Alcohol-induced hepatitis is a liver condition that occurs when the liver becomes irritated and then inflamed in individuals who drink alcohol. Alcohol-induced hepatitis, which can also be called alcoholic hepatitis, can naturally be confused with another problem known as cirrhosis. They're not the same thing. But alcoholic hepatitis is considered to be an early stage of alcoholic liver disease.

Not all heavy drinkers get alcoholic hepatitis. Curiously, some patients who suffer from hepatitis due to alcohol use, don't in fact drink much.

It is possible to recover from hepatitis caused by alcohol use if you stop using alcohol. But when you have this condition, continuing to drink alcohol raises your probability of cirrhosis and liver failure appreciably. When the liver fails, a liver transplant is the only way to survive.

Researchers have not been able to conclude why there's a relationship between alcohol and hepatitis, although several theories exist. It's been established for some time that when you consume, a number of toxic chemicals are produced in the liver. These substances irritate the liver, and the end result is inflammation. This causes the destruction of healthy liver tissue, which is replaced by scar tissue. Doctors identify this scarring process cirrhosis - the disease many individuals call cirrhosis of the liver. It's the final stage of liver disease caused by use of alcohol.

It's still a mystery why some people who drink a lot of alcohol fail to develop hepatitis brought on by alcohol use or cirrhosis, while some moderate drinkers do This circumstance leads researchers to speculate that factors other than the use of alcohol can influence who finally gets the disease. Heredity might be a factor too.

If you're already afflicted with liver problems, and you continue to drink, definitely have a higher chance of developing hepatitis caused by alcohol. This is especially true if you have hemochromotosis. Hemochromotosis is a problem in which too much iron accumulates in the body.

Poor nutrition or a lack of food may also help influence who gets hepatitis caused by alcohol use. Individuals who drink a lot often have poor eating habits, and will sometimes drink when they should eat. Furthermore, the presence of alcohol in the stomach has a negative effect on digestion. Once again, there may be damage to liver tissue as a result.

Symptoms don't appear in the early stages of hepatitis due to alcohol use. But as the disease gets worse, symptoms become more clear. They vary but often abdominal pain and tenderness is common, along with ascites, in which there's a fluid accumulation in the abdomen. Someone with hepatitis caused by alcohol is also likely to get unusually thirsty.

Constant fatigue, weakness and dizziness are often accompanied by lapses of memory and cognitive problems mixed with confusion. Occasional fever and vomiting, sometimes with blood, are likely.

Even though someone with hepatitis caused by alcohol use has little appetite, they are likely to put on some pounds.

A yellowish tint may appear in the skin and the whites of the eyes. This may indicate jaundice, a telltale sign of a liver problem.

Symptoms of hepatitis due to alcohol use will almost certainly get worse if you consume a lot of alcohol in a short time, or indulge in binge drinking.

Somebody experiencing these signs and symptoms should consult their physician as fast as possible because hepatitis caused by alcohol may lead to a series of perilous medical conditions, including gastrointestinal bleeding.