Health Insurance for Fatty Liver

Managing Fatty Liver Disease with Health Insurance

Our lifestyle choices impact our health. Fatty liver is an adverse effect of a poor lifestyle. However, there may be effects if untreated and unattended. As a result, it's essential to notice the symptoms of fatty liver and seek treatment as soon as possible.

Medical care is costly. Purchasing health insurance that covers fatty liver eases this issue.

What is fatty liver?

The liver is one of the crucial organs in the body. The liver carries out certain essential body functions such as protein synthesis, removing toxins from the blood, and the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. 

Occasionally, a disease known as fatty liver develops due to excessive fat accumulation in the organ. Since it causes the organ to weigh an additional 5% to 10%, it is a significant condition that can lead to severe issues. 

Fatty liver is also called as hepatic steatosis. Having a fatty liver can result from excessive alcohol use and obesity.

Stages of fatty liver disease

The 4 stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are as follows:

Stage 1: Steatosis (simple fatty liver) is characterised by a relatively benign fat accumulation in the liver cells, but symptoms do not appear.

Stage 2: Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), a more severe type of NAFLD, develops when the liver is injured and becomes inflamed. People with obesity, diabetes, or excess body weight are more likely to develop NASH.

Stage 3: Fibrosis develops around the liver and nearby blood vessels due to continuous inflammation, but the liver can still function normally.

Stage 4: Cirrhosis, the most severe stage, develops when normal liver tissues are entirely replaced by fibrosis, impairing the liver's structure and function and maximising the risk of liver failure and cancer.

Three stages of alcoholic fatty liver are,

Stage 1: Steatosis (Fatty liver) - Excessive fat deposition inside the liver cells is known as steatosis (fatty liver). Early on in their alcohol usage, heavy drinkers typically reach the fatty liver stage.

Stage 2: Alcoholic hepatitis is characterised by liver inflammation that results in liver cell senescence. The most typical symptom at this stage is jaundice.

Stage 3: Liver Cirrhosis is the final and most severe stage of alcoholic liver disease, during which healthy liver tissue is permanently scarred. It is a powerful and permanent condition.

Types of fatty liver disease

Fatty liver disease has two primary types—non-alcoholic and alcoholic. Though it is unusual, fatty liver can also develop during pregnancy.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Fat deposits in the liver of persons who don't consume a lot of alcohol are known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

NAFLD is diagnosed in individuals who have increased liver fat but no history of binge drinking. The condition is called simple NAFLD if there is no inflammation or other consequences.

A subtype of NAFLD is non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Inflammation occurs when there is an accumulation of extra fat in the liver. 

A doctor may diagnose NASH if,

• The liver has too much fat.
• The liver is inflamed, but there is no history of excessive drinking.
• Without proper treatment, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can lead to the development of liver fibrosis. In severe instances, this condition can deteriorate further, ultimately progressing to cirrhosis and liver failure.

Alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abundant alcohol intake damages the liver. The initial stage of alcohol-related liver damage is known as alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD). Simple alcoholic fatty liver is when there is no inflammation or other problems.

AFLD, or alcoholic fatty liver disease, encompasses various conditions, one of which is alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). ASH, also known as alcoholic hepatitis, arises when the liver experiences an excess buildup of fat accompanied by inflammation.

A doctor could diagnose ASH if,

• The patient consumes excessive alcohol
• There is inflammation in the liver
• There is excess liver fat

If left untreated, ASH can lead to liver fibrosis. Cirrhosis, a severe liver scarring disease, can cause liver failure.

Causes of fatty liver disease

 
The actual reason why some individuals build up liver fat while others do not is unknown. Similar to this, the reason why fatty livers experience inflammation before developing cirrhosis remains unresolved.

The following are associated with both NAFLD and NASH:

• Obesity or overweight
• High blood sugar or hypoglycemia: Usually a sign of type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
• Insulin resistance: Occurs when the cells don't absorb sugar in response to the hormone insulin.
• High blood fat levels, especially triglycerides
• The fat accumulation in the liver results from many health issues. Extra fat acts as a toxin on their liver cells, resulting in NASH and liver inflammation, which can eventually cause the liver to develop scar tissue.

Risk factors

The risk of NAFLD may be elevated by several diseases or conditions, such as:

• High cholesterol
• Metabolic syndrome
• High blood triglyceride levels
• Obesity, especially when abdominal fat is the predominant type.
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Sleep Apnea
• Polycystic ovarian disorder
• Hypopituitarism (Underactive pituitary gland)
• Hypothyroidism (Underactive thyroid gland)

NASH is more likely to occur in the following individuals:

• People with Diabetes
• Older people
•  Those with high abdominal fat

With more diagnostic tests, it can be easier to differentiate between NAFLD and NASH.
 

Symptoms of fatty liver disease

Symptoms don't usually appear till the final stages of the fatty liver disease. It can be pretty challenging to treat the condition at that point. 

Paying great attention to health, observing changes in oneself, and being aware of the signs of a fatty liver helps a patient receive the proper care in time and recover.
 

The following are symptoms and signs of fatty liver:

•  Rapid weight loss
• Unexplained stomach pain 
• Stomach pain and discomfort
• Loss of appetite
• Prominent veins
• Vomiting and feeling sick
• Fever
• Yellowish skin
• Extreme tiredness even with ample rest
• Red palms
• Enlarged spleen
• Pain and swelling in the limbs
   

When it comes to the fatty liver, it is commonly a problem to mistake these symptoms for another, less severe disease. As a result, if a patient experiences any of these symptoms, they should not take anything for granted and consult their doctor. It is necessary to take extra precautions to stay safe.
 

Diagnosis 
 

Since NAFLD rarely shows any symptoms, it typically requires medical treatment when tests for other conditions indicate a liver issue. This may occur if there is an abnormal liver enzyme test or if the liver appears abnormally on ultrasonography.
The following tests are used to confirm the diagnosis and measure the severity of the disease:
 

Blood tests

• Complete blood count
• Fasting blood sugar level
• Liver function test and liver enzyme test
• Test for celiac disease
• Tests for chronic viral hepatitis, including hepatitis A, C, and others.
• Haemoglobin A1C, a blood sugar stability indicator
• Lipid profile, which measures blood lipids like triglycerides and cholesterol.
   

Imaging tests

Imaging techniques are employed to diagnose NAFLD, such as:

• Abdominal ultrasound - The primary test used often when liver disease is suspected.
• CT (Computerised tomography) or MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) scans of the abdomen - Methods that are still applicable even though they cannot differentiate NASH from NAFLD.
• Transient elastography - Measures liver stiffness, an enhanced form of ultrasound. This indicates fibrosis or scarring.
• Magnetic resonance elastography - Combines sound waves and MRI to produce a visual map (elastogram) displaying the stiffness of bodily tissues.
   

Liver tissue examination

The doctor may advise a procedure to remove a sample of tissue from the liver (liver biopsy) if other tests are inconclusive. The tissue sample is evaluated to look for indications of inflammation and scarring.

Though liver biopsy has minimal risks, it can be painful. The doctor analyses the liver biopsy in detail. A needle is inserted through the abdominal wall and into the liver to carry out this procedure.
 

Treatment for fatty liver
 

Currently, no medications are approved for treating fatty liver, although some are under clinical trials. Diet and exercise are usually the first steps in treatment. It helps to reduce liver fibrosis, edoema, and fat. 3% to 5% of the total body weight might be lost to minimise the fat in the liver. 

Furthermore, the patient needs to quit drinking. Only cutting back on drinking will stop liver problems from getting worse. By reducing alcohol use, even a fraction of the liver damage that has already occurred may be partially reversed. 
 

Fatty liver prevention
 

Follow the suggested precautions and procedures to avoid fatty liver and maintain a healthy liver:

• Eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
• Quit excessive drinking.
• Do regular check-ups.
• Manage body weight.
• Diet modifications.
• Regular physical activity.
• Maintaining blood glucose level.

Why make use of health insurance?

To help you understand the advantages of medical insurance, here are some things to consider if you are ready to get coverage and want to know how it might assist you.

Emergency - A health insurance plan helps you at times of medical emergency.

Lifestyle and Life - If you have health insurance, you may be peaceful knowing you'll get the best care available and are prepared to handle any condition requiring specialised treatment.

Expenses - If you have health insurance, you won't need to worry about your medical bills. The cost of your treatment will be taken into consideration by your health insurance plan.

Cashless hospital network - Treatment at network hospitals provides cashless benefits, wherein the insurer clears the bills directly with the hospital. 

Also Read:

→ Health Insurance for Liver Disease

→ Health insurance for Liver-cirrhosis