Hepatitis: Causes, Symptoms, and When to Seek Help
Hepatitis is a medical condition that refers to inflammation of the liver, a vital organ responsible for filtering toxins, aiding digestion, and storing nutrients. This inflammation can reduce liver function, sometimes leading to serious health issues. Hepatitis can be either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term), and in the UK, it affects thousands of people every year. Some forms of hepatitis resolve on their own, while others can persist and lead to liver damage if not properly treated. Knowing the causes, symptoms, and treatment options is key to early detection and management.
What Causes Hepatitis?
Hepatitis isn’t just one disease, but rather a collection of conditions with dozens of causes. The most prevalent are caused by viruses, and have been named hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, respectively. Each type is spread in different ways, affects the liver differently, and has different treatment options.
Other than viral hepatitis, the following factors inject:
- Alcoholic hepatitis, caused by decades of prolonged and excessive drinking.
- Toxic hepatitis, caused by reactions to chemicals, some medications or certain supplements.
- Autoimmune hepatitis, an uncommon disease in which the immune system erroneously targets the liver cells. Its aetiology is unknown, although genetics and environmental factors may play a role.
It is important to know what is causing the hepatitis in order to choose the right treatment.
How Does Viral Hepatitis Spread?
The mode of transmission also depends on the type of virus:
- Hepatitis A and E: Typically spread through food or water contaminated with virus. Common sources are poor hand hygiene and eating undercooked pork, deer or shellfish.
- Hepatitis B, C and D: Transmitted by blood and bodily fluids. Risk factors include sharing needles, infected blood products, and unprotected sex.
Preventive measures, including vaccines (for hepatitis A and B), safe food handling and safe sex, can reduce the infection rate.
Who is at Risk?
Risk factors for each type of hepatitis:
- Viral hepatitis: is more frequent in people who travel to or live in areas with inadequate sanitation, or those who practise high-risk behaviours (ex: intravenous drug use or unprotected sex).
- Alcoholic hepatitis: Strikes long-time heavy drinkers, particularly women over men.
- Toxic hepatitis: Common to anyone who takes certain drugs or is exposed to industrial chemicals.
- Autoimmune hepatitis: Is more common among females and those with a family history of other autoimmune conditions.
Knowing these risk factors can lead to early testing and lifestyle changes to avoid or limit liver damage.
Symptoms to Watch For
Hepatitis frequently goes undetected because most individuals do not have symptoms, especially early in the course of the infection. Symptoms, if they do develop, may include:
- Fever and fatigue
- Loss of appetite, feeling of sickness or vomiting
- Pain in the abdomen, especially in the upper right side
- Dark urine and pale stools
- Joint pain
- Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
Symptoms of acute hepatitis usually occur between two weeks and six months after exposure. Chronic hepatitis can be asymptomatic for years, damaging the liver silently.
Potential Complications
Chronic hepatitis If not treated, chronic hepatitis can cause serious health problems:
- Cirrhosis: A condition in which the liver becomes severely scarred for a long time period.
- Liver failure: When the liver ceases cooperating
- Liver cancer: Most commonly in chronic hepatitis B or C
The good news is that the majority of these complications can be avoided if diagnosed and treated early.
How is Hepatitis Diagnosed?
It is diagnosed by the combination of medical history, physical examination and diagnostic tests to include the following:
- Blood tests: For hepatitis viruses and liver function
- Imaging: An ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess for liver damage
- Liver biopsy: Occasionally a small sample of tissue is removed to check levels of liver inflammation or scarring
Early diagnosis not only leads to better treatment results, but also breaks the transmission of viral hepatitis to others.
Treatment Options
Management is dictated by the type and stage of hepatitis:
- Acute viral hepatitis: Often resolves without treatment, resting, drinking lots of fluids and monitoring in most cases.
- Chronic hepatitis B or C: Treated with antiviral drugs that can slow or halt liver damage.
- Alcoholic hepatitis: Requires total cessation of alcohol. Dietary support and corticosteroids are other options.
- Autoimmune hepatitis: Usually treated with corticosteroids or other therapies that suppress the immune system.
In severe cases such as when the liver is severely scarred or unable to function; a liver transplant may be required.
All treatment plans are personalised and may include lifestyle modifications, ongoing regular monitoring, and/or specialist care.
Conclusion
Hepatitis is a high-profile diagnosis, but with the proper treatment, it can be a manageable condition. Through lifestyle changes, medicine, and being vigilant about follow-up care, caring for your liver is important. If you have symptoms, or think you need to be tested, ask a healthcare professional for guidance.
To talk about diagnostics and treatment options with a consultant at Chase Lodge Hospital, please book an appointment. For more, visit the NHS guide to hepatitis.
