A healthy liver is essential to the body. The liver is responsible for filtering blood, storing glycogen, and producing hormones and bile. It affects nearly every other organ and system in the body. Symptoms of a liver problem, such as liver pain, shouldn't be ignored. There are many causes of liver pain from the benign to the serious. However, it takes a physician to discern the difference.Causes of Liver PainA common cause of liver pain actually originates in the gall bladder. The gall bladder is located below the liver and is responsible for storing bile produced by the liver. Sometimes, the bile ducts in the gall bladder become blocked due to gall stones, trauma, cysts, or cancer and cause a painful build of bile.When most people think of hepatitis, they think of the viral causes of the condition. Hepatitis actually describes a swollen liver and is caused by viral or bacterial infection, chemical exposure, autoimmune disorders, and alcohol abuse. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain are symptoms of hepatitis.Chronic hepatitis can cause scar tissue in the liver known as cirrhosis. Most often, heavy alcohol abuse is associated with cirrhosis of the liver. However, chronic hepatitis C infections can lead to cirrhosis too. Symptoms of cirrhosis include pain and an enlarged liver.Liver cancer, most common in men 50 and over, is also responsible for liver pain. Tumors may begin in the liver or spread from other parts of the body. Common symptoms of liver cancer include jaundice, nausea, discolored stool, poor appetite, liver pain, and fatigue.Fatty liver disease is a common affliction of alcoholics but is also one of the leading causes of liver disease in non-alcoholics as well. It results from a buildup of fat in the liver. Symptoms include nausea, weakness, weight-loss, fatigue, and an enlarged liver.Don't Ignore Liver PainThe human body can't survive without a functioning liver. Given the seriousness of many liver diseases, early detection is imperative. People should not hesitate to talk with their physician if they are experiencing liver pain or any other symptom of a liver disease.