Hepatitis C & Liver Pain
Hepatitis C is a serious viral infection that attacks the liver of infected individuals. Left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to significant liver damage (cirrhosis of the liver) and death.
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About Hepatitis C
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Hepatitis C is the most dangerous form of the three types of hepatitis virus because of its effects on the liver. Additionally, unlike hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine or cure for hepatitis C.
Contracting Hepatitis C
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Hepatitis is spread by contact with infected blood. Health care workers who have frequent contact with blood and body fluids are particularly at risk. Some individuals have contracted hepatitis C from being tattooed with improperly sanitized equipment. People who have had blood transfusions or organ transplants prior to 1992 (when hepatitis C screening began) are also at risk for having contracted the disease.
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The First 6 Months
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Individuals infected with hepatitis C often experience few, if any, initial complications or liver pain. Possible symptoms and/or complications include fever, headache, tiredness and muscle pain. It is at this stage (within the first six months) when hepatitis is most easily treated to prevent chronic infection.
0 To 10 years After Infection
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People who are unknowingly infected with the virus or who have chronic hepatitis may experience periodic dull pain in the area surrounding the liver in the years after initial infection. However, because the pain is often intermittent or slight, individuals often do not seek medical attention.
Severe Liver Pain
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Individuals with untreated and chronic hepatitis C begin to notice severe symptoms usually within 10 to 20 years after infection. After the disease has attacked the liver for many years, the liver will be significantly damaged and liver pain will increase. Scarring (cirrhosis) of the liver may be moderate to severe and a liver transplant may be required.
Treating Hepatitis C
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If the virus is discovered before serious liver damage has occurred, hepatitis C is typically treated with various combinations of antiviral medications. In cases where liver damage is severe, a liver transplant may be required to prevent death.
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