Inflammation of the liver is a disorder that is also called hepatitis.

There are a number of different forms of liver inflammation. One of the most common is a viral infection, which may be acute or chronic. This form of hepatitis caused by viruses is described by using a letter of the alphabet preceded by the word hepatitis. For example, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and so on. The names of the viruses themselves are usually shortened to HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV and HEV HFV and HGV. HGV has only recently been discovered.

Hepatitis B and C can be particularly risky, perhaps leading to serious, even life-threatening diseases like cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Excessive use of alcohol results in more cases of liver inflammation than any other cause. Alcohol is toxic to the liver and frequently leads to inflammation and then cirrhosis. There are approximately three times as many cases of hepatitis caused by alcohol overuse as there are cases of hepatitis C.

Chemicals and drugs can be toxic to the liver also. Even legal drugs like pain killers and pain relievers can be toxic to the liver when they're used improperly or excessively. The amount of inflammation caused by drugs and chemicals depends on what was used, how long it was used, and how much was used. The general state of health of the user is also important. Use of illegal drugs is always dangerous.

Liver inflammation can also be caused by certain diseases. These diseases may be related to the liver, or completely unconnected to it. Two such disorders that are relatively common are Wilson's disease and hemachromatosis. Wilson's disease is symptomatic of excessive copper accumulation in the body, while hemachromatosis is characterized by an abnormal build up of iron. Other diseases that typically cause inflammation in the liver include yellow fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and certain autoimmune disorders.

Liver inflammation signs will be different from case to case, depending mostly on the cause. But there are four that typically appear, often in combination.

Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Because of this discoloration, many people call this condition yellow jaundice.

Loss of appetite followed by weight loss are usually indications of inflammation of the liver too. this sign is particularly noticeable with forms of acute hepatitis. Nausea and vomiting often follow shortly afterwards.

Constant fatigue and a lack of energy are also typical when you have inflammation in the liver. This is logical because your metabolism is largely controlled by your liver. If your liver isn't functioning properly, your energy levels are bound to be affected. An overall feeling of weakness is also likely to occur.

Hepatitis is also characterized by muscle and joint pain. This may continue for days and weeks and is more likely when you have acute hepatitis than when you have chronic hepatitis.

Inflammation in the liver can cause pain in a variety of ways. In addition to muscle and joint pain, mentioned above, there could pain in liver area, and soreness or tenderness in the right shoulder. The intensity of this pain will depend on the progress of the inflammation.

Happily, there is no treatment needed for acute viral hepatitis, because it usually heals itself with time. However, certain medications may be helpful with hepatitis b and hepatitis c. Medications known as interferon and ribavirin are often used in such cases. When liver inflammation is caused by autoimmune hepatitis, it is usually treated with corticosteroids.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with hepatitis should avoid drinking alcohol and should be sure to consult with their doctor before using medications or pain relievers of any type.