Painkiller warning: Overuse is known to cause serious inflammation of the liver - signs
Painkiller warning: Overuse is known to cause serious inflammation of the liver - signs
When you follow the instructions on painkillers and other pill-bottle labels, it's helpful and safe, and it generally doesn't upset the stomach or liver. But if you take too much and in extreme cases, it can cause liver failure or toxic hepatitis.
Toxic hepatitis is an inflammation of your liver in reaction to certain substances to which you're exposed.
The condition can be caused by alcohol, chemicals, drugs or nutritional supplements.
The symptoms of toxic hepatitis often go away when exposed to the toxin stops.
But toxic hepatitis can permanently damage your liver, leading to irreversible scarring of liver tissue (cirrhosis) and in some cases liver failure, which can be life-threatening.
Painkillers and fever reducers that contain acetaminophen are a common cause of liver injury, particularly when taken in doses greater than those recommended.
But toxic hepatitis can permanently damage your liver, leading to irreversible scarring of liver tissue (cirrhosis) and in some cases liver failure, which can be life-threatening.
Acetaminophen is the major metabolite of acetanilid and phenacetin, which were once commonly used drugs, and is responsible for their analgesic (pain-relieving) effects.
"Drug-induced hepatitis is a redness and swelling (inflammation) of the liver that is caused by a harmful (toxic) amount of certain medicines," said John Hopkins Medicine.
The health site added: "The liver helps to break down certain medicines in your blood. If there is too much medicine in your blood for your liver to break down, your liver can become badly damaged.
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.
Toxic hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver due to medication or exposure to toxic chemicals.
Getty Images Painkiller warning: Acetaminophen
Those at greater risk of hepatitis include those who:
- Have liver disease, such as from long-term alcohol use, HIV, or viral hepatitis
- Drink alcohol and take medicines at the same time
- Are older
- Are a woman
- Use long-acting or extended release medicines
- Take multiple medicines that contain acetaminophen or paracetamol
- Use herbal supplements.
According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of toxic hepatitis include:
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- Itching
- Abdominal pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rash
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Dark or tea-coloured urine.
Reference: daily Express: Jessica Knibbs
No thoughts on “Painkiller warning: Overuse is known to cause serious inflammation of the liver - signs”
Articles - Most Read
- Home
- LIVER DIS-EASE AND GALL BLADDER DIS-EASE
- Contacts
- African Wholistics - Medicines, Machines and Ignorance
- African Holistics - Seduced by Ignorance and Research
- African Wholistics -The Overlooked Revolution
- The Children of the Sun-3
- Kidney Stones-African Holistic Health
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-3
- 'Tortured' and shackled pupils freed from Nigerian Islamic school
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-2
- The Serpent and the RainBow-The Jaguar - 2
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-4
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-5
- King Leopold's Ghost - Introduction
- African Wholistics - Medicine
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-6
- Menopause
- The Mystery System
- The Black Pharaohs Nubian Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
Who's On Line?
We have 99 guests and no members online
Ad Agency Remote
Articles - Latest
- Certain fruits eaten an 'hour' before bed may 'significantly increase' sleep efficiency
- Scientists sequence Beethoven’s genome using locks of his hair
- Lemongrass: Expert opinions and healthy portions
- Dancer bitten by mosquito on holiday wakes up with no arms or legs
- Is Cayenne pepper a superfood? Find out what the experts say, get serving sizes, and health concerns
- Equatorial Guinea confirms Marburg outbreak – nine dead, 4,000 in quarantine Story by Harriet Barber
- Celtuce: Experts weigh in on health benefits, nutrition facts, and more
- Deep Vein Thrombosis : What is it & treatments Story by Dr. Kabir Sethi, DM Cardiology •
- Sea Beet: Experts weigh in on health benefits, nutrition facts, and more
- 45-year-old woman damages liver from drinking herbal brew - dangerous 'side effects' Story by Solen Le Net •
- Woman, 80, developed toxic reaction after months of using toothpaste with baking soda
- Bitter gourd: How much should you eat? The pros sound off.
- 'Liver transplant candidates' often report one of two symptoms on their tongue - study
- Watermelon: Expert opinions, health risks, and more
- Doctors warn of 'tech neck' - which could even require surgery
- What is artichoke extract good for? Find out what the experts say
- Eye drops linked to lethal infection urgently recalled: ‘Immediately stop using them’
- Ask an expert: Is it better to eat cooked onions for patients with inflammation of the esophagus?
- Angular cheilitis Warning Signs: What to Look Out For