Where Is The Liver Located And What Is Liver Pain Like?
Weighing about 3.5 lbs. on average, the liver counts as one of the largest organs in the body. It performs several important functions. These include the production of indispensable proteins, breaking down fats and carbohydrates, and aiding in the elimination of detrimental biochemical toxins in the body.
In spite of these, many people take their liver for granted. This leads them to suffering from different kinds of liver problems that often start with simple liver pain. But where is the liver located? We need to know the answer to this question so we can take the necessary steps in having ourselves checked out when we experience pain.
Where Is Your Liver Located?
To help us determine which part of our body is hurting, we need to know more about the location of body organs. The same is true in determining whether or not it is indeed our liver where we feel pain.
The location of the liver in the body is right below the diaphragm (under the ribs) in the upper area of the abdomen (right side). It can also extend across the central upper abdomen, and to some part of the upper left abdomen. When you breathe in, the diaphragm pushes the liver down and its lower tip moves down below the edge of your lowest right rib.
Anatomy of the Liver
The liver has an irregular shape and it is dome-like in structure. It consists of 2 major parts: the left lobe and the right lobe (the right lobe is way larger than the left one). The liver also has two minor lobes.
1. Right lobe – The upper edge of the larger lobe is almost at level with the top tip of the 5th rib. It is about a half inch below the areola.
2. Left lobe – The upper edge of the smaller lobe is almost at level with the lower tip of the 5th rib. IT is about three quarters of an inch below the areola.
Where is the Liver Located? – Pain in the Liver
Pain in the liver produces a sensation that is much different from pain felt in the kidney, back or abdomen. The pain felt is typically dull in nature and it can be observed at or along the upper area of the right abdomen, just below the rib cage. There are also times when the pain felt is really sharp and can also come with back pain.
Fatty Liver Pain
When excess fat accumulate in the liver, this can cause the vital organ to swell and result to a condition called “steatosis”. Further inflammation inflicts damage to the liver and leads to steatohepatitis. Fatty liver disease is mainly caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol, obesity and diabetes. Once swollen, the membranes of this vital organ stretch. This results to a bulky liver. These give rise to pain felt at the area of the right abdomen and this can grow to something very serious.
Treating Liver Pain
Once you know where is the liver located, determining if the pain felt is indeed in the liver or not becomes easier. In case you feel pain in the area where the liver is located, is there something you can do about it? Treating pain in the liver depends much on what causes it. But generally, some treatment options that can be resorted to include:
1. Medications – Medications used in the treatment of pain of this nature include antiviral agents, 3TC, and Alpha II B.
2. Sufficient hydration and electrolyte repletion
3. Personal hygiene and good sanitary measures
4. Resting on saline treatment – if you are unable to take in food
5. Sufficient water intake
6. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables
7. Supplemental Intake of vitamins – especially vitamins A, B1, and K
Where is the liver located? It helps greatly to know the answer to this question. While the rib cage normally provides protection for the liver, bad habits and poor diet can easily damage it. And once you feel pain in the upper part of the right abdomen, you know that there might be something wrong with your liver, especially if the pain you feel is quite different from that felt in your back, abdomen or kidneys. Once this happens, it is best to see your doctor right away.