Signs Your Liver is Healing from Alcohol

Getting Sober and the Path to Hepatic Healing

Among the various concerns related to alcohol intake, and reasons for seeking alcohol rehab, severe liver damage is one of the most serious. Liver function is crucial to a number of important body processes including processing the blood and aiding in digestion.

Alcohol abuse hinders the organ from making much progress, but the liver can repair itself. With this in mind, what are the signs your liver is healing from alcohol?

If you have recently decided to cut back on your alcohol consumption, you might be interested to learn the signs that liver damage is being reversed. Here is what you need to know about liver health in the aftermath of alcohol addiction, and how Icarus Behavioral Health can help you get sober

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Can it be Reversed?

One of the earliest conditions that impact the liver cells is alcoholic fatty liver disease. Even infrequent drinking in large amounts can trigger the development of this type of liver disease. Alcohol leads to a buildup of fats in and around the liver, making this type of liver damage aptly named.

The good news is that like other types of liver damage, alcoholic fatty liver disease is simple to reverse. All you need to do is cut out your alcohol consumption. Depending on the severity of your drinking, liver health could improve in a matter of weeks.

Alcohol addiction may require months of sobriety before healing takes place.

Here are a few signs your liver is healing from alcohol, whether it is the reversal of fatty liver disease or just improved functioning.

More Energy for Daily Activities

You might be surprised to learn that the liver does more for your body than simply producing bile. The liver function also plays a significant role in the metabolism of your food. When it stops working properly due to liver damage, you are more likely to start feeling fatigued even if you consume lots of healthy, energy-producing foods.

As the liver cells repair themselves, your metabolism will once again speed up. Your red blood cells will increase in count and your immune system will begin to heal as well.

That means that if your liver function returns to its regular state before your alcohol consumption began, you might become more energetic. This allows you to funnel more into your recovery, time with family, and even your job responsibilities.

Moving Metabolism Along for Weight Loss

Keep in mind that your metabolism does more for you than simply giving you the energy levels needed to function from day to day. A faster metabolism also means that you will burn through the foods that you eat instead of storing them elsewhere in the body. In other words, your weight may start to fluctuate toward an upward trend.

Even without exercise or dieting, you might notice that some of the weight melts off after you stop drinking. This is frequently one of the early signs your liver is healing.

You can compound the effect by dieting and incorporating exercise into your diet. This can also correct any deficiencies that you might have had in your diet or as the result of the liver not processing the nutrients appropriately.

If your weight bothers you, it may be time to consider how the liver healing process could impact your overall health.

Greater Appetite and Desire for Nutrients

Despite the simple fact that liver damage can lead to weight gain, it is also important to note that its dysfunction can lead to nutritional deficiencies. The liver is responsible for breaking down the foods you eat so that the rest of the body can process them.

When it does not work the way it was intended, your body misses out on some of these key nutrients.

You might find that as you start to allow space for healing, your appetite picks up. You may even crave very specific foods that contain the nutrients that your body has been lacking for so long.

Even though you may have a greater appetite, you can still lose weight due to the mechanisms of metabolism looked at in the last section. Try to stick to healthy foods to give you the boost that you need, to allow the liver to heal, and to compound weight loss.

Brain Fog Clears Away

Liver damage and alcohol abuse have one impact on your body that you might not expect: brain fog and a lack of mental clarity. How does this work? A healthy liver is responsible for processing the toxins in your body. When you have severe liver disease, the toxins no longer get processed in the same way.

The result is that you have a hard time with processing the things that happen to you, recalling memories, and generally thinking clearly.

If you want to combat memory loss and general confusion, you might want to channel a little liver healing into your recovery process. This decrease in mental clarity tends to become more advanced as you move into the later stages of alcohol-related liver disease such as cirrhosis.

Decreased Inflammation in the Body

How do you know that the liver is healing? It might be quite obvious if you have been suffering from rampant inflammation in the body for quite some time. When you are in a state of liver failure or just serious liver damage, the organ becomes more inflamed.

As you might expect, you likely have some pain stemming from this bout of inflammation. Tenderness in the abdominal region is very likely until you start helping your liver heal.

As this organ regenerates healthy new cells, inflammation dramatically decreases. All of the pain associated with liver damage often goes away as well. You may not notice when inflammation drops, but you will definitely notice less tenderness in the body.

Decrease in Yellow Skin and Eye Tint

If you drink alcohol frequently, reduced liver function eventually leads to more advanced conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver. This stage of advanced liver disease is quite serious and comes with a telltale signs. Many people who have cirrhosis also have jaundice (a yellow tint to the skin and eyes).

This is another symptom of the liver’s inability to process the toxins that build up in the body. Toxins will filter into other parts of the body and lead to a yellow color that is noticeable to the world at large.

More Clearly Losing the Look of Jaundice

The skin often takes on a yellow hue, but it is even more clear to see in the whites of the eyes. If you have noticed that your skin and eyes look different than usual, it may be time to consider seeking help so that your liver heals.

When the liver starts to return to its baseline of functioning, it will remove the buildup of toxins in your system. The result of this healthy liver tissue is that it takes the yellow color out of the skin and whites of the eyes. You can go back to your normal appearance in time.

Improved Markers in Your Blood Work

If you are seeking treatment for an alcohol dependency, your doctor may have ordered lab work to get a baseline for your healing process. One of the tests that they may take indicates the liver’s ability to function as-is. You may not pass this test with flying colors if you have an extreme buildup of toxic substances in the body.

The good news is that you can measure how well your liver is healing through lab work.

Your doctor may take blood samples from you at regular intervals to test how your liver disease or function improves. As long as you stop drinking and dedicate yourself to a healthier lifestyle, you should see that your blood work improves in time.

What Slows Down the Liver Healing Process?

Unfortunately, there are times when the healing process of your liver function may take longer than you expect. Frequent alcohol consumption to the point of excess can lead to liver scarring that is extremely difficult to repair and regenerate.

Depending on how long your alcohol abuse has gone on, you might find that your recovery is much longer.

Long-term alcohol consumption may have displayed some early signs that your liver was not functioning at its best. However, if those were ignored, then you may find that your liver is not as up to the task of healing on its own. Discuss with your doctor whether it is likely for your liver to regenerate healthy cells and tissues.

How Long Does Liver Disease Take to Heal?

Many people are eager for increased energy, weight loss, and the return of their skin and eyes to their normal range of color. How long does it really take for you to notice the signs that your liver heals itself?

The answer is a bit more complex, depending on the severity of your drinking.

For mild liver disease and damage caused by infrequent drinking, you might notice some of the signs of the healing process in a matter of days. You might find that your brain fog clears up, the pain in your abdomen lessens, and you have a greater appetite. Other symptoms such as the effects on your lab work may take longer to notice.

Having Patience After Long Term Damage to Liver Function

If you have struggled with serious alcohol consumption for an extended period of time, you may find that the liver healing process takes longer. Some people will not notice the signs of improvement for weeks or even months.

Be patient with your body as it works to heal your blood cells and liver cells. It takes time to reverse the state of your liver damage due to alcohol use. Especially if you have entered into later stages of liver damage like cirrhosis of the liver, it might require more than a few days of sobriety to clear up nagging symptoms.

Get Help for Alcohol Abuse and Addiction

You do not have to wait until the liver begins to display signs of long-term damage. If you find that you struggle with brain fog, low energy levels, weight gain, or a yellow tint to the skin and eyes, it might be time to consider a sober lifestyle before the damage to the liver becomes irreversible due to scarring and extensive damage.

Icarus Behavioral Health in New Mexico offers the help you need to combat withdrawal symptoms in a safe environment. Our alcohol detoxification program allows you the medical attention and assistance you require to make it through the early days of your sobriety. Not to mention, our trained staff and doctors can help you make a plan to combat some of the more serious effects of alcohol addiction on the liver.

Start to Reverse Liver Damage by Getting Help Today!

Don’t leave your treatment to chance. Contact Icarus Behavioral Health today to learn more about we can help you take the first steps toward a sober lifestyle and healing for your liver.

Take the plunge to commit to your sobriety and treatment, starting right away. The sooner you seize the opportunity to get help, the sooner you can begin healing!