---
title: "Liver cirrhosis: Symptoms & Treatment | HealthAnswers"
description: "Liver cirrhosis — scarring from alcohol, fatty liver and hepatitis, symptoms, complications, and NHS treatment to slow progression."
url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/liver-cirrhosis/
robots: noindex
---

# Liver cirrhosis: Symptoms & Treatment | HealthAnswers

Health A–Z

Liver cirrhosis — scarring from alcohol, fatty liver and hepatitis, symptoms, complications, and NHS treatment to slow progression.

Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [HealthAnswers UK doctor review panel](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/) Reviewed 3 July 2026

## Quick answer

What is liver cirrhosis? Cirrhosis is advanced scarring of the liver — usually from long-term alcohol misuse, non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or chronic viral hepatitis. Early cirrhosis (compensated) may have no symptoms — picked up on blood tests or scan. Decompensated cirrhosis causes jaundice, ascites (fluid belly), leg swelling, confusion (hepatic encephalopathy), and vomiting blood. Stopping alcohol and treating underlying cause can stabilise some cases. See a GP if you have liver disease risk factors with fatigue, jaundice, or swelling — urgent same-day for vomiting blood or confusion.

## Who is this page for?

This page is for people in the UK who want a plain-English overview of Liver cirrhosis, including when to seek help and what NHS care usually involves. It explains general information, not what is wrong with you personally.

## Who should skip this page?

Skip this page if you need a diagnosis, a prescription, or emergency care. It cannot replace a GP, pharmacist, NHS 111 or 999. If you are in immediate danger, call 999; for urgent advice that is not life-threatening, call 111 in England, Scotland or Wales, or use your GP out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland.

On this page 5 sections

## Key facts about liver cirrhosis

- Cirrhosis affects thousands in the UK — alcohol-related liver disease and NAFLD are leading causes.
- Compensated cirrhosis — liver still functions — may be silent. Decompensated — complications appear — higher mortality.
- Liver cannot regenerate from cirrhosis — but removing cause (alcohol, hepatitis treatment) slows or halts progression.
- Ascites and varices (swollen veins) need specialist hepatology management — diuretics, endoscopy, sometimes transplant.
- Regular surveillance for liver cancer (HCC) with ultrasound every 6 months if cirrhosis confirmed.

## Liver cirrhosis — end-stage scarring

**Cirrhosis** is **advanced hepatic fibrosis** — **regenerative nodules** surrounded by **scar** — **disrupts blood flow and function**.

**Compensated** — **Child-Pugh A**, **minimal symptoms**

**Decompensated** — **ascites, varices, encephalopathy, jaundice** — **median survival falls sharply**

## Causes in the UK

- Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD)

- NAFLD/NASH — obesity epidemic

- Hepatitis C — declining with direct-acting antivirals

- Hepatitis B , autoimmune , PBC , PSC

See [fatty liver disease](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/fatty-liver-disease/) and [hepatitis](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/hepatitis/) — **treat before cirrhosis when possible**

## Clinical features

**Stigmata of chronic liver disease:**

- Spider naevi

- Palmar erythema

- Gynaecomastia

- Clubbing (HCC)

- Caput medusae

**Decompensation events:**

- Ascites

- Variceal haemorrhage

- Hepatic encephalopathy

- Hepatocellular carcinoma

## Monitoring

**6-monthly ultrasound + AFP** — **HCC surveillance**

**Endoscopy** — **varices** — **beta-blocker or band ligation**

**FibroScan/elastography** — **non-invasive fibrosis staging**

## Management

**Cause removal:**

- Alcohol abstinence — support services

- Weight loss — NAFLD

- Antivirals — HBV suppression, HCV cure

**Complications:**

- Ascites — salt restriction, spironolactone/furosemide, paracentesis

- SBP prophylaxis — selected patients

- Encephalopathy — lactulose, treat precipitants

- Bleeding — terlipressin, antibiotics, urgent endoscopy

**Transplant assessment** — **tertiary hepatology**

Heavy drinker with **new ankle swelling** — **liver bloods + ultrasound** — **cirrhosis manageable years** if **alcohol stops today**.

## ! When to see a GP about liver cirrhosis

See a GP if you drink heavily long term, have fatty liver on scan, chronic hepatitis, or unexplained jaundice, itchy skin, dark urine, swollen ankles or abdomen, or easy bruising. Same-day or 999 if vomiting blood or coffee-ground vomit, black tarry stools, sudden confusion, or severe abdominal pain with ascites — variceal bleed or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis emergencies.

## Common questions about liver cirrhosis

What causes liver cirrhosis? Alcohol-related liver disease — commonest in UK historically. Non-alcohol fatty liver disease linked to obesity and diabetes — rising fast. Chronic hepatitis B and C. Autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, haemochromatosis, Wilson disease — less common. Multiple causes can coexist. What are the symptoms of cirrhosis? Early — none or fatigue, weight loss, itchy skin. Advanced — jaundice, ascites, leg oedema, spider naevi, palmar erythema, muscle wasting, gynaecomastia, hepatic encephalopathy (confusion, day-night reversal), easy bruising. Decompensation marks turning point in prognosis. Can cirrhosis be reversed? Scar tissue in established cirrhosis does not fully reverse — but stopping alcohol, weight loss in NAFLD, and curing hepatitis C can stabilise liver and improve function — some downstage from decompensated with sustained change. Early fibrosis before cirrhosis can regress significantly. What is hepatic encephalopathy? Brain dysfunction from liver failure — ammonia and toxins not cleared. Graded confusion, sleep reversal, personality change, flapping tremor (asterixis). Triggers — infection, constipation, bleeding, sedatives. Treated with lactulose and rifaximin — reduce gut ammonia production. When is liver transplant needed? End-stage liver failure when MELD score high or recurrent decompensation despite treatment — refractory ascites, recurrent encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome. Transplant waiting list — alcohol-related disease requires 6 months abstinence in most UK centres. Living donor partial transplant rare in UK.

## Sources

- [NHS — Cirrhosis](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cirrhosis/)
- [British Liver Trust](https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/)
- [NICE — Cirrhosis in over 16s](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng50)