Common Hepatitis Symptoms

There are three types of hepatitis and they will all produce the same types of symptoms in various degrees. Hepatitis affects the liver and it is very important to recognize the symptoms.

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Think about the last time you had the flu. In the very beginning you probably started off just feeling plain tired. So you figure you just haven't been getting enough sleep. Then the next thing that hits you is you just don't feel like eating. You end up forcing yourself then you start to feel nauseated which then quite possibly leads to vomiting. Finally you realize that you have a bad case of the flu. Be aware that these are also the symptoms of hepatitis and you could easily overlook getting medical help because you think its the flu.

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These symptoms do not go away when you are suffering from hepatitis. In addition to this you could develop loose bowel movements. You probably expected this because of all the stomach cramps you've been getting. You continue on with what you have classed as the flu but after several days it just doesn't seem to be going away. You still have no appetite or energy. You look in the mirror and notice you skin seems to have a yellow tinge to it. When you closer even the whites of your eyes appear yellow. Now you are getting a little concerned. Oh yeah you also noticed that your urine was a very deep yellow as well, yet you have been drinking lots of fluids. In addition to this your skin has been somewhat itchy.

So put all these symptoms together and take a close look at them. Flu like symptoms such as no appetite with nausea or even vomiting. No energy, loose bowel movements and perhaps stomach cramps. Yellow skin and dark yellow urine, and itchy skin. These are all classic signs of any one of the strains of Hepatitis. It doesn't mean that you will experience every one of the symptoms but you must be aware of any of these symptoms or a combination of them that last for any period of time requires medical attention.

Common Hepatitis Symptoms

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What Are The Most Common Hepatitis C Symptoms

Hepatitis C is an illness that causes the liver to inflammate and damages it in time. It is caused by viruses that are transmitted from blood to blood contact with an infected person, and it affects millions of people all over the world. Some of the hepatitis C infections are not dangerous, but many of them can turn into chronic hepatitis which can be deadly.

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When people get infected with the hepatitis C virus they enter the acute hepatitis phase. Acute hepatitis lasts for 6 months and while in this phase the virus is "hibernating" and it's not causing any trouble. In most cases it does not show any signs or symptoms but a small number of people have experienced jaundice, abdominal pain, a state of fatigue and weakness and a decrease in the appetite.

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In 20% of the cases the body eliminates the hepatitis C virus in these first 6 months, and the patient is cured. But in most cases the virus is still present after 6 months, becomes active, and acute hepatitis C turns into chronic hepatitis C.

Chronic hepatitis C is tricky because it has almost no symptoms and for this reason it can't be discovered until it's too late. Even the jaundice that appears during the acute phase is usually gone. In many cases it's discovered accidentally while routine tests are performed on the patient.

However symptoms do occur when serious damage is done to the liver and it does not function properly. The most common signs that appear at most people are fever and other flu-like symptoms, headache, decrease in appetite, fatigue, abdominal, joint and bone pain.

Other known symptoms that have been encountered in many hepatitis C infections are: blurred vision, dizziness, depression, mood swings and anxiety , dry skin, indigestion, sweating and sometimes weight loss.

The symptoms vary widely from one patient to another so don't jump to any conclusion until you have been examined by a doctor.

Remember that hepatitis C irreversibly damages your liver even if you don't experience any symptoms. If it is left untreated your life may end up depending on a liver transplant, and there are too many that need liver transplants and too few donors, so it's best to consult a doctor if you suspect that you are infected or if you shared needles or had sex with someone that may be infected.

What Are The Most Common Hepatitis C Symptoms

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Hepatitis A - The Common Jaundice

Most of us are aware of and have probably been vaccinated against hepatitis B. Given the fact that so many of us are protected from hepatitis B, have you ever wondered why we still have so many cases of jaundice especially in the months of summers and monsoons?
The reason is jaundice due to poor food, water and sanitation, meaning hepatitis A and hepatitis E virus.

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The most important thing to realize that taking hepatitis B vaccination will not protect you against these forms of jaundice since they are caused by a different virus.
Hepatitis means inflammation (swelling) of the liver. While there are many infections that can cause this, in India the commonest cause in children and one of the most common causes in adults is Hepatitis A. If symptoms are present, they usually occur abruptly and may include

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o fever,

o tiredness,

o loss of appetite,

o nausea,

o abdominal discomfort,

o dark urine, and

o jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

Symptoms usually last less than 2 months; a few persons are ill for as long as 6 months. The average incubation period (i.e., time taken from transmission from one person to the other) for hepatitis A is 28 days (range: 15-50 days).
The diagnosis can be made with a blood test (IgM Hepatitis A antibody- cost approx. Rs. 600/-), since the symptoms of all types of hepatitis are the same. Other tests like the liver function tests are useful in finding out the extent of the disease.
Treatment is essentially supportive, and with adequate rest and minimum use of anti-fever and anti - vomiting medicines a patient should generally recover within 15- 30 days. However 15 % of patients (mostly adults) may have a prolonged course of illness lasting even as long as 6-9 months!

Prevention rests on maintaining a good personal hygiene. Always wash your hands after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, or before preparing or eating food. Avoid outside food and water especially food that is undercooked/ uncooked (like salad etc.). Since proper food and water in India is still a pipe-dream, a more feasible way is to take the Hepatitis A vaccine. This is a very safe and highly effective vaccine (more than 90 % effective) with no major side-effects. It can be given to anyone above 1 year of age. Two doses are needed for life long protection and these need to be given 6 months apart. The vaccine is effective a month after the first dose is given.
Dr. Gaurav Gupta is a practicing pediatrician in Chandigarh, India. Other than being a member of the American and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, he is also published many papers and written in various medical journals. He writes a bimonthly column is in Indian Pediatrics, official journal of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. He writes a medical blog, and contributes regularly to local newspapers and magazines while also answering online question about common parenting questions and kids health's

Hepatitis A - The Common Jaundice

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Common Alcoholic Personality Traits

There are certain personality attributes that are common among alcoholics. This is why traditional coping methods work for every alcoholic situation. One key to enjoying life while being in a relationship with a problem drinker is knowing what the personality looks like.

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As we begin to understand who they are because of their addiction, we can start changing the way we interact with them. The best way to learn how to interact with them is from people who have learned how to be happy in the midst of alcoholism. Let's take a brief look into the life of an addict.

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Denial
This by far is the strongest characteristic we will find in any addict. The will all deny that they have a problem with substance abuse. Getting them to admit that they need help is not something that occurs through the use of persuasive words. The only way for them to really see the depth of their denial is when they decide to get help and quit. After they get sober and then look back at how much they were drinking, then they will see how much they were in denial.

Bending The Truth
You know how the story goes...we say; "how many have you had to drink?" Then they reply; "only three." Their response is made as they are stumbling around bouncing off of the walls. They will tell the little white lies and the bigger ones about everything. An addiction can transform the most honest person in the world into a lying thief.

Button Pushers
They are well accomplished in the area of pointing the finger at other's faults. This is why so many people involved in alcoholic relationships are in constant turmoil. For the most part, we never know when the problem drinker is going to hurl some sort of insult our way. They are just good at pushing our emotional buttons that cause us to react in negative ways.

Undependable
Most alcoholics have good intentions, but their desire for consuming alcohol is so overwhelming at times that it causes them to be undependable. Some have this personality attribute more than others. The sad part is that they will promise to do something and then never show up.

In twelve step groups, the first step says; "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives have become unmanageable." Much of coping with an alcoholic successfully revolves around realizing that we are powerless over their choices to drink.

As we begin to understand more about the stereotypical alcoholic personality, it becomes easier to accept them as they are. As the realization occurs that we cannot control certain things about them, then it becomes easier to let go. It's like looking at someone with crooked teeth, we just accept that that is what they look like.

It's vitally important for us to see relationships with alcoholics exactly they way they are. This doesn't mean that we should not hope for the best and have great faith that things will change. What it does mean is that we must guard ourselves from being in denial of who the alcoholic "really" is.

Not every alcoholic will have all of the various personality characteristics common among problem drinkers. For instance, I didn't mention that some addicts steal things. Not everyone who drinks steals, but the majority of alcoholics don't think they have a drinking problem. Most of them cannot stop thinking about where and when they will have the next cocktail.

If you want to really learn about all of the various attributes that accompany problem drinkers, try attending a few support group meetings. I've gained an amazing understanding of what alcoholics are like and how to deal with them over the past thirteen years. Through attending support group meetings, real-life experiences, interacting with others coping with alcoholics and reading loads of books, I've become an expert at dealing with alcoholics.

An understanding of the personality of an alcoholic is not something that can be grasped through reading a couple of articles. It takes a commitment to get involved with support group meetings, reading literature and interacting with others coping with this disease to fully understand what this is all about.

Common Alcoholic Personality Traits

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Fatty Liver Treatment - Doctors Common Advice For Alcoholic People

Alcoholic people are the common people who suffers from a fatty liver disease. Once they drink and drink everyday, their liver suffers the most massive damage and when it is not treated immediately, it will create major problems like, liver cancer, colon cancer and kidney failure.

Alcoholics, when they are left untreated or placed in a rehabilitation center, are most likely to suffer livers cirrhosis which can be fatal to a person. Doctors common advise to patients who suffer from alcohol abuse, tells them to simply "stop drinking" and enroll themselves in a rehabilitation centers if they are having a hard time quitting.

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Doctors who advices their alcohol abuse patients, asks them to quit drinking as soon as possible, especially when they show signs and symptoms of a complicated liver problem.

When fatty liver is caused by alcohol problems, the best way is to see a doctor as much as possible because liver damage in this kind of problem are irreversible and the best way for it is to contain and minimize the problem by doing what the doctors advises you to do.

Like what doctors advise obese and diabetic people, they will also advise you to see a nutritionist so that when you quit drinking, you will also know the right foods to it in order not to increase the damage you have done to your liver and try to heal it as much as possible, because if your liver has not suffered any complications yet and it is just a plain fatty liver, then there is still a chance for it to heal.

Fatty Liver Treatment - Doctors Common Advice For Alcoholic People

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