How to Treat Hepatitis B
The hepatitis B virus causes liver inflammation and, in 5 to 10 percent of infected people, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and possibly liver cancer. Symptoms include nausea, fever, appetite loss, stomach pains, fatigue, jaundice (yellowed eyes and skin) and dark urine.
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Instructions
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Consider a post-exposure antibody injection. This treatment is most effective within three days of exposure.
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Get ample rest.
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Eat a diet high in proteins and carbohydrates to help protect your liver and repair damaged cells.
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Ask your physician about alpha-interferons or nucleoside analogues, which can be used to treat hepatitis B. Not all people respond successfully to the treatments, however.
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Take annual liver function and cancer screening tests if you are a carrier.
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Limit or avoid alcohol if you are a carrier, as it can harm your liver.
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Take drugs only under a physician's direction and supervision if you are a carrier, since drugs can also damage the liver.
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Tips & Warnings
About 90 percent of adults clear the virus from their systems and recover completely in a few months. Others are symptom-free but still carry the virus in their blood. These carriers usually lead healthy lives but are capable of infecting others.
