Best Doctors in India for Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment
- Neurologist, Chennai, India
- Over 33 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Arulselvan V L is one of the finest Neurologists in India, with an overall experience of nearly 33 years.
- Dr. Arulselvan was bestowed with an Excellence Award for aptitude in Anatomy in his academics.
- He takes a holistic approach to treating conditions like Myelitis, Encephalitis, Meningitis, Cerebral or Brain Aneurysm, PSR, PBC, Brain Tumor Surgery, and Sleep Disorders and performs different therapies.
- He has a periodical ‘JIAN’ under his name.
- Nephrologist, Chennai, India
- Over 29 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. B Subba Rao is one of the best Nephrologists in Tamil Nadu, with over 29 years of experience.
- Dr. Rao offers consultation and various services like Nephrolithotripsy, Hemodialysis, Hemodiafiltration (HDF), Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy, CKD, Kidney Stone Treatment, Kidney Failure Treatment, etc.
- Dr. Subba Rao has been awarded the Vocational Excellence Award for his contributions to the field
- Neurosurgeon, Chennai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. M. Balamurugan is a well-known neurosurgeon in India with 25 years of experience.
- Dr. Balamurugan assists in managing Carotid Body Tumor Embolization, Brain Arteriovenous Fistula Embolization, Nerve and Muscle Disorders, Spinal and Cerebral Tumor Embolization, etc.
- Dr. Balamurugan is a life member of various prestigious associations and institutions.
- He also authored research studies or papers and articles for several publications.
- Nephrologist, Chennai, India
- Over 23 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rajeev Annigeri is a well-known Nephrologist from South India with 23 years of experience in the field of renal disorders treatment.
- He went under special training in Peritoneal Dialysis from the University of Missouri, USA.
- Dr. Annigeri ensures a fully supportive environment for the patients. The doctor provides many medical services like Adrenalectomy, Kidney Transplant, Hemodialysis, Kidney Surgery, Hemodialysis, etc.
- Neurologist, Chennai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rajendran S is a veteran Neurologist in Tamil Nadu with nearly 3 decades of experience.
- Dr. Rajendran acquired advanced training in Neuropsychiatry from Cardiff, UK, and also obtained M.Sc. in Clinical Neurology from London.
- He treats conditions like Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Back & neck pain, Neurological dysfunction, Surgical Clipping, Endovascular Coiling, Cerebral Angioplasty, Lesionectomy, MVD, PSR, and Restless Leg Syndrome, etc.
- Nephrologist, Chennai, India
- Over 29 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. S Rajagopalan Seshadri is one of the best Nephrologists from Tamil Nadu, with over 29 years of experience.
- Dr. S Rajagopalan provides a wide range of medical services as a specialized Nephrologist/Renal Specialist.
- He is known for excellent patient care. Patients also visit Dr. Rajagopalan for other services like Proteinuria, Kidney Transplant, Hemodialysis, Nephrectomy, Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy, CKD, Kidney Failure, etc.
- Medical Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 28 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sankar Srinivasan is one of the top Medical Oncologists in India with proficiency in cancer management for about 28 years.
- He got certified in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, and Hematology from American Board to enhance his skills.
- Dr. Srinivasan is placed in the best 10% of the Hematologists boards.
- He is an active member of several International Medical Association Boards.
- Neurosurgeon, Chennai, India
- Over 22 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Srinivasan Paramasivam is a well-known Neurosurgeon in India having an overall experience of 22 years.
- He is associated with Apollo Hospital, Chennai as a senior consultant – neurosurgeon following his assignments abroad.
- Dr. Paramasivam earned a fellowship in Endovascular Neurosurgery from New York. He has 17 years of specialized experience in Neuro Interventional Surgery, Cerebral Angioplasty, Brain Tumor Surgery, Surgical Clipping, etc.
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sanjay Chandrasekar serves as a Radiation Oncology consultant at Apollo Hospital of Chennai. His 30+ years-long journey in this field has brought him a lot of appreciation and recognition.
- He diagnoses cancer and provides treatment for the same.
- Neurologist, Chennai, India
- Over 24 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. S. Yogaraj is an experienced Neurologist in India, having over 24 years of experience in the field.
- He specializes in treating emergency neurology conditions like stroke, neuromuscular disorders, CNS infections, Peripheral Nerve issues, etc.
- Dr. Yogaraj is instrumental in designing, implementing, and reporting electrophysiological training. He trained physicians, neurologists, and paramedical staff.
Best Hospitals in India for Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment
ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS
Alcoholic hepatitis is a liver infection, which is mainly caused by frequent, heavy use of alcohol. Fat can build up in the liver cells, which might lead to inflammation as well as scarring of the liver.
Alcoholic hepatitis might be mild or severe. A patient might even need a liver transplant if proper treatment is not provided, or if they don’t stop consumption of alcohol.
It is also notable that all heavy drinkers don’t develop this condition, and sometimes this condition even develops in people who drink moderately. However, if you are diagnosed with this condition, it is important for you to quit drinking alcohol. People who continue drinking alcohol might face a huge risk of serious liver damage as well as death.
Symptoms
Depending on the amount of damage to the liver, the symptoms can vary. If you are having a mild form of the disease, you might not even experience any symptoms at all. However, as the damage continues to grow, you might experience the following:
- Changes in appetite
- Dry mouth
- Weight loss
- Pain or swelling in the abdomen
- Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin or eyes
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Easy bleeding or bruising
- Changes in your mental state, including confusion
- Fatigue
The symptoms of this condition are similar to those caused by a few other health conditions. Therefore, if you develop any of these symptoms, it is best to get a proper diagnosis as well as begin treatment.
Causes & risk factors
Alcoholic hepatitis generally develops when the alcohol you drink causes damage to your liver. However, it is not clear why alcohol does this damages only to some heavy drinkers.
Few factors that are known to play a role in this condition include:
- The body’s process that breaks down alcohol produces some toxic chemicals
- These chemicals can trigger inflammation that can destroy the liver cells
- Thus, over time, scars replace healthy liver tissue, thus interfering with the function of the liver
- This irreversible scarring, which is also termed cirrhosis, is the final stage of alcoholic liver disease
If you have hepatitis C and continue to drink, even moderately, you are more likely to develop cirrhosis.
Some heavy drinkers are also malnourished because they don’t eat a proper balanced diet. Alcohol and its byproducts also prevent the body from absorbing nutrition properly. Lack of nutrition can contribute to liver cell damage.
Some other risk factors that can lead to this condition include:
- Your sex- Women are usually at a higher risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis since the way alcohol is processed in women is different.
- Binge drinking- Having over five drinks within two hours for men and four or more for women can increase the risk of alcoholic hepatitis.
- Obesity- Heavy drinkers who are overweight are also more likely to develop alcoholic hepatitis and to progress from that condition to cirrhosis.
- Race and ethnicity- Hispanic and Negroid people might be at higher risk of alcoholic hepatitis.
- Genetic factors- According to studies, there may be a genetic component in alcohol-induced liver disease. However, it is difficult to separate genetic and environmental factors.
Diagnosis
If you are showing symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis, your doctor will first inquire about your medical history and alcohol consumption. Next, he/she will perform a physical exam to see if you have an enlarged liver or spleen. They might also need a few more tests to confirm your diagnosis, such as:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Liver function test
- Ultrasound of the liver
- Abdominal CT scan
- Blood clotting tests
In some cases, a liver biopsy might also be needed to confirm the diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis. A liver biopsy requires your doctor to remove a tissue sample from your liver, which is then tested in the lab. This method helps to show the severity and type of liver disease.
Treatment
Stopping alcohol consumption is the most important treatment for alcoholic hepatitis. There is no cure for this condition, but treatment can help in reducing or eliminating symptoms, or stopping its progression.
It is also important to note that scarring of the liver is permanent, but treatment can aim to restore as much function as possible.
Dietary changes
Your doctor might also recommend dietary changes, vitamin supplements, or a focused diet plan to correct the imbalance of nutrients in the body.
Medication
Doctors might also prescribe medicines to prevent inflammation of the liver.
Liver transplant
In severe cases, the only chance for survival may be a liver transplant. Unfortunately, in such cases, the process of finding a donor can be long and complicated.
The best hope of recovery is to be aware of the signs and symptoms as well as to reduce, manage, or if possible, completely stop consumption of alcohol.
Complications
Alcoholic hepatitis might lead to severe other complications such as:
- Enlarged veins (varices)- In this condition, blood that is unable to flow freely through the portal vein, can back up into other blood vessels in your esophagus or stomach.
- Hepatic encephalopathy- This condition can be caused by the buildup of toxins if your damaged liver is unable to remove all the toxins from your body. It involves confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech.
- Ascites- Ascites is a condition in which the fluid that accumulates in the abdomen may get infected and thus, require treatment with antibiotics. Although this condition is not life-threatening, it can be a sign of advanced alcoholic hepatitis, or cirrhosis.
- Kidney failure- A damaged liver affects blood flow to the kidneys, thus resulting in kidney failure.
- Cirrhosis- The scarring of the liver might lead to liver failure.
Prevention
Alcoholic hepatitis might be prevented if you take the following steps:
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all- For healthy adults, moderate drinking means no more than one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than 65, and not over two drinks a day for men aged 65 and younger. However, if you prevent all alcohol, it is a certain way to prevent this condition.
- Check before mixing medications and alcohol- Ask your doctor if it’s safe to drink alcohol while you are taking medications. Consider reading the warning labels on over-the-counter medications as well. Don’t drink alcohol when you are taking medications that warn of complications when combined with alcohol.
- Protect yourself from hepatitis C- Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease that is caused by a virus. If it is left untreated, it may lead to cirrhosis. If you are having hepatitis C and you consume alcohol, you’re generally more likely to develop cirrhosis than if you don’t drink.