Liver diseases up by 15 pc in Chennai, 50 pc drinking more due to stress

Over 15 per cent of liver diseases have increased due to binge drinking during the pandemic. Health experts said that more than 50 per cent of people who were normal drinkers have turned to binge drinkers due to stress.

Currently, people are more exposed to more restrictions and unfavorable situations in the working environment. Earlier, they had the opportunity to relax by going on a vacation, whereas now due to a financial crunch they are unable to spend a long holiday.

"Now, as the entire physiological cycle has changed. Due to the restricted movement, which leads to the increased amount of stress, toxic materials in the body and mind. Though they try various methods like watching movies or playing games it does not become a stress buster. So, they go for binge drinking at the house, there is a rise in liver diseases during the pandemic," said Dr. M Sai Surendar, Head - Emergency Medicine and Trauma, Fortis Hospital.

At least 50 per cent of people who were normal drinker has converted to binge drinkers due to stress in the pandemic. "The initial symptoms of liver disease are people experience loss of appetite, weight, sleep and weird thinking in imagination, yellowish discoloration in the skin, frequent infections, weak and low immune status, and fever, where they should immediately report to doctors, so they can be cured at the earliest," said Dr. Sai.

The experts said that people are not worried about liver disease, they are more concerned about kidneys and after the Covid they started carrying more about lungs. But, the liver can ruin the whole body, and now we have more advancement in the liver in the city.

"When Covid infects an alcoholic person it might lead to mortality rate compared to a non-alcoholic person. During the past two years, the liver disease among binge drinkers has increased at least by 15 per cent. The only prevention is to stop consuming alcohol completely or gradually," said Prof.Kani Shaikh Mohamed, Head Of Medical Gastroenterology, Government Kilpauk Medical College.