PLEASE NOTE! All articles here in this site are informative for common knowledge. Please study different sources for information and visit a local doctor.

TREATMENTS FOR HEPATITIS C

Hepatitis C doesn’t need rigorous treatment in its initial stages. However, if the condition is chronic in nature, you would have to take certain drugs and medications for preventing the virus from spreading further.

You would need treatment if:

• You have been detected with a positive hepatitis C test that predicts that the virus has been circulating in the bloodstream
• Your biopsy report reveals potential liver damage
• You have elevated liver enzyme levels in your bloodstream, known as alanine aminotransferase

But if you have just about slight abnormalities with the liver, the doctor might prefer not to prescribe any medications, since long-term treatment can have detrimental effects on health.

On the contrary, as there isn’t any evidence that can truly predict the chances of developing liver disease in the near future, the doctor might recommend some anti viral medications for fighting the viruses. Instead of approaching the condition aggressively, it is wiser to use improved methods of treatment, followed by proper diet and rest, for preventing the condition.

DRUG THERAPIES

Hepatitis C can be treated with drugs and medications, the standard practice of treating hepatitis C is through a weekly injection. The drug pegylated interferon alfa in conjunction with ribavirin (twice-daily oral dose) is given in the form of an injection as an antiviral agent.

The primary aim of the hepatitis C treatment is to eliminate the virus completely from the bloodstream. The combined dosage of this injection helps in clearing the virus by almost 40-80 percent in people who have been given this medication. However, the success rate is highly dependent on the infection type and its severity.

The duration of these treatments are likely to depend on the speed of recovery. Usually, the period of treatment ranges from 24-48 weeks.

Though these medicines are the only choices for hepatitis C treatment, they can have some side effects as well. Interferon often causes flu-like symptoms that are severe in nature, followed by irritability, memory and concentration problems, depression, fatigue, and insomnia and skin irritation.

On the other hand, Ribavirin causes anemia, nasal congestion, itchiness, fatigue, skin irritation and birth defects.

The combined therapy of ribavirin and pegylated interferon can cause suicidal behavior or psychosis in few people. This is one of the reasons why this treatment is not recommenced to people having a medical history of uncontrolled depression. Also pregnant women and people having thyroid problems are exempted from this treatment.

Side effects of these medications are usually at its worst during the first two weeks of the treatment. But improvements are likely to be noted after that.

LIVER TRANSPLANT

Liver transplantation is seen as another treatment option for extensive liver damage. When the liver has been damaged critically and it is in its last stages, transplantation is the only way to get back to normal course of life. However, there are very few donors to fulfill the huge requirement of liver transplantations in various nation.

IMMUNIZATION

Though not a treatment, but immunization is definitely a prevention that must be taken by every individual. If an individual has hepatitis C, precautions must be taken for preventing the other hepatitis viruses form infecting the same, and immunizations are the ultimate way of preventing these viruses.