What is cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is the result of long-term, continuous damage to the liver and may be due to many different causes. The damage leads to scarring, known as fibrosis. Irregular bumps (nodules) replace the smooth liver tissue and the liver becomes harder. Together, the scarring and the nodules are called cirrhosis.
When you have cirrhosis, all the chemicals and waste products that the liver has to deal with build up in the body. The liver is now so damaged that the whole body becomes poisoned by the waste products and this stage is known as end-stage liver disease.
- drink too much alcohol
- have a long-term (chronic) liver infection, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C
- have an inherited liver disease, such as genetic haemochromatosis