Hepatitis C Symptoms and Treatment Information

Hepatitis C is growing to be a serious medical impediment. Hepatitis C is basically caused due to the infection with the hepatropic virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is a viral, infectious and a blood-borne disease.

Though the major reason of hepatitis C is the the HCV, it can be caused by other factors, including alcohol and different medications. It can also be a off-shoot of other diseases. The Hepatitis C is one of the six hepatitis virus, A, B, C, D, E and G. Around 200 million people around the world are infected with the Hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C causes around ten thousand deaths in the USA per year. Also, Hepatitis C is the major cause for liver transplants. Around a thousand liver transplants take place in the USA due to Hepatitis C caused situations.

There are various precautions which may prevent the transfer of the Hepatitis C virus in humans. One should refrain from using unsanitary tattoo methods, along with unsanitary piercing and acupuncture. Other than that, one should avoid needle stick injuries and avoid sharing grooming utensils like toothbrushes, shaving kits and brushes. One should also refrain from sharing drug needles, bills and straws used to inject drugs.

Hepatitis C has very few external symptoms and many people continue living their lives without knowing they have contracted the virus until the later and more serious stages. Hepatitis C has two stages, acute and chronic. Six months after contracting the virus is known as the acute stage. Hepatitis C can be contracted due to many reasons, though the foremost reason still remains blood-blood infection. A person contracts the virus when blood contaminated the Hepatitis C virus enters his or her body. One of the main reasons of such transfusion remains tattoos. Other reasons are intravenous drug use and unsafe sex practices.If Hepatitis C is not treated in time, it may cause chronic Hepatitis C, which in turn may cause chronic liver disease like liver inflammation, cirrhosis and liver cancer, which may finally result in death.

Hepatitis C is largely a non-symptomatic disease. However, in some cases, certain symptoms ascertained to be of Hepatitis C emerge in some individuals. The first symptoms to be seen in people suffering from Hepatitis C are dark urine, massive tiredness, loss of energy, loss of appetite and diarrhea. Some other symptoms for Hepatitis C

patients are tenderness of the upper body, yellowish tints in the skin and eyes and nausea. People with these symptoms may also have liver enzymes twenty times higher than normal levels. Weight loss and aching joints are other symptoms of Hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C can be treated with antiviral drugs. It can be treated with a combination of pegylated interfron alpha and ribavirin. The treatment may take up to six months to one year. Almost seventy five percent of Hepatitis C virus affected people are cured within six months.

Treatment during the acute stage of Hepatitis C (six months) has shown almost ninety percent of cases being cured. The treatment for Hepatitis C may be more taxing for people with a history of alcoholism. The treatment may also cause temporary disability. Some side effects of the treatment are suicidal tendencies, anemia and cardiovascular issues.

Hepatitis C can also be treated with alternative medicines. These medicines do not necessarily treat the virus, but decrease the liver's duties in bodily functions. Licorice and Sylibum marianum are used to treat Hepatitis C via alternative medicines.

Experiments about Hepatitis C cures are being carried. Scientists and doctors are working with the drug viramidine and other protease drugs as they have better targeting powers to the liver as compared to the traditional drugs.