Our Approach
When a person's liver is more than 5-10% fat in weight, it is considered a fatty liver. Most people show no complications from a fatty liver. However, in some cases, fat accumulation leads to inflammation or even liver failure.
If you think you may have a disorder like fatty liver, it’s time to get an evaluation. The hepatologists (liver specialists) at Franciscan Health work closely with radiologists, pathologists and other providers to deliver total liver care.
Fatty liver treatment
Fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are treated by changing your lifestyle. Doctors typically treat the risk factors that contribute to your liver disease. If you are obese, you should lose weight at a steady rate of one to two pounds per week rather than very quickly. Medications and surgery can help with weight reduction.
You can lower your triglyceride levels with a proper diet, exercise or medication. You may be asked to avoid alcoholic beverages and unnecessary medications. Diabetes also should be properly managed.
To reduce the risk of further damage to your liver, your doctor may recommend that you receive vaccinations against hepatitis A and hepatitis B to help protect you from these viruses that cause liver damage.
Fatty liver diagnosis
Your doctor can diagnose fatty liver with a physical exam, blood tests and diagnostic imaging such as an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI. Your doctor may also need to remove a small sample of liver tissue using a needle biopsy to confirm NASH.
Fatty liver causes
Fatty liver, or hepatic steatosis, can occur when someone regularly consumes a lot of alcohol. However, the condition is also common among people who rarely drink. For people who drink little or no alcohol, the condition is called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
People diagnosed with fatty liver are often overweight and middle-aged. Other adults or children are at risk for developing fatty liver if they have diabetes, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, malnutrition or lose weight very quickly.
Fatty liver symptoms
Fatty liver symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Pain in the upper right abdomen
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Mental confusion
