You would need treatment if –

4     You have been detected with a positive hepatitis C test that predicts that the virus has been circulating in the bloodstream

4     Your biopsy report reveals potential liver damage

4     You have elevated liver enzyme levels in your bloodstream, known as alanine aminotransferase

But if you have just about slight abnormalities with the liver, the doctor might prefer not to prescribe any medications, since long-term treatment can have detrimental effects on health.

On the contrary, as there isn’t any evidence that can truly predict the chances of developing liver disease in the near future, the doctor might recommend some anti viral medications for fighting the viruses. Instead of approaching the condition aggressively, it is wiser to use improved methods of treatment, followed by proper diet and rest, for preventing the condition.

Drug Therapies

Hepatitis C can be treated with drugs and medications, the standard practice of treating hepatitis C is through a weekly injection. The drug pegylated interferon alfa in conjunction with ribavirin (twice-daily oral dose) is given in the form of an injection as an antiviral agent.

The primary aim of the hepatitis C treatment is to eliminate the virus completely from the bloodstream. The combined dosage of this injection helps in clearing the virus by almost 40-80 percent in people who have been given this medication. However, the success rate is highly dependent on the infection type and its severity.

The duration of these treatments are likely to depend on the speed of recovery. Usually, the period of treatment ranges from 24-48 weeks.

Though these medicines are the only choices for hepatitis C treatment, they can have some side effects as well. Interferon often causes flu-like symptoms that are severe in nature, followed by irritability, memory and concentration problems, depression, fatigue, and insomnia and skin irritation.

On the other hand, Ribavirin causes anemia, nasal congestion, itchiness, fatigue, skin irritation and birth defects.

The combined therapy of ribavirin and pegylated interferon can cause suicidal behavior or psychosis in few people. This is one of the reasons why this treatment is not recommenced to people having a medical history of uncontrolled depression. Also pregnant women and people having thyroid problems are exempted from this treatment.

Side effects of these medications are usually at its worst during the first two weeks of the treatment. But improvements are likely to be noted after that.

Liver Transplant

Liver transplantation is seen as another treatment option for extensive liver damage. When the liver has been damaged critically and it is in its last stages, transplantation is the only way to get back to normal course of life. However, there are very few donors to fulfill the huge requirement of liver transplantations in various nation.

Immunization

Though not a treatment, but immunization is definitely a prevention that must be taken by every individual. If an individual has hepatitis C, precautions must be taken for preventing the other hepatitis viruses form infecting the same, and immunizations are the ultimate way of preventing these viruses.

Anyone can receive this vaccine in their lifetime, be it infants or adults. Infants are usually given this medicine during the first year of their birth at the age of 2 -4-9 months respectively.

Apart from vaccines, there are several ways of preventing hepatitis B and this includes:

• Proper knowledge of the disease: You must first educate yourself. Learn all about the disease, how it strikes, what are the causes and how can the same be prevented.
• Know whether your sex partner has HBV or not: Do not engage yourself in sexual activities with a person who has HBV infection. This disease is highly transmitted to the other partner sexually. So be careful.
• Use polyurethane or latex condoms for safe sex: Protected sex can help in preventing these diseases from being transmitted. Use condoms during sex to be on the safer side. Females can also use female condoms for protection. But of course, condoms aren’t an effective way of preventing the disease, as the condoms can break, thus making it risky. So it’s better to be cautious.
• Needles must be sterile: Always ask for sterile needles or fresh ones during an injection. If you are injecting illicit drugs, make sure the needles being used are sterilized properly.
• Seek medical help before traveling: If you’ve been planning to go abroad to such a place where hepatitis B is prevalent, make sure you seek proper medical assistance. Take your vaccines in advance before traveling.
• Be careful about the blood transfusion techniques in some countries: Though blood transfusion in most of the countries is strictly screened, but in some countries, the risk still prevails. It is always better to ask for a proper screening of the blood sample before it is given to someone else.
• Get tested during pregnancy: Pregnancy is one of the crucial stages where hepatitis B can play havoc. Get tested during pregnancy and if you are diagnosed with hepatitis B virus, steps can be taken to protect the child from being infected. Though chances of infection are high, but with proper care at the initial stages, it can be prevented.

If you have already been infected by the HBV virus, try to

• Have safe sex: Having safe sex would help in protecting your partner from the disease. Use condoms so that the disease doesn’t spread any further.
• Inform your partner about your disease: You can always do that to protect him/her from the disease.
• Don’t share your personal items: Prefer not to share your razors or toothbrush with anyone else.
• Do not donate blood: Donating your infected blood can spread the virus to someone else.

Reduce Your Activities—

4     Your activities must match your energy levels. Don’t just lie down as that might slow down your process of recovery. Listen to what the body has to say and give up when you feel that the body isn’t permitting any longer.

4     Stay back at home instead of going to work or to school or college.

4     Don’t strain yourself.

4     Once you feel better, get back to your daily course of life.

Eat well and eat right—

4     When you are suffering from hepatitis A you might not feel like eating. But it is very important that you supply the body with the desired amount of nutrition. Try eating frequently and have small meals. Eat everything that you want to, except unhealthy junk and oily foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins are the best foods to be eaten.

4     Earlier, doctors always recommended high-calorie diet to hepatic sufferers. But of late, this idea has changed and now doctors recommend a wholesome meal comprising of all the essential nutrients. A balanced diet is what you should be looking at.

Don’t dehydrate yourself

4     Keeping yourself hydrated is the most important thing while you are suffering from hepatitis, and more so if you have been vomiting as well. You must seek medical advice immediately if you are vomiting too much.

4     Drink ample amount of water.

4     Have fruit juices and /or broth to give yourself some additional calories.

4     Some sports drinks help in replacing the essential electrolytes as well what you might have lost due to excessive vomiting.

Give up drugs and alcohol

Hepatitis is a liver impairing disease and breaks down the ability of the liver to accept certain medicines and alcohol especially. If you have been taking alcohol or certain drugs during hepatitis, some potential side effects must be noticed. Additionally, in some cases, the medicines and alcohol can worsen the damage caused.

Inform your doctor about all the medicines that you’ve been taking, including any alternative natural or herbal treatments. Avoid taking any medicines or even replacing the existing medicines without the doctor’s consent.

Alcohol can aggravate situations further and as such you must avoid alcohol as much as possible.

Control Your Itching

Hepatitis effected people tend to develop an itchy skin. Some over-the-counter medications can be used for treating the condition. However, you must beware of the side effects of such products.

Prevent the infection from spreading all over

If you are having a hepatitis infection, you can take some of the following steps to prevent others from being infected:

4     Inform your near and dear ones about the disease and especially inform your sex partner.

4     After using the bathroom, wash your hands thoroughly to avoid any further disaster,

4     Avoid anal contacts with your sex partner when you are infected.

In conjunction with proper diet, exercise and correct medical assistance and emotional support, there are some other things that one has to keep in mind. Follow all these steps mentioned below to prevent the disease from damaging your liver any further.

Avoid falling Ill, Take Care

Certain other viruses like the hepatitis A or the B virus can also cause extensive damage to the liver, and people suffering from hepatitis C are more vulnerable to these viruses as well. A vaccination can help in protecting yourself against all these viruses.

Some other health complications can as well cause serious problems to people suffering from hepatitis C. HIV is one virus that can potentially weaken the patient’s immune system, thus allowing the hepatitis C virus to progress faster.

Using condoms during sex can help you in preventing such diseases and might as well protect you from certain STDs.

Sleep Well

People suffering from hepatitis C usually have a tough time sleeping, and more so during the treatment. These patients fail to sleep due to some undefined reasons.

Since the patients don’t get enough sleep, it can have a huge impact on the health. The condition is characterized by extreme fatigue which is primarily caused due to lack of proper sleep.

There isn’t any cure for this type of insomnia that arises due to hepatitis C or the associated treatment of the disease. However, some sleep medications might help.

Be Extra Cautious About Drugs, Medications and Alcohol

The liver breaks down and then filters out all the substances from the bloodstream. This is the primary function of the liver. But with hepatitis C, the liver’s natural ability to carry out this activity would be reduced. This would allow the medications drugs, herbs and alcohol to stay back longer in the system, thus having a potential effect. Some of these substances might as well cause severe liver damage, especially in people having hepatitis C.

Common painkillers and other such cold remedies can be potentially detrimental for the health of the liver as these medicines have toxic effects. Even vitamins when taken in larger doses can have an adverse effect on the body. Some herbal remedies are also risky.

If you are suffering from hepatitis C, do not take over-the-counter medications necessarily. Also go for prescribed drugs.

Quit smoking as well.

Relax

It is very difficult to cope up with a chronic disease like hepatitis C, but you should learn how to relax despite of everything. Depression and stress are not the solution to anything. Instead try to relax and accept the course of treatment.

Do everything that is relaxing for you. Go out with friends, eat healthy, exercise, go to the gym and practice light exercises and keep yourself happy.

Be Practical

Hepatitis C is a complicated disease, but people do live long by fighting with the disease. Learn to be a fighter instead of just falling prey to the disease. Take your medicines, make certain lifestyle changes and see the difference.

The complementary solutions to hepatitis C range from certain herbal remedies like licorice root, milk thistle, thymus extract and ginseng to certain therapies like massages, relaxations techniques and chiropractic care. Above 40% of the people suffering from hepatitis C, who have not benefited form the complementary treatment options say that these alternative solutions and therapies are a great help in lessening fatigue, boosting the immune system and giving them a well improved gastrointestinal function.

Some of the best alternative treatments for hepatitis C are noted herein:

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)

It is one of the most popular herbal remedies for hepatitis C and is a well researched ingredient. Milk thistle can actually reduce the liver inflammation and can act as an antiviral solution to the infection. The herb can essentially reduce the symptoms of hepatitis C infection in cases where they fail to respond to drugs like interferon. Though there isn’t any conclusive evidence on milk thistle, but it does not have any side effects and is regarded as safe to be used for liver infections.

Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

The root is basically the active component derived from the licorice plant. Studies have revealed that this root can actually reduce some of the associated complications of hepatitis C, including liver cancer. It can as well improve liver functions. The root can either be taken as it is or can be taken in combination with other drugs. However, licorice root needs to be used carefully as it can have significant side effects like high blood pressure, water and salt retention and loss of potassium.

Thymus Extract

It is derived from cow’s thymus glands. Since the thymus assists in regulating the immune function, it has been assumed that the extract of thymus can as well boost the immune system of patients suffering from hepatitis C. but there are very few studies to validate the fact.  However, people suffering from certain immune problems must be careful while choosing this option as it can have some side effects as well.

Ginseng

Ginseng is known as an immune booster and evidences have proved that it can help in dealing with certain liver complications as well. However, there haven’t been many studies about ginseng and its efficacy in treating hepatitis C completely. Since ginseng has certain disadvantages, it can decrease the level of blood sugar and increase the risk of bleeding, it must be used carefully.

Schisandra

This is a Japanese plant and has been used for making traditional medicines in Japan. It has antiviral properties that can help in regulating the hepatitis C virus. However, there aren’t any evidences to support this fact related to the efficacy of the herb in treating hepatitis C.

Lactoferrin

This is a typical milk protein and is also found in our saliva and tears. Some studies have revealed that when lactoferrin is taken in the form of a dietary supplement, it can help in lowering the levels of hepatitis C, thus improving the liver function.

Apart from these, some relaxation techniques and acupuncture is said to be very useful in treating hepatitis C.

But if you’ve developed the chronic form of hepatitis B, you would be left with very few options for treatment. In most of the cases where there aren’t any obvious signs or symptoms predicting hepatitis B or liver damage, the doctor would prefer to observe and monitor rather than just treating the condition. In some other cases, the doctor might as well recommend certain treatment options using antiviral medications. But if the liver is severely damaged, a liver transplant operation becomes necessary.

Drugs used for treating hepatitis B include:

• Telbivudine (Tyzeka): This is an antiviral medication that helps in preventing HBV from replication. It is available in the form of a pill and has no after effects if taken for a year. Studies have revealed that this is the best drug for treating the condition till late unlike its other counterparts. However, as you give up the drug, your conditions might worsen.

• Interferon: Interferon is produced in the body naturally to protect the body against several invading organisms like the viruses. Taking some added interferon helps in stimulating the body’s response to the HBV and also assists in preventing the virus from further replication. However, not all of us can take interferon, as it might not suit us. In some rare cases, interferon can as well eliminate the HBV virus completely, albeit the infection might re-occur. Interferon also has numerous side effects and most of these manifests as the symptoms of the disease itself. This might include fatigue, depression, body aches, muscle pain, nausea and fever. These symptoms might worsen during the first two weeks of the treatment. Side effects can also be severe and might decrease red blood cell production as well.

• Lamivudine (Epivir-HBV): This is an older version of telbivudine, though it is less stringer. It is also available in the form of a pill to be taken once daily. Side effects are negligible, but might worsen as you stop taking this medicine in the long run. The drug might as well cause drug-resistant type of HBV if taken for long.  Also you must inform your doctor if you have previously had a history of pancreatic disorder or kidney problems.

• Entecavir (Baraclude): This is yet another antiviral medicine that is taken as a pill. Studies have revealed that Baraclude is more effective as compared to lamivudine. This medicine can as well stop the symptoms from worsening any further after stopping the drug.

• Adefovir dipivoxil (Hepsera): This drug is to be taken in the form of pill and helps in preventing the replication of HBV virus in the cells. Additionally, this medicine is also useful in treating people who are resistant to the medicine lamivudine.  This drug also has minimum side effects during the treatment, but the symptoms might worsen when the medicine is stopped.