Liver disease can sometimes progress without obvious symptoms, but certain visible or noticeable changes may be warning signs that deserve medical attention.
Possible signs linked with liver problems include:
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Swelling in the belly (abdominal fluid buildup/ascites)
- Swollen legs or ankles
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Itchy skin without a clear cause
- Dark urine or unusually pale stools
- Persistent tiredness or weakness
- Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
- Nausea or vomiting
- Confusion, drowsiness, or personality changes (can occur in advanced liver disease)
- Small spider-like blood vessels on the skin (spider angiomas)
- Red palms (palmar erythema)
- Enlarged abdomen or feeling of fullness
- Changes in sleep patterns
These signs can also occur with conditions unrelated to the liver, so they do not confirm liver disease by themselves. If someone has risk factors (such as hepatitis, heavy alcohol use, obesity-related fatty liver risk, or certain medications) or persistent symptoms, medical evaluation is important.
Doctors commonly assess liver health with blood tests (liver enzymes and function tests) and sometimes imaging such as ultrasound.
