“Hepatitis C symptoms are often mild and flu-like. Rather than relying on symptoms, a hepatitis C test is the most accurate to diagnose the virus.”
Recognizing Early Symptoms of Hepatitis C is Difficult
Early symptoms of hepatitis C often resemble the flu. Hepatitis C symptoms include fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, fever and dark urine. Jaundice, yellowing of the skin and eyes, may also occur. Symptoms of hepatitis C are fairly mild during the initial stages of infection.
Most People Never Encounter Hepatitis C Symptoms
The majority of people infected with the virus—up to 80%—never experience noticeable signs or symptoms of hepatitis C. This makes the virus difficult to diagnose. Since hepatitis C symptoms are rare, many people will go as long as 15 to 20 years before discovering they have the virus.
Severe Hepatitis C Symptoms Signals Complications
Hepatitis C progresses slowly and eventually causes liver damage and cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), if left untreated. When cirrhosis occurs, hepatitis C symptoms become more severe, but it can take years before physical symptoms are present. A routine hepatitis C test can diagnose this disease and prevent irreversible damage. That's why its imperative to get a Hepatitis C Test
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An Overview of Hepatitis C Symptoms
When most people worry about STDs, Hepatitis C doesn’t tend to appear foremost in their minds. While Hepatitis C is not the most common STD, it’s still a disease that impacts far too many people each year. Recognizing Hepatitis C symptoms is essential for anyone who’s at risk.
Common Hepatitis C Symptoms
As is the case with other STDs, Hepatitis C symptoms don’t always appear following infection. Symptoms of Hepatitis C, when present, often include darkened urine, joint pain, fever, fatigue, nausea, and a general loss of appetite. Jaundice is another common Hepatitis C symptom, producing a yellowish color in the eyes and skin. Finally, Hepatitis C symptoms in women and men can also include digestive issues such as vomiting and stomach pain.
Timing of Hepatitis C Symptoms
Symptoms of Hepatitis C will often surface about six to seven weeks after the disease has been contracted. But for some people, Hepatitis C symptoms won’t appear for many months following infection.
Treating Hepatitis C Symptoms
In some cases, symptoms of Hepatitis C do not need to be treated at all. But if your doctor does recommend treatment for Hepatitis C symptoms, the good news is that antiviral medications can work to remove the disease from your body, thus sparing you future unwanted symptoms of Hepatitis C.
Severe Hepatitis C Symptoms
When left to progress without treatment, Hepatitis C can result in some serious consequences. Severe Hepatitis C symptoms include liver cancer and severe liver damage. When the disease causes liver failure, treating the symptoms of Hepatitis C may involve a liver transplant. Fortunately, early management of Hepatitis C can help those infected avoid the need for such extreme treatment. That’s why if common Hepatitis C symptoms ever present themselves, it’s wise to get tested for the disease as soon as possible.
Hepatitis C Symptoms Image Gallery
“I took a full STD test, including a hepatitis C test, after experiencing prolonged flu-like symptoms. Since hepatitis C symptoms can resemble the flu, I wanted to make sure I didn’t contract anything more serious.”
