Hepatitis C is one such disease that is caused by a viral infection that affects the liver. In course of time, hepatitis C can as well lead to permanent damage of the liver. It can cause diseases like cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer in some rare cases.

Most of the people fail to recognize the disease till the time it actually affects the liver and causes extensive damage. This might take several years as well. Some people might also suffer from hepatitis C that is short-lived and tends to improve over time. This form is known as acute hepatitis C. But usually people are infected with the hepatitis C virus that develops a long-term disease and is known as chronic hepatitis C.

Though hepatitis C is a very serious condition, but some people can actually manage to deal with the disease and live a healthy life.

The Causes

Hepatitis C is a viral disease and is caused by the virus hepatitis C. it usually spreads through contact with infected blood.

You are likely to get hepatitis C if:

• The same needles are shared with people having infected blood for injecting illicit drugs. This is one of the most common ways though which the virus spreads in America.
• You’ve been through blood transfusion before 1992, since after that period, all the donated blood in US is thoroughly screened for the virus hepatitis C.
• You’ve been shot by the needle that had infected blood on it. This usually happens in states where they use one single needle for injecting many people at a time.

In some rare cases however, pregnant ladies having hepatitis C can spread the virus to their babies in the womb or at the time of birth.

It has not been proven yet whether or not the hepatitis C virus can spread sexually. If at all there is any risk of sexual transmission, it would be negligible.

Hepatitis C does not spread through casual contact like kissing, hugging, coughing, sneezing or sharing the same drink or food.

The Symptoms

Usually, people do not experience any symptoms after they are just infected with hepatitis C virus. However, if the symptoms at all manifest, it would be range from:

• Fatigue or tiredness
• Abdominal pain
• Joint pain
• Itchy skin
• Dark urine
• Sore muscles
• Yellowish skin color

Most of the case of chronic hepatitis might not have these symptoms at all. This makes things difficult and people often go on without treatment for 15 years and above.

Diagnosis

Hepatitis C is mostly diagnosed accidentally when the blood sample has been sent for some test or before blood donation. It is otherwise very difficult to understand whether a person has hepatitis C or not. People suffering from hepatitis C are also likely to have higher levels of certain liver enzymes in the blood.

Usually, a routine blood test can detect the presence of hepatitis C virus. In rare cases though, liver biopsy and other such tests become essential.

Treatment

Hepatitis C can be treated with antiviral medications. However, these drugs might not suit everyone. Also if the liver has not been damaged, the doctor might not suggest any medications at all.

If medications are recommended, it would be a combined dose of 2 medicines that can combat infection, such as ribavirin and peginterferon.