Globally, there are about 170 million people living with hepatitis C, out of which 2.4 million people can be found in America, and this leads to the question are there treatments for the hepatitis C virus? This virus (hepatitis C) is known as a blood-borne viral infection that basically affects the liver.
The virus is a silent killer that is ravaging the world today. It develops slowly and takes years to manifest. It is important for individuals who take their health seriously to run constant tests to check the existence of this ugly malady.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS
1. Fatigue
2. Lack of appetite
3. Itchy skin
4. Weight loss
5. General body swelling, especially in the legs
6. Accumulation of fluids in the abdomen
7. Change in urine color
8. Eye color turning yellow
9. Skin color turning yellow
10. Confusion or forgetting things easily
HOW HEPATITIS C IS DIAGNOSED
Diagnosing hepatitis C can be very difficult; however, it is done through a blood test. The hepatitis C antibody test is done using blood samples from the suspected carrier.
A positive result shows that hepatitis C antibodies are contained in the blood while a negative result indicates the nonexistence of the virus antibodies. Before, during, and after the treatment, the individual will keep undergoing several tests to ascertain the level of damage the virus has done to the liver.
HEPATITIS C VIRUS RISK FACTORS
There are many risk factors associated with hepatitis generally, many have been linked to lifestyles and personal decisions. The risks associated with hepatitis C include but are not limited to;
- Self-use of injections
- Body piercings and tattoos
- Unprotected sexual intercourse
- Blood transfusion
- Organ transplant of any kind
- Living with HIV
- Receiving hemodialysis treatment
- Those born between 1945 and 1965
- Healthcare workers handling patients with the virus
- A child born to a woman with the virus
HEPATITIS C VIRUS TREATMENT
Treatments of hepatitis C virus have been found to be done in three (3) different ways;
Get vaccinated: notwithstanding that there is no vaccine that protects against hepatitis C, medical professionals usually recommend individuals to take vaccines that protect against hepatitis A & B, and this is possible because the existence of hepatitis A & B can cause serious liver damage that can lead to hepatitis C.
Liver transplant: as dangerous as hepatitis C can be, when its existence has resulted in serious liver damage, it is usually recommended that the patient should undergo a liver transplant.
Although it can be very difficult to come by, liver transplantation is one of the surest ways to take care of such an issue. The faulty liver is been removed and replaced with another liver.
Challenges come when liver donors are not found as this can cause delay and grossly affect the prognosis. A successful liver transplant doesn’t indicate the return of the virus. Medical doctors subject the patient to a series of medical treatments to boost the new liver to stand and fight against future viruses.
Antiviral medical treatment: one of the treatments for hepatitis C virus is the use of antiviral medication. The medication helps in clearing the virus from the body system within the shortest period of time.
According to researchers, after 12 weeks of antiviral treatment, hepatitis C is usually cleared in the body system, making this treatment option very effective.