Do you have liver cirrhosis? This is a serious stage of liver disease that involves scar tissue replacing healthy tissue. There are various conditions to watch out for including cirrhosis rash. This serious health condition can cause many symptoms including loss of appetite, leg/ankle swelling, and fatigue. You also might experience rashes. There are various possible causes of this symptom so it’s critical to know the possible causes. This will help to treat it effectively and help manage the disease effectively. In fact, late stages of liver cirrhosis can include mental ones including forgetfulness and confusion. Skin conditions are another type of common symptoms related to liver cirrhosis.
Some symptoms of cirrhosis are linked to other health issues like hepatitis. These conditions can cause several other conditions like rashes. These symptoms can make it tougher to deal with liver cirrhosis. It’s critical to know the real cause of the symptoms so you can deal with them effectively. Skin rashes can be caused by several factors including the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the USA alone over 4 million people have HCV. However, there are many other causes of rashes so it’s critical to know the real cause of the irritated skin.
What Exactly Is Liver Cirrhosis?
This is a late-stage liver disease that’s very serious and develops over a long period of time. In fact, it’s possible to have liver cirrhosis for several years without experiencing any symptoms. This is related to how serious your condition is.
The first stages of the liver disease result in something called “fatty liver.” This involves extra fat in the vital organ. However, over time this condition can develop into more serious stages. The most serious stage is known as live cirrhosis.
It’s important to get treatment for the liver condition to help prevent the symptoms from getting worse. Here are some symptoms of liver cirrhosis’ early stages:
| Hair loss | Personality changes |
| Bleeding gums | Changes in urine/stool |
| Itchy skin | Jaundice (yellow skins/eyeballs) |
| Fever | Low sex drive |
| Confusion | Sleep problems |
| Nosebleeds | Muscle cramps |
| Easily bruising | Stomach swelling |
| White nails | Forgetfulness |
These are some of the symptoms you might experience in the first stages of liver cirrhosis. There are some symptoms you should definitely watch out for:
- Sleepiness
- High fever
- Vomiting blood
- Serious stomach pain
- Confusion
- Yellow eyeballs
- Black stools
- Uncontrollable shaking.
Liver cirrhosis is often linked to alcoholism. However, there are also non-alcoholic causes of liver disease/cirrhosis. When a person experiences cirrhosis their liver isn’t functioning properly. The liver has several functions including producing enzymes for food digestion, removing toxins from the blood, and battling infections.
The liver can normally repair itself and make strong scar tissue. However, when there’s a scar tissue buildup the organ is unable to work properly. This results in liver cirrhosis.
It’s important to know the main causes of liver cirrhosis. They include obesity, hepatitis B/C infections, and heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages. There are also other conditions that might boost your risk of cirrhosis. They include:
- Iron buildup
- Immune system diseases
- Medicine reactions
- Diseases linked to sugar-processing
- Infections
- Genetic disorders
- Blocked bile ducts
- Digestion problems
Can Hepatitis Cause Cirrhosis Rashes?
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the possible causes of liver cirrhosis. HCV is a type of liver-related contagious infection. When it’s not treated it can cause liver failure. The human liver has many important key functions including infection prevention and food digestion.
HCV causes several possible symptoms including skin rashes. It’s important to treat them ASAP. However, it’s worth noting that there are many causes of rashes and some aren’t directly related to HCV. For example, they could be side-effects caused by HCV medicines. The rashes could also be linked to liver damage itself instead of specific conditions like hepatitis.
HCV causes liver swelling. If the liver isn’t working correctly this can greatly affect your body since the vital organ is critical for several body functions. Hepatitis can cause several symptoms including:
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Serious fatigue
- Yellow skin/eyeballs (Jaundice)
- Changes in urine/stool
Rashes
When the infection continues and worsens there are more serious symptoms, which can include rashes.
One red flag about rashes is it can be a sign of major river damage. Serious liver damage is closest linked to very serious cases. Liver damage can be seen on the skin. Some possible symptoms include:
- Redness
- “Spider veins”
- Very dry skin
- Itchy spots
There are other symptoms to watch out for. They include continuous bleeding/swelling. The liver is critical for survival so if it becomes majorly damaged your doctor might order you to have a liver transplant.
Brown patches
Besides liver damage, the rashes might result from HCV treatment. This happens most frequently when people receive hepatitis medicines through injections. In these cases, the rashes could happen where the injection takes place due to irritation.
You can treat this condition using options like hydrocortisone cream and cold packs. This can help to reduce discomfort/itchiness during the healing process of the rash. Rashes in another area could be a sign of a rare reaction to medicines.
Natural Treatments for Cirrhosis/Hep C Rashes
1. Zinc
This might seem like an odd one. People with hepatitis C have lower levels of the mineral. This can affect various health issues like the immune system and liver. Some studies show that zinc might help to deal with various symptoms and even make treatments more effective.
One Japanese study showed that zinc supplements helped people with Hep C. It reduced their risk of liver cancer versus those who didn’t take the supplements. Make sure to talk to your doctor before taking these supplements to avoid “interactions” with other supplements/medicines.
2. Vitamin D
This vitamin found in dairy products can help to improve the function of nerves, muscles, and immune system. Hepatitis C patients have a higher risk of having low Vitamin D levels. Other sources of Vitamin D include sunlight. It’s important to only consider supplements if your Vitamin D levels are below the recommended daily value.
3. Meditation
It can be tough to deal with rashes linked to cirrhosis/hepatitis. You can help to relax your body/brain through medicine. In the hustle and bustle of the modern world, we often think it’s wasted time when we do nothing. However, this is important for reducing stress and boosting focus. There are various methods. It can involve simply clearing your mind for several minutes. You can also take deep breaths and focus on something we do about 23,000 times per day: breathing.
Your doctor can help you. He/She can provide you with info about meditation classes. They’re offered at different places like community centers, local hospitals, and fitness centers.
4. Massage
Massage therapy can help to deal with soft tissues like muscles by rubbing, kneading, and stroking. Keep in mind this won’t directly treat Hep C. However, it can help to deal with fatigue and lower stress. It’s important to locate a trained therapist so you get the best results when dealing with cirrhosis rash.
