What is Hepatitis C? Symptoms and Treatment

Hepatitis C is a disease in which the liver is infected due to HCV (Hepatitis C Virus). It is transmitted to a person if the affected person’s blood comes in contact with the blood of an unaffected person.

It’s a chronic disease wherein the liver of the affected person is damaged. Liver damage involves the failure of the liver, liver cancer, and cirrhosis. If this is diagnosed earlier the liver infection can be prevented. Otherwise, it can lead to death.

Hepatitis C is caused when the HCV virus attacks the liver cell and causes dysfunction and swelling of the liver. In the long run, the liver gets completely damaged.

Signs and symptoms

There are two stages, first is the acute stage, where there may not be any symptoms and second is the chronic stage where the health is in severe condition.

It’s hard to find out hepatitis C in an acute stage as there are no sure symptoms. Hence, most of the time patients don’t get a proper diagnosis at the initial stage.

Here, are the symptoms of Hepatitis C:

1. Fever
2. Sensation of vomiting
3. Tiredness
4. Dark urine
5. Loss of appetite
6. Abdominal pain
7. Pale stools
8. Pain in the joints
9. Liver failure
10. Liver cancer

Treatments

1. Treating with antiviral medicines

One of the treatments involves antiviral medication mainly provided to remove viruses from the patient’s body. There should be no HCV, at least for 12 weeks after the treatment.

The recent development in this medication has resulted in reduced side-effects. Also, reduction in the treatment times.

2. Liver transplantation

If Hepatitis C has reached the chronic stage, where the liver is damaged, the only left option is liver transplantation. After this the patient is given antiviral medication, to make sure the virus is completely reduced.

3. Vaccines

There is no particular vaccine to treat hepatitis C. But, you would be advised to take vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses. These viruses are also known to cause liver inflammation and worsen the condition of the hepatitis C patient.

Source links

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/294705

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-c/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354284