Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
When your primary biliary cholangitis, a chronic autoimmune liver disease that slowly destroys the small bile ducts inside the liver. Also known as PBC, it causes bile to build up and damage liver tissue over time. Most people don’t know they have it until routine blood tests show abnormal liver enzymes. It’s not caused by drinking too much alcohol or viral hepatitis—it’s your own immune system attacking the tiny tubes that carry bile out of your liver.
This condition mostly affects women over 40, and it often shows up alongside other autoimmune issues like thyroid disease or dry eyes and mouth. The damage happens slowly, sometimes over years, which is why many people feel fine at first. But without treatment, it can lead to scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, and the need for a transplant. bile ducts, tiny channels that move digestive fluid from the liver to the small intestine are the main target. When they get inflamed and blocked, bile backs up, poisoning liver cells. That’s why liver function tests—especially alkaline phosphatase and AMA (antimitochondrial antibodies)—are key to diagnosing it.
autoimmune liver disorder, a group of conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks liver tissue like PBC doesn’t go away, but it can be managed. Ursodiol (also called ursodeoxycholic acid) is the first-line treatment—it helps move bile out of the liver and slows damage. For some, newer drugs like obeticholic acid are added if ursodiol isn’t enough. Lifestyle changes matter too: avoiding alcohol, staying active, and watching your diet can reduce stress on your liver. Regular monitoring with blood tests and scans helps catch problems early.
You’ll find posts here that dig into how PBC interacts with other medications, what supplements might help or hurt, and how to spot warning signs before things get serious. Some articles compare treatments, others explain why certain drugs work better for some people than others. You’ll also see real-world advice on managing fatigue, itching, and other daily challenges that come with this condition. This isn’t just theory—it’s what people living with PBC actually need to know to take control.