Hepatitis may last for several years. Its symptoms initially resemble those of the flu or indigestion. Learn the factors that cause hepatitis.
Hepatitis can be acute or chronic. The onset of inflammation can be affected in a number of ways, including alcohol, malnutrition and viruses. A person can develop hepatitis for several years without knowing it.
Types of hepatitis
There are several types of hepatitis, including:
- Hepatitis.
- Alcoholic hepatitis.
- Autoimmune hepatitis.
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Hepatitis – what are the causes?
The most common causes of hepatitis include:
Hepatitis can be caused by chemicals, including drugs, alcohol, and environmental toxins. Many of these substances are not metabolized in the body in the liver, but rather accumulate in the body and thus damage this organ.
Viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis. The most common viruses that cause viral hepatitis (viral hepatitis) are:
- HAV is responsible for Hepatitis A (hepatitis A) – You can catch it through the gut by eating contaminated food and water. It often resolves spontaneously within 6 months.
- HBV responsible for hepatitis B viral (hepatitis B) – it can be infected through the blood of a sick person, but infection can also occur while taking blood samples or visiting a tattoo studio. Hepatitis B is the most common cause of acute hepatitis.
- HCV responsible for viral hepatitis C (hepatitis C) – similar to hepatitis B, it is possible for a patient to become infected through the blood of a sick person or in places that do not strictly follow the rules of sterilization. Hepatitis C causes more chronic hepatitis than acute hepatitis.
- HDV responsible for hepatitis D viral infection (hepatitis D) – it only occurs when a patient has hepatitis B. It exacerbates the patient’s condition and exacerbates the course of hepatitis B.
- HEV responsible for hepatitis E viral (hepatitis E) – the pathway of this infection is similar to hepatitis A and can become infected through the digestive system. Cases of this type of viral hepatitis are rarely reported in Poland.
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
It is caused by too much fat that accumulates in the liver mainly in people with diabetes, high blood pressure and poor fat metabolism, as well as in people who are obese.
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- Congenital hepatitis
It occurs with other congenital diseases, such as Wilson’s disease, hemochromatosis.
- Autoimmune hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitis is caused by the immune system accidentally destroying the liver. The consequence of this condition is severe liver damage. Autoimmune hepatitis is often associated with other autoimmune diseases.
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Hepatitis – what are the symptoms?
Hepatitis symptoms may vary depending on the cause of the disease. These include:
- nausea,
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea,
- drying,
- Stomach pain (right side)
- Itchy skin
- Jaundice,
- Light stools
- Dark-colored urine,
- Anorexia
- Constant fatigue
- Bad mood,
- weakness,
- Birthmark,
- Muscle and joint pain.
Occasionally, acute hepatitis manifests itself as mental disorders and increased abdominal contour.
Hepatitis – When should you see a doctor?
It is easy to confuse the first stage of the development of hepatitis with stomach flu or food poisoning. See a doctor when jaundice occurs, abdominal pain persists, dark urine, and vomiting and nausea persist.
You should also see a doctor if you suspect you have viral hepatitis, for example after direct contact with an exposed person.
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Hepatitis – diagnosis
Hepatitis is often discovered by chance, for example, before surgery, after periodic medical examinations, or during hospitalization for some other reason.
Tests performed to confirm a diagnosis of hepatitis:
- Blood counts (including: total protein level, bilirubin level, prothrombin index, AspAt and ALT parameters, alkaline phosphatase),
- Liver biopsy,
- Diagnosis of congenital diseases,
- Identification of antibodies and antigens.
Hepatitis – What is the Treatment?
Hepatitis requires medical intervention. Treatment depends on the cause of the hepatitis.
Treatment for hepatitis caused by a genetic disease is to prevent or change your current treatment. If autoimmune hepatitis develops, treatment requires steroids and azathioprine and lasts for several years. Obesity should be treated in the case of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
If the causative agent of hepatitis is hepatitis A and E, then it is prevented Dehydration, rest is recommended, as well as switching to a hepatic diet. In the case of chronic hepatitis B, medications are given, and in the acute form, the treatment is the same as in the case of hepatitis A and E.
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