Symptoms & Causes of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

What are the symptoms of PSC?

The main symptoms of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are

• feeling tired or weak
• itchy skin

Other symptoms may include

• losing weight without trying
• poor appetite
• fever
• pain in the abdomen

As the disease gets worse, you may get symptoms of cirrhosis and liver failure, such as

• bloating
• bruising and bleeding easily
• confusion, difficulty thinking, or memory loss
• redness in the palms of your hands
• swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet
• yellowish eyes and skin, called jaundice

Because PSC gets worse slowly, you can have the disease for years before you have any symptoms. Many people have no symptoms when they are first diagnosed with PSC.

What causes PSC?

The cause of PSC is not known. However, one or more of the following may play a role in causing the disease:

• genes
• immune system problems
• changes in the bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, also called gut flora or gut microbiome
• bile duct injury caused by bile acids