Itchy Skin
Itchy skin, or pruritus, is a common symptom of liver disease, though a skin condition may cause it. There are many unanswered questions, but the scientific community considers an increase in immune system chemicals can cause itching.
When your skin itches, the reason could be liver disease. While there are many potential causes of itching, such as dry skin and atopic dermatitis (eczema), symptoms like itching can also be caused by chronic diseases that affect the liver. The liver is an important organ in the body, where it helps remove toxins and maintain a healthy balance of fluids in the blood. In addition, it performs about 500 functions to ensure that all systems in the body work well together.
One of those functions is to produce bile, which helps with digestion. Bile is produced in small amounts constantly in the liver. It is stored in the gallbladder up to the time it’s needed for digestion. Therefore, if a person has signs and symptoms of liver disease, one possible cause is excess bilirubin, a waste product that can cause itching.
A study by the University of Michigan researchers found that patients with chronic liver disease had a high chance of developing severe itching. The study included more than 200 people with primary biliary cirrhosis, hepatitis C or alcoholic hepatitis. Of these participants, 85% reported pruritus due to their liver disease.
Those who had developed pruritus had lower quality of life than those who did not have itching. In addition to having itching that was severe and persistent, these patients were less likely to take their medication for their liver disease properly and experienced more hospital visits due to their liver-related diseases.
