Hepatitis C - Causes and Symptoms
This silent health epidemic is a ticking time bomb. The Hepatitis
C virus is the newest recognized plague to afflict the baby-boomers.
How do you get Hepatitis C?
If you have ever had a blood transfusion before 1992, you
may have a virus called Hepatitis C. If you served in the
military during the 1970's through the 1980's you should definitely
be checked to see if you have contacted the virus. If you
have ever shot-up drugs, even once, or have ever had a tattoo
or performed body piercing, you should get checked. If you
have ever been a health care worker and suffered an accidental
needle stick or if you have ever maintained or worked with
dialysis or medical equipment, you should get checked. Another
hidden way to come in contact with the virus is if you have
ever shared someone else’s razor, nail file or nail
clippers.
And there are still other ways. You could easily have become
infected if you have ever been in a fist fight, received or
administered a bloody nose or scuffed your knuckles during
the battle. Another sure fire method of transmission of the
virus is if you have ever shared a straw or a rolled up bill
to inhale drugs. You are at risk if you have ever had a sexual
encounter where you came in contact with blood or contaminated
body fluids.
Any of these actions can lead you to being a prime suspect.
As you can see, there are many ways to expose yourself to
infected blood that could put you in harms way of contacting
the Hepatitis C virus. People have been diagnosed with the
virus from a single acupuncture treatment. The epidemic numbers
of new cases of the virus put the baby boomers lifestyles
into focus.
The Hepatitis C virus is one type of Hepatitis that can scar
and injure the liver and cause a significant loss of the livers
function. There are also Hepatitis types A, and type B. These
have been recognized for a longer time and cause jaundice
type symptoms that are much more visible.
It has just been in the last few years that the medical community
has readily had the technology to be able to detect the newest
form, Hepatitis type C virus. The Hepatitis C virus is a worldwide
epidemic and has many genotypes which determine the location
on the map where you may have come in contact with the virus.
Getting checked by a simple blood test should be the first
step of action you take to relieve your suspicion, inform
you, and make you aware if you are infected or not.
The virus doesn't show any acute signs or symptoms and can
take 20 to 30 years to rear its ugly head and put you on a
liver transplant list. The few symptoms that are subtle and
usually just attributed to other causes are aches that might
be associated with flu or cold like illnesses.
Do you have a feeling of general weakness and maybe feeling
a bit more tired than you think you should just performing
your daily routine? Do you have a recurring itchy rash that
keeps coming back time and time again? Do you have an unexplained
loss of appetite, variations in your blood sugars, indigestion,
or diarrhea? Do you experience bouts of depression, mental
fatigue, or mood swings? Are you waking up tired? Do you wake
up during the night and get out of bed not feeling rested
after a night's sleep?
As mentioned earlier these are all very subtle symptoms that
most would attribute to daily stress or common everyday life
trials and tribulations. There is a simple blood test with
the new medical advances now in place that detects and gives
you a winning chance of beating this serious hidden epidemic.
Get checked if you even suspect that you may have been exposed
by any means and seek treatment.
Treatment is available and it can help rid you of the virus
depending on the severity of the infection and lengthen your
life. The donor list for livers is extremely long, but you
probably will not need one if you take the necessary steps
to prevent further damage. The alternative is death due to
liver failure and does not paint a very pretty picture.
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Author: Eric Choong
Please visit my website at: http://www.health-beauty-care.com
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