Cirrhosis pronounced "suh-roh-sus" is a very deadly condition in which scarring causes the liver to be completely demaged. The liver, a large organ that is part of the digestive system, does a wide range of complex jobs that are important for life.
Functions of the Liver
• The liver metabolizes alcohol and many drugs
• It makes many important substances, including bile to help digest food and clotting factors to help stop bleeding.
• Controls the amounts of fat, sugar and protein in the bloodstream.
• It filters poisons from the blood.
• Breaks down (metabolizes) alcohol and many drugs.
• Stores important vitamins and minerals.
When cirrhosis ocurs, scar tissue also called fibrosis, replaces healthy tissue. This scar tissue prevents the liver from functioning properly. Cirrhosis can be deadly, however early detection and treatment can help stop damage to the liver.
Causes of Cirrhosis
• Prolonged intake of alcohol
• Chronic viral hepatitis
• Inherited diseases, such as Wilson's disease, cystic fibrosis, or hemochromatosis.
• Autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune hepatitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
• Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
• Blocked bile ducts
Symptoms of Cirrhosis
You may not have symptoms in the early stages of cirrhosis. But as it deteriorates, it can cause a number of symptoms, including:
• Fatigue
• Small red spots and tiny lines on the skin called spider angiomas.
• Bruising and bleeding easily
• Heavy nosebleeds
• Dramatic Weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
• Itching
• Swelling from fluid buildup in the legs (edema) and the abdomen (ascites).
• Bleeding from enlarged veins in the digestive tract.
Diagnosis of Cirrhosis
Physical exam and questions about symptoms of past health may be asked by your doctor. If cirrhosis is suspected, you may have blood tests and imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan. These tests can help your doctor find out what is causing the cirrhosis and degree of severity.
Your doctor to do a liver biopsy to confirm that you have cirrhosis by taking a needle to take a sample of liver tissue for testing.
Treatment of Cirrhosis
Treatment of Cirrhosis may include surgery, medicines or other options, depending on the cause of your cirrhosis. Treatment cannot cure cirrhosis, but it can sometimes prevent or delay further liver damage. So getting treatment urgently is essential.
There are things you can do to help limit the damage to your liver and control the symptoms:
• Don’t drink any alcohol.
• Talk to your doctor before you take any medication. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Medicines that can hurt your liver include acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and other pain medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve).
• Make sure that your immunizations are up-to-date. You are at higher risk for infections.
• Follow a low-sodium diet. This can help prevent fluid buildup, a common problem in cirrhosis that can become life-threatening.
Symptoms may not appear until a problem is severe. So it's important to see your doctor for regular checkups and lab tests. You may also need testing to check for possible problems such as enlarged veins in your digestive tract or liver cancer.
If cirrhosis becomes life-threatening, then a liver transplant may be an option. But a transplant is expensive, organs are hard to find, and it doesn't always work.
If your cirrhosis isn’t improving, you may want to make important end-of-life decisions, such as writing a living will. It can be comforting to know that you will get the type of care you want.
You can also join a support group and talk with other people.

Source: http://www.healthdiary365.com/2017/11/24/cirrhosis-causes-symptoms-treatment/