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Hepatitis C – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Hepatitis C is not an uncommon condition as around 3.5 million people in the country are affected by the disease. It is a type of viral infection of the liver. Mostly, the symptoms of hepatitis C infection remain hidden and hence it is difficult to diagnose whether you have the disease or not. In some cases, it can lead to chronic hepatitis, which may lead to serious complications. Read on to know more about the hepatitis C infection, its causes, symptoms and treatment options.

What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a type of viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver, the largest internal organ in the body. The hepatitis C virus, abbreviated as HCV, is spread through contaminated blood. It is caused by certain types of viruses. Sometimes a bacterial infection can also lead to this condition. It is sometimes referred to as the silent epidemic as the infected person will not have any visible symptoms.

There are acute and chronic stages of the disease. Sometimes, there will be sudden onset of the symptoms which will settle down with proper treatment in acute conditions. If it is chronic, the patient will not show any symptoms for a long time, but the disease will get severe due to its prolonged non-recognition.

The diagnosis of hepatitis C is made through blood check-up, to detect the virus.

Symptoms of hepatitis C
It is hardly possible to diagnose a person infected with hepatitis virus through the symptoms. In acute conditions of the viral infection, there will be no symptoms at all. However, the following symptoms are seen in a small percentage of people after the virus enters the body.

Fever
Loss of Appetite
Fatigue feeling
Tiredness and loss of energy
Abdominal pain
Jaundice
Yellowing of the skin and eyes
Nausea or vomiting

In chronic hepatitis C, the patient may show severe symptoms of depression, indigestion, vomiting, change in weight, memory loss, excessive bleeding, dark urine, inflammation of the joints, etc.

Causes of hepatitis C
As you know, hepatitis C is a contagious disease and spread from one person to another through multiple ways. Here are the different ways by which people get this viral infection.

Blood to blood contact
Mainly, hepatitis C is spread through the contact of contaminated blood with the blood of an uninfected person. It can occur if you share needles or drugs. It has been identified as the major cause of spreading hepatitis C.

Sexual contact
Having unprotected sex with an infected person can be the cause of developing hepatitis C infection. You should be more careful if you are diagnosed with any sexually transmitted disease.

Mother to child
Another possibility of transmission of hepatitis C infection is from mother to child during the time of birth. However, the virus does not spread through physical contact like hugging or kissing, sharing the same plate, coughing, sneezing, etc.

Risk factors for hepatitis C

You are at a higher risk of developing hepatitis C infection in the following conditions:
If you have undergone a blood transfusion and the donor is an infected person. If you have undergone a blood transfusion before 1992, you should check your blood to ensure the absence of the virus.
If you have received blood, or have had contact with the blood of an infected person, you are at a higher risk.
If you are undergoing dialysis of the kidney for a long time, you are at a higher risk.
If you are diagnosed with any type of sexually transmitted disease like HIV.
If your mother had suffered from the viral infection during the time of your birth.

Complications of hepatitis C
In most patients, there will not be visible symptoms of the disease for a long time. Therefore, the chances of developing chronic hepatitis C stand higher. This can further lead to complications like liver cancer, scarring of the liver, damage or improper functioning of the liver, etc. You may need a liver transplant surgery if you develop any serious complications due to hepatitis C infection.

Treatment for hepatitis C
The treatment for the condition depends on the severity of the infection. Medications are given for acute conditions after monitoring the symptoms. In chronic hepatitis C, a combination of antiviral medicine is given for a brief period. Furthermore, blood a check-up should frequently be done to ensure the functioning of the liver.

There are certain preventive measures to protect yourself from catching the virus. Make sure you are protected when you have sexual intercourse. Whenever you do piercing or tattooing, make sure the needles are sterilized. Also, never share needles for any reasons and avoid direct exposure to blood.

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