Patient's question:
Recently, my uncle has been feeling weak all over, with bloating in his stomach, lower back pain, and even swelling in his legs. I suggested he go to the hospital for a check-up, but he doesn't want to because he's reluctant to spend money. I secretly asked the doctor, and he said my uncle might have cirrhosis of the liver. I don't really understand what cirrhosis is. What is it? Is it serious? Is it treatable?Doctor's answer:
Cirrhosis is a common chronic progressive liver disease in clinical diagnosis. In the early stage, due to the strong compensatory function of the liver, there may be no obvious symptoms. In the later stage, it is mainly characterized by liver function damage and portal hypertension, accompanied by multi-system involvement. In the advanced stage, complications such as upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, secondary infections, hypersplenism, ascites, and carcinogenesis often occur. Your uncle should go to the hospital for early treatment. In addition, during the treatment of cirrhosis, besides timely medical intervention, the patient's dietary condition and psychological state are also crucial. The patient must maintain a light diet and always keep a cheerful and optimistic mindset to avoid unnecessary interference with the complete recovery from cirrhosis.