Hepatitis C

What is hepatitis C:

“Hepatitis” is a common term that means severe swelling or inflammation of the liver in response to particular drugs, toxins, excessive alcohol or infections-whether from bacteria or viruses. The letter C refers to the third in the number of viruses that researchers have isolated that specifically target and damage the liver.

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection may be asymptomatic, but the chronic infection may lead to cirrhosis. It may also cause liver cancer, liver disease, chronic infection or even esophageal and gastric disorders.

Symptoms:

About 15% cases it causes acute symptoms including…

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss
• Muscle or joint pains
• Liver failure
• Fatigue

Treatment:

Medication

The medicines usually employed to treat hepatitis C are interferons in addition to ribavirin along with a protease inhibitor such as boceprevir (Victrelis) or telaprevir (Incivek). You can use them for 6 months to a year and help your whole body to eliminate the virus.

 Your doctor can assist you to decide whether medicines are right for you.

Surgery

Cirrhosis as a result of hepatitis C is a very common cause for liver transplantation although the virus usually recurs afterwards Infection of the graft results in 10-30% of men and women developing cirrhosis within five years.

Alternative medicine

Several alternative therapies have to be helpful for hepatitis C including

 Milk thistle

 Ginseng

 Colloidal silver.