Hepatitis C is a disease that a lot of people have probably heard of but are not aware of what it really is. It is an illness that needs medical attention and has to be taken care of as early as possible due to the harm and damage it can bring.
Acute And Chronic Hepatitis C
The acute stage of hepatitis C usually is within the first six months since first exposure to the virus. In the chronic stage of hepatitis C, which happens about half a year from the start of an infection and onwards, there is a great risk for liver scarring called fibrosis, and if not diagnosed and treated right away, can progress to a more advanced stage with an illness called liver cirrhosis.
In the early stages of cirrhosis, noticeable signs and symptoms would pop up, which typically includes changes in skin color (yellow) which is a result of the accumulated bilirubin level in the blood, which is a condition known as jaundice. Other symptoms are malaise, lowered appetite or anorexia, irritation, exhaustion and bruising as are the result of the decreased level of clotting components.
Hepatitis C Risks And Complications
Hepatitis C can cause a wide array of problems and complications. Affected people who are undergoing dialysis of the kidney for quite some time now are in grave danger to get this type of hepatitis.
People who are in the medical field and work with blood all the time are also at risk of this type of infection.
People that had unprotected sex are vulnerable to hepatitis c. Even though this happening is very rare, it is important that more people know about it.
The sharing of needles, injections, and syringes normally used by drug addicts, tattoo fanatics, and acupuncture treatments predisposes them for hepatitis c and other hepatitis types.
Blood transfusion and organ transplants from infected donors can be risky for anyone. Sharing of personal hygiene stuff like toothbrush and razor are considered to be risk factors as well.
The likelihood of hepatitis transmission from a pregnant woman to her child is also significant.