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Cirrhosis of the liver: the signs, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and keeping it from getting worse
For anyone just told they have cirrhosis, anyone whose liver tests came back off, anyone living with fatty liver disease, hepatitis B or C, or years of drinking, and anyone caring for someone with liver disease. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, part of the NIH) says cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver is scarred and permanently damaged; that many people have no symptoms until the liver is badly damaged; and that treating the causes may slow the damage. This page passes on, by name, what NIDDK says: the signs and the emergencies, the causes and the complications, the tests, the treatment, and what you can do to keep it from getting worse. It builds the words to say to a doctor, and prints a card to keep.
A word with a dotted line under it, like this, opens its official definition, quoted from a U.S. government glossary.
Right now
- Vomiting blood or what looks like coffee grounds, black, tarry or bloody stool, or sudden confusion, being very hard to wake, or fainting: call 911 (ours). Do not drive yourself. NIDDK says people with cirrhosis who vomit blood or have black or bloody stools should go to a hospital right away.
- A fever or new belly pain with a swollen belly, yellow skin or eyes for the first time, or swelling that is getting worse fast? Call your doctor today, and if you cannot reach them, go to urgent care or the emergency room (ours). NIDDK says fluid in the belly can lead to a serious infection.
- Drinking a lot every day and want to stop? Stopping all at once can make you very sick: ask a doctor or a free helpline to help you stop safely (ours). Free, private help.
More help
- Causes and complications, on this site: Hepatitis A, B and C · GI bleeding · Gallstones · Diabetes · An upset stomach: find the right page.
- Keeping it from getting worse: When drinking or drugs are a problem · The flu, and the flu vaccine · My medicines list · Weight log.
- Care and costs: When you need a doctor and can’t pay · When a medical bill is too much · Symptom diary · Get ready for your appointment · Caring for someone.
- In a crisis: Help right now (988, 911). All our free tools.
An upset stomach, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for throwing up, diarrhea, heartburn and constipation, on one list.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor or nurse has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 16, 2026 on NIDDK’s Cirrhosis pages (NIH): the overview, Definition & Facts, Symptoms & Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Eating, Diet, & Nutrition (last reviewed June 2023). Ours: calling 911 for vomiting blood or what looks like coffee grounds, black, tarry or bloody stool, or sudden confusion, being very hard to wake, or fainting, and not driving yourself; calling the doctor the same day for a fever or new belly pain with a swollen belly, new yellow skin or eyes, or swelling that is getting worse fast; that stopping heavy daily drinking all at once can make you very sick, so get help to stop safely; not stopping or changing a prescribed medicine on your own; that cirrhosis is not only an alcohol disease, and no one deserves to be judged for it; the questions to ask at a visit; health centers and financial assistance when money is tight; and the order of the steps. What we left out: brand names, the names and doses of medicines, scoring systems, research studies, and clinical pages for providers. This page saves nothing and loads no trackers.