Liver damage from alcohol consumption occurs over time. You might not notice early symptoms. As the condition progresses, your liver can’t function as it should, causing you to feel sick.

Common Symptoms

Alcohol-induced liver disease may cause:

• Abdominal discomfort and vomiting 
• Bruising easily 
• Increased risk of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract 
• Loss of appetite 
• Mental confusion or brain fog 
• Mood swings 
• Ongoing tiredness (fatigue) 
• Swelling of the abdomen and legs 
• Unexpected weight loss or weight gain 
• Yellowing of your skin or eyes due to jaundice 

The primary cause is heavy, ongoing alcohol use. Risk factors for alcohol-associated liver disease include:

Evaluations include blood tests to assess liver function and check for other conditions, including infections, that cause similar signs and symptoms. We also perform advanced imaging studies, such as ultrasound elastography, which uses sound waves to detect liver damage.

In some cases, we recommend a liver biopsy, taking a tissue sample and examining it under a microscope. A biopsy can confirm an alcohol-induced liver disease diagnosis when other test results aren’t conclusive.

UC Davis Health offers all the assessments you need for an accurate diagnosis. Our extensive experience enables us to detect subtle signs of disease that can be easy to miss. This expertise enables you to start treatments sooner and slow the rate of liver damage.

Our experts offer comprehensive alcohol-associated liver disease care. Treatment for early stage disease can stop liver damage from worsening.

At UC Davis Health, there’s still hope, even if initial therapies aren’t successful. You receive the support you need to push past challenges. We are also one of the few programs in the region offering life-saving liver transplant surgery.

You can potentially avoid alcohol-induced liver disease by not drinking. Steatotic (fatty) liver disease and hepatitis may be reversible with successful treatment.