Hepatitis C is an infectious disease that directly attacks the liver. If not diagnosed and treated on time, liver swelling due to Hepatitis C can even progress to liver cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 3.5 million Americans have chronic hepatitis C. The growing number of HAC affected patients has created an alarming situation and has made it essential for the people to be aware of the disease, its treatment, and other things.

Continue reading to know more about hepatitis C and the reasons you should care about it.

What is Hepatitis C? 

Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the liver. The disease of three types, Hep A, Hep B, and Hep C. Hepatitis C is also a liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The major causes of the spread of hepatitis C contract with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids.

Common causes of Hepatitis C

• Shared injections drugs and needles
• Having sex with an HIV infected person or with several partners
• Transfer from mother during birth
• Shared personal care products like toothbrush, razor and manicure products
• Piercing or tattoo with unclean or infected needles

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

Knowing the symptoms helps you get an alarm at the right time and take preventive steps. Find below Hepatitis C symptoms you might notice between 2 weeks and 6 months:

• Dark urine
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach pain
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Clay-colored poop

Different stages of Hepatitis C

HCV virus has multiple stages and affects different people differently at each stage. To get the right treatment at the right time, you should be aware of the stages of hepatitis C, which are given below:

• The incubation period is the time when a person first gets exposed to the disease.
• Acute hepatitis C is a short-term illness that can last for 6 months after the virus enters the body. Usually, the body gets rid of the virus itself.
• Chronic hepatitis C is a long-term infection that can lead to serious health problems like liver cancer or cirrhosis.
• Cirrhosis is the inflammation that with time replaces healthy liver cells with scar tissues and takes around 20-30 years to reach this level.
• Liver cancer is the next stage of cirrhosis with no early symptoms. The only way to cure this is a regular treatment by a hepatitis doctor who provides regular screenings.

Self-care tips to manage hepatitis C

No doubt medical treatment by the best hepatitis doctor in India is essential to get rid of the problem, you still need to bring some lifestyle changes to make the treatment more effective. Just taking medicines won’t help until you look and feel good. Even the small changes and self-care tips can help your mind, body, and soul to fight the disease.

Quit alcohol and drugs

Alcohol and drugs are like poison for patients suffering from hepatitis C. As we all know alcohol is harmful to the liver and so is hepatitis C, and when to put together these speeds up the liver damage. If you want to get rid of the HAC virus, you should say NO to alcohol and drugs.

Hydrate

Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Dry skin and mouth are common problems people face when on hep C treatment, which can be avoided by proper hydration. Take a target of at least 6-8 glasses of water a day. You can also add flavor to your water or can include food items with lots of water like watermelon.

Keep a check on your weight

Hep C for patients with overweight can be more dangerous as it can deposit the fat in your liver. If not controlled on time, it can increase your chances of cirrhosis. So, make your lifestyle more active and cut calories to keep your weight under control.

Hepatitis C is a curable disease but only when diagnosed and treated on time. Be careful with your health, pay attention to even a small symptom and fix an appointment with an experienced hepatitis doctor in India if you notice any problem in your liver.