes/syc-20374502