An MD with a special interest in liver disease, Dr. Soloman Shah treats patients with cirrhosis and other conditions as gastroenterologist and internist with Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates, P.C., of Reston, Virginia. In preparation for his career, Dr. Soloman Shah earned his MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School.
When a doctor diagnoses a patient with cirrhosis of the liver, it means that the organ exhibits scarring as a result of injury that degrades liver tissues. The scarring can lead to serious problems in that it actually interrupts blood flow in the liver, making it more difficult for the organ to carry out its vital functions.
If scarring continues, patients with cirrhosis may develop end-stage liver disease. Symptoms of cirrhosis include fatigue, nausea, jaundice, swelling in the legs, and weakness.
Most commonly, cirrhosis arises as a result of diseases like hepatitis C or alcoholism. In the case of the former, the hepatitis C virus inflames the liver, and over the years, causes cirrhosis. Behavior like heavy alcohol use can also give rise to cirrhosis.
