2 symptoms in the legs that signal irreversible fatty liver disease

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The symptoms are the result of the liver being so damaged that it cannot be cured.

Fat accumulation can occur for a number of reasons. Excessive alcohol consumption may be the cause. The drink can regulate the liver, causing it to store more fat rather than break it down.

Most people suffer from a form called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with about 25 to 30 percent of liver disease linked to nonalcoholic causes, such as obesity.

When fat continues to build up in the liver with NAFLD, it can cause the organ to become inflamed. When this happens, the diagnosis changes from NAFLD to a more serious condition called NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis).

Although your liver is inflamed, you are unlikely to have any symptoms in the early stages of NASH. But when NASH is combined with cirrhosis, which is when the liver is damaged, some physical symptoms may occur, according to Penn Medicine.

“People with NASH who have liver damage (cirrhosis) may experience fluid retention and swelling in the legs and abdomen.”

This is caused by increased pressure in the vein that carries blood through the liver, known as the portal vein. Increased blood pressure in the portal vein causes fluid to accumulate throughout the body, including the legs, ankles, and abdomen.

Swelling in the legs and ankles is known as edema, while swelling in the abdomen is known as ascites. Ascites often looks like a beer belly, which can sometimes be difficult to detect.