Hepatitis C Diagnosis and Treatment: What You Need to Know
Hepatitis C is an infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage in the form of cirrhosis and liver failure, liver cancer or even death. The good news? Given early detection and new treatments, the disease is now highly treatable.
Many individuals who have the disease don’t develop symptoms right away, and the infection can go unnoticed for years. That’s why it’s important to know the causes, symptoms, and treatment options — particularly if you’re at increased risk. At Chase Lodge Hospital, we offer specialist diagnosis and tailored treatment to support people on their path to recovery from Hepatitis C and ensure their long-term health.
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver disease that is the result of being infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection can be:
- Acute: A short-term disease when the body may get rid of the virus naturally (occurs in around 30% of cases).
- Chronic: A long-term infection that can lead to serious liver damage if not treated over time.
While some people have only mild symptoms, others develop life-threatening disease, such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). Early intervention is crucial to avoid these complications.
Causes and Transmission
Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus and is transmitted mainly through contact with infected blood. Transmission occurs commonly through:
- Injections that are not provided safely (for example, injection practices in which the injections are not safe, such as needle sharing among drug users)
- Unsterilised medical or dental instruments
- Blood transfusions or organ transplants before 1992 (when screening was introduced in the UK)
- Puncturing oneself with a needle (most often, a healthcare setting)
- Sexual contact through blood exposure (less common but possible)
Differently from the cold and flu viruses, Hepatitis C is not easily transmitted by casual contact like hugging, sharing food, or sneezing.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Yet one of the most vexing things about Hepatitis C is that it’s so often symptom-less in the early going. If you do have symptoms, you may experience:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Nausea or loss of appetite
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Dark urine
- Muscle and joint pain
Since symptoms can be vague or nonexistent, many people don’t know they’ve been infected until liver damage is already underway. That makes regular testing imperative for those at high risk.
Diagnosis of Hepatitis C
If you think you’ve been exposed to Hepatitis C, blood tests can tell you if you’ve been infected:
- Anti-HCV antibody test: Whether you have ever been infected with the virus can be detected.
- HCV RNA test: Verifies active infection by finding the virus’s genetic material.
Testing is advised for those who:
- Ever injected drugs (even once)
- Had a blood transfusion prior to 1992
- Are from or lived in a part of the world with high Hepatitis C rates
- Have abnormal liver enzymes in the blood test
An early identification enables early treatment to prevent liver injury.
Treatment Options
Hepatitis C is now curable in more than 95 percent of individuals due to the development of new medications. The usual way it is treated is:
- Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs): These pills are taken for 8-12 weeks and they have only few side effects.
- Personalised treatment plans: Tailored to the virus’s genotype, liver health and the presence of other medical conditions.
If you have been living with Hepatitis C for years, treating it can still reverse liver damage in many cases. After being treated, follow-up is important to monitor the clearing of the virus.
Conclusion
Hepatitis C is a condition that can be serious but is also treatable. With modern medicine, that will cure almost everyone in a few months — before any long-term damage to the liver sets in.
If you’re concerned you might be vulnerable, don’t wait. Early testing saves lives.
Our team of experts offer private testing, diagnosis and personalised treatment at Chase Lodge Hospital. Schedule now to bend your liver health in the right direction.
