Health Alert: Fatty Liver Disease and Paralysis

Many individuals understand the relationship between alcohol consumption and liver disease. However, there is a new health alert to everyone about nonalcoholic-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It can develop in individuals, even those who consume little to no alcohol. This is an issue of too much fat being stored within liver cells. Some individuals will go on to develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a particularly aggressive form that includes liver inflammation, scarring, and liver failure.

The incidence of NAFLD of liver disease is on the rise. In the US it is estimated that one-fourth of the total population could be already affected. It is estimated that there are three million cases diagnosed each year and yet, very few individuals are aware of the condition.

Symptoms of NAFLD are silent, meaning you may not notice any changes in your body. Risk factors include obesity, metabolic syndrome (a constellation of issues including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, increased abdominal girth, and high cholesterol), insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, all of which can be common complications of neurological issues.

Neurological issues can lead to metabolic issues, particularly liver changes, due to system inflammation and autonomic disruption of liver function. Liver function is affected but the disruption may not be symptomatic.

Symptoms of NAFLD are rather vague. Most individuals have fatigue, and some will not sense the pain in the right upper abdomen over the liver, even if it is present. You may have increased tone (spasticity), autonomic dysreflexia episodes (AD) or just a general feeling of ‘something is wrong’. Rarely, you may have unexplained weight loss. Later symptoms may include abdominal swelling, enlarged blood vessels in the abdomen or sometimes on the face, an enlarged spleen, redness of the palms, or yellowing of the skin. Late stages of liver damage include cirrhosis with eventual liver damage. In extreme cases, a liver transplant may be needed.

Keeping up with your annual health assessments will alert you to issues with your liver. Blood test results may be the first sign that something may be amiss in your liver function. This would be followed up with imaging studies. In some cases, a liver biopsy is needed to make a diagnosis.

There is no specific treatment or medication for NAFLD, rather symptoms are controlled. Avoiding NAFLD is the best prevention. Attempt to control factors that you can. For example, eat a healthy diet, and avoid high-calorie and highly processed foods. Avoid alcohol. Keep your blood sugar and cholesterol under control. If you have a large abdominal girth, as most individuals do from lax stomach muscles and/or fat, attempt to reduce your weight and reduce your abdominal girth through diet, exercise, or electrical stimulation if it is available to you. Check with your healthcare professional for a nutritional consultation and obtain an exercise plan or small electrical stimulator to strengthen your abdominal muscles.