Itchy Skin Liver Problems
Itchy skin, or pruritus, can occur with a wide variety of medical conditions and be very distressing. Lipatagonia better sweater blackver diseases with bile obstruction commonly have itching as a symptom, but the reason for itching is not clearly understood. Bile is produced in the liver cells, travels out a network of bile ducts through the pancreas and empties into your small intestine. A blockage anywhere along this pathway canpatagonia better sweater jacket womens closeout slow or stop the flow of bile, called cholestasis, and lead to increased levels of bile in your bloodstream. Yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine and light stools appear as the bile levels climb, often accompanied by widespatagonia down sweater fullpread itching. Bile flow obstruction can occur inside the liver as seen with hepatitis, cirpatagonia team discountrhosis, drugs or cholespatagonia jacket reviewtasis of pregnancy, or occur outside the liver due to gallstones, tumors or inflammation of the pancreas.
Pruritus and Liver Disease
Widespread, or generalized, itching from liver disease can appear before other signs or symptoms of cholestasis develop. Itching is typically most severe on the palms and soles of the feet, and worse in the late evening and night. No rash or other lesions are present, except when the act of scratching itself damages the skin. Unless liver disease is obviously the cause of itching, your health care provider will perform tests to confirm the diagnosis, including a blood bilirubin level, liver function tests and possibly a liver ultrasound to look for bile duct changes.
Explanation for Cholestatic Itching
Tpatagonia guide jacket elbow0he reason for generalized itching with liver disease is not well understood, other than the apparent link with obstructed bile flow. Bile salts, chemicals closely related to bile, are deposited in your skin when bilirubin levels rise and are thought to be the primary cause of itching. Detailed research and explanations are difficult when a symptom like itching occurs with multiple differepatagonia environmental grants storent diseases, is experienced somewhat differently by each individual and responds to different treatments in different cases.
patagonia guide jacket elbow3Treatment of Itching with Cholestasis
Resolving the cause of bile flow obstruction is the best treatment for itching with liver disease, but when this isn t immediately possible several medications can help relieve the itch. Cholestyramine is used most patagonia guide jacket elbowoften, and works by binding bile salts in your intestines so they are excreted rather than reabsorbpatagonia guide jacket uniqlopatagonia guide jacket the northed back into the bloodstream. Rifampicin, an antibiotic, causes an increase in liver metabolism of bile and other chemicals, and relieves itching in some people. Dpatagonia guide pants namesrugs that block opioid receptors in the body also sometimes help, suggesting that your body s own endorphins may play a role in pruritus. Stopatagonia guide jacket elbow1pping any drugs that can furthepatagonia guide jacket elbow2r harm the liver, such as alcohol, is also recommended.
