What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an infection of the liver(liver inflammation) that can result in a range of health issues, some of which can be fatal. It is brought on by a number of infectious viruses and noninfectious factors. These include autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis brought on by drugs, alcohol, poisons, and other medications. Additionally, when your body produces antibodies against the tissue in your liver, it develops an illness called autoimmune hepatitis. The liver is a crucial organ that filters blood, processes nutrients, and fights infections. Typically, the function of the liver can be impacted by inflammation or injury. Moreover, liver inflammation can be brought on by chemicals, drugs, some medical disorders, and heavy alcohol consumption.
What are the main causes of liver inflammation?
- The autoimmune reaction, in which the immune system of the organism targets its own tissues
- Environmental risk elements Exposure to specific environmental factors can increase your risk of developing hepatitis over time since numerous environmental elements that cause hepatitis can be found in a person’s environment
- Ischemia (decreased oxygenation of the liver) (decreased oxygenation of the liver)
- Metabolic conditions
- Illnesses brought on by viruses, Alcohol, Drugs, Toxins
- Eating food prepared by a person who has handled contaminated excrement
- Consuming water that has been tainted with diseased excrement
What are the major symptoms of hepatitis or liver disease?
Startlingly, signs of hepatitis can range from mild, transient flu-like symptoms (such as fever and exhaustion) to more typical ones, like jaundice, or even no symptoms at all. Typically, chronic liver inflammation and liver damage are far along until the symptoms of hepatitis become apparent. Additionally, Hepatitis has a number of visible signs and symptoms. Some of them are as follows:
- general drowsiness or exhaustion
- muscle ache (myalgia)
- aching joints (arthralgia)
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- reduced appetite
- Upper right abdominal pain, which is typically modest but persistent
- Raised, red hives
How many types of hepatitis are commonly found?
Hepatitis caused by a viral infection damages and inflames the liver. Viral hepatitis is brought on by the hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses. Acute infections can be brought on by hepatitis A and E viruses (infections that last less than 6 months). Acute and chronic (lasting more than six months and often continuous) liver infections can be brought on by the hepatitis B, C, and D viruses. Understanding each kind of hepatitis is crucial for being proactive in preventing transmission and furthermore, If you have liver inflammation, it is possible to carry multiple types of hepatitis concurrently.
Hepatitis A
HAV is also the term which is used for the hepatitis A. This form of hepatitis is acute (short-term). Typically, the fecal-oral mode of transmission for hepatitis A involves ingesting contaminated waste from an infected person. The disease may spread from a person’s hands if they did not properly wash their hands after using the restroom. Consuming food or drink from polluted water is another way to get hepatitis A. After contracting the virus, hepatitis A symptoms often start to show up a few weeks later.
- Unusual weakness and fatigue
- sudden diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea
- Having pain or discomfort in your abdomen, particularly on the upper right side under your lower ribs, where your liver is located
- stool with a clay or grey color
- reduced appetite
- a minor fever
- dark waste
- aching joints
- the skin and the whites of your eyes are becoming yellow
- strong itching
Symptoms of hepatitis A frequently start to get better after a few weeks of rest and as well as you should stay away from alcohol, eat a healthy diet, and drink lots of water to relieve your symptoms.
Hepatitis B
A virus causes the deadly form of hepatitis known as hepatitis B. It impacts individuals of different ages. Hepatitis B can result in an acute infection or a chronic one. Blood, sperm, or other bodily fluids from an infected individual can transfer hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is frequently a transient condition. It can also spread through sharing personal objects like razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, and jewelry and unsterile needles. In addition, some people may develop a long-lasting, chronic infection that can cause diseases like cirrhosis or liver cancer, which are dangerous and even fatal. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can include:
- aching joints or muscles
- abdominal pain
- reduced appetite
- slight fever
- Liquid stool (diarrhea)
- Not enough energy
- Constipation
- Dark urine color
A lot of those who have acute hepatitis B don’t have any noticeable symptoms. But if you do, it may be beneficial to:
- A plenty of sleep
- Dress comfortably.
- Maintain a cold atmosphere
- If necessary, take an over-the-counter pain reliever such naproxen while maintaining a healthy diet free of alcohol and other substances that can impair your liver.
- Certain natural remedies or pharmaceuticals
Hepatitis C
A viral illness called hepatitis C can result in significant liver damage by inflaming the liver. Contaminated blood can spread the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Additionally, Hepatitis C can result in acute or chronic infection, which can damage the liver and increase the chance of developing liver cancer as well as mild to severe scarring (cirrhosis). HCV can range from a short-term, moderate sickness to a dangerous, chronic condition. It is frequently referred to as “acute,” which denotes a recent infection, or “chronic,” which denotes a long-term infection. When the blood of an infected individual comes into contact with yours, you can contract the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which causes liver infections. Additionally, HCV can be acquired by sharing syringes or needles used for drug injection, being a child of a woman who has HCV, having a needle stick incident (such as a healthcare worker), exchanging personal goods, such as nail clippers, razors, or toothbrushes, that have been exposed to HCV+ blood. Symptoms in some persons may appear after 2 to 12 weeks. Symptoms can include:
- yellowish eye sclera or skin (jaundice)
- muscular pains or a weakness
- fatigue
- lack of appetite
- stomach pain, vomiting, and nausea
- slim down
- lack of appetite
- Itchy skin and jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)
- aching joints
- black urine discomfort on your right upper part of your stomach
Steps that helps you to prevent from hepatitis C:
- Never swap out a needle
- Stay away from direct contact with blood or blood products
- Pick tattoo and piercing shops wisely
- Never exchange personal care products
Hepatitis D
The hepatitis D virus, often called the hepatitis delta virus, is an illness that inflames the liver. This swelling may hinder liver function and result in long-term issues with the liver, such as scarring and cancer. Absence of the hepatitis B virus prevents hepatitis D infection. Moreover, the co-infection of HDV and HBV is regarded as the most severe type of chronic viral hepatitis because it leads to hepatocellular cancer and liver-related mortality more quickly. In HDV the symptoms of hepatitis goes from mild to sever which can be mistaken for those of other acute viral hepatitis diseases. These symptoms, which can include fever, lethargy, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, pale faces, jaundice (yellow eyes), and even fulminant hepatitis, often develop 3–7 weeks after the initial infection. In addition, Acute hepatitis D patients may have symptoms, which may include:
- Feeling worn out
- Nauseous and dizzy
- Lack of appetite
- Upper abdominal pain in the area of the liver
- Urine’s color becoming more ominous
- The color of the stool has changed.
- Jaundice is a yellowish tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes.
Hepatitis E
A potentially dangerous acute illness is hepatitis E. Hepatitis E virus is the root of the problem (HEV). Your liver becomes infected with the hepatitis E virus. Your liver may swell as a result. Most hepatitis E patients recover within a few months. Mostly People contract the hepatitis E virus when they consume mucus food or liquids. In locations with low water quality, contaminated water is the main way that hepatitis E spreads. Water contamination from waste from people or farm animals may lead to the transmission of the virus. This occurs more frequently in poorer nations with poor water control and quality, particularly in densely populated areas. The likelihood of contracting the infection in this way may increase if you visit or reside in these places. Unlike some other types of hepatitis, it typically doesn’t cause long-term disease or liver damage. Within a few weeks of exposure, hepatitis E symptoms may appear in a person. They consist of:
- Skin color turning yellow (jaundice)
- Black urine
- Appetite loss
- Abdominal discomfort
- Liver enlargement severe liver failure
- Joint pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
Who is susceptible to contracting for the inflammation of the liver?
- To use narcotics, people swap needles.
- Practice oral and/or anal intercourse without protection.
- Ingest a large amount of booze.
- Have a poor diet.
- Work in a medical facility or nursing home
- Long-term renal dialysis is a strong recommendation.
- Visit places with shoddy sanitation.
What are the diagnostic test for hepatitis disease?
Physique Checkup
In order to check for viral hepatitis, a doctor will do a physical examination. As well as doctor feels your belly gently to determine whether your liver is bloated or painful and checks your eyes and skin to see if you have developed a yellow tint from jaundice.
Blood Test
To assess liver function and seek for indicators of viral infection, we perform blood tests. It can establish the kind of viral hepatitis present, its severity, whether it is active or latent, and whether a patient is contagious at the time. In the light of blood test doctor can determine whether a virus is acute, or short-term, or chronic, or long-term.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound produces images of internal body structures using high-frequency sound waves. A transducer is a small, handheld device that a specialist inserts against your belly to transfer an image of your liver to a computer monitor for analysis.
Liver Biopsy
A biopsy can reveal the degree of fibrosis, or scarring, in a viral hepatitis-affected liver. For direct treatment, we can biopsy to reveal information that we can utilize. A local aesthetic is injected into the skin to make it numb, and a needle is then inserted through the skin and into the liver to remove a little sample of liver tissue.
MRI & CT Scan
If you appear to be at risk for liver cancer based on the results of blood tests or ultrasounds. To study the liver in greater detail, use a CT or MRI scan. Moreover, computers, in these tests can provide two- or three-dimensional pictures of inside body systems.
