The lower edge of the liver normally comes just to the lower edge of the ribs on the right side. The edge of the liver is normally thin and firm. It cannot be felt with the fingertips below the edge of the ribs, except when you take a deep breath. It may be enlarged if a health care provider can feel it in this area.
You likely won't notice an enlarged liver on your own. In some severe cases, you might notice a feeling of bloating or fullness in your belly, or an ache in your upper right abdomen, where your liver is. It's more likely your healthcare provider will discover it during an exam.
The liver is located under the ribs on the right hand side of the body. It lies just below the lungs, under the top of the diaphragm to which it is attached. The diaphragm is the muscle beneath the lungs which regulates our breathing. The liver is partly protected by the rib cage.
Pain in your liver itself can feel like a dull throbbing pain or a stabbing sensation in your right upper abdomen just under your ribs. General abdominal pain and discomfort can also be related to swelling from fluid retention and enlargement of your spleen and liver caused by cirrhosis.
The lower edge of the liver normally comes just to the lower edge of the ribs on the right side. The edge of the liver is normally thin and firm. It cannot be felt with the fingertips below the edge of the ribs, except when you take a deep breath. It may be enlarged if a health care provider can feel it in this area.
Common early warning signs for liver cancer
Abdominal swelling (ascites) or bloating in the abdomen that develops as a mass. Enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) felt as a mass under the ribs on the right side Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
The normal upper level of the liver is at the level of the right nipple, whereas the lower margin of the liver is at the right costal margin. The normal size is variable, particularly in relation to body size. Palpation is performed to determine liver shape and consistency.
Normal: In normal patients, the edge of the liver may be palpable just below the costal margin. It is soft and smooth and may be slightly tender.
One common cause of upper abdominal or liver pain is liver disease, like hepatitis or cirrhosis, which can result in inflammation and damage to the liver. Infection. Another cause of upper abdominal or liver pain may be an infection, such as mono or a parasite.
An enlarged liver is one that's bigger than normal. The medical term is hepatomegaly (hep-uh-toe-MEG-uh-le). Rather than a disease, an enlarged liver is a sign of an underlying problem, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure or cancer. Treatment involves identifying and controlling the cause of the condition.
In most cases, fatty liver disease doesn't cause any serious problems or prevent your liver from functioning normally. But for 7% to 30% of people with the condition, fatty liver disease gets worse over time. It progresses through three stages: Your liver becomes inflamed (swollen), which damages its tissue.
Hepatomegaly is a condition in which the liver is enlarged, generally greater than 15 centimeters in the midclavicular line. However, normal liver size varies by person depending on the person's sex, age, height, weight, and body size.
Your doctor will do a physical exam to see if your liver is larger than it should be. They may order some blood tests to help spot the cause. You'll probably also have imaging tests such as: CT scan, a powerful X-ray.
Ascites is fluid buildup in the belly (abdominal) cavity caused by fluid leaks from the surface of the liver and intestine. Ascites from liver disease often occurs with other liver disease symptoms, such as portal hypertension. Symptoms of ascites may include a swollen belly.
Liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) can cause a firm, irregular mass below the right rib cage, or on the left side in the stomach area. Neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor often found in the lower abdomen can cause a mass (this cancer mainly occurs in children and infants).
Hepatomegaly is enlargement of the liver beyond its normal size. Certain conditions such as infection, parasites, tumors, anemias, toxic states, storage diseases, heart failure, congenital heart disease, and metabolic disturbances may all cause an enlarged liver.
The liver is an intraperitoneal organ found inferior to the diaphragm and deep to the 7th to 11th ribs.
Ongoing nausea is a common symptom of early liver damage. As the damage worsens, the symptoms can also include a loss of appetite, diarrhea, pain in the abdomen, and other digestive discomfort.
If a patient presents with liver disease, the most common mistaken diagnosis is viral hepatitis. Nervous system or psychiatric problems are often the initial features in individuals diagnosed in adulthood and commonly occur in young adults with Wilson disease.