Unlike many other conditions, hepatitis C is relatively harder to detect due to multiple reasons. As per the World Health Organization, many affected individuals with this infection may not feel or experience anything until it advances and causes severe symptoms at a later stage. To stay on the safe side, one must undergo routine health tests and full-body examinations. Doing so gives them a better chance of inhibiting hepatitis C in its nascent stages.
Hepatitis C Warning Signs
This disease primarily affects a person's liver. This is why many of its symptoms are indicative of liver-related issues triggered by it.
Dry Eyes
Hepatitis C directly affects multiple glands all over the body. This includes the tear ducts and glands. People with hepatitis C in its initial stage are likely to experience swelling in their tear ducts and glands. This results in people with this condition having gritty or dry eyes. It is common for someone with hepatitis C-driven liver issues to have perpetually red or crusty eyes, no matter how many eye drops they use or how many times they wash their eyes.
Dry eyes make it harder for people to see. So, blurry vision and dry eyes are the telltale signs of this disease, which needs immediate attention.
Dry Mouth and Mouth Ulcers
Hepatitis C can also affect a person's salivary glands, similar to how it impacts the tear ducts. When the glands begin to swell, it causes the mouth to become dry. This condition often results in the formation of ulcers. Other symptoms accompanying dry mouth are bad breath, tooth decay, cracked lips, a sore mouth or throat, sensitive teeth, and difficulties with eating or swallowing.
Skin Rashes and Itchy Skin
Closely observing one's skin is necessary to detect the early signs of hepatitis C. This disease is known to change how a person's skin looks and feels. As these changes come and go in a fleeting manner, people are likely to miss them. Some of the ways in which early-stage hepatitis C reveals itself on a person's skin are through symptoms like itchiness, blisters, white spots, tightened skin, spider-like blood vessels, web-like rashes on the skin, and purple patches.
Rising Blood Sugar
If hepatitis C goes undetected, it can lead to full-scale type 2 diabetes in affected individuals. One of the warning signs of hepatitis C is rising blood sugar, even when they keep their sugar intake under control. Essentially, hepatitis C affects the liver, which negatively affects the body's capacity to turn sugar in the bloodstream into energy, causing the blood sugar levels to rise dramatically.
Diabetes type 2 is just as problematic as diabetes type 1. If type 2 diabetes is not managed properly, then it can cause debilitative issues such as nerve damage, kidney damage, heart disease, eye disorders, serious skin ulcers, and strokes.
Yellowing of Eyes and Skin
The progression of hepatitis C in the body leads to a significant increase in a chemical named bilirubin, which gives the eyes their yellow color. As a result, a key indicator of hepatitis C advancing within a person’s body is the change in skin and eye color.
Some other warning signs specific to this disease include clay-colored stools, darkness in urine, unexplained stomach pain or swelling, frequent sensations of nausea, and an unexplained loss of appetite.
Overlapping Symptoms of Hepatitis C with Other Diseases
One of the reasons hepatitis C is incredibly hard to detect is that many of its initial stage symptoms are also seen in cases of other diseases. For this reason, people often tend to overlook these symptoms when they occur. However, it is important not to ignore them. If one experiences any of the symptoms associated with hepatitis C, consider getting a liver test, which includes a blood test and urine examination. This can help one detect the condition quickly and more efficiently.
Persistent Fatigue and Sleep Issues
Apart from affecting the liver, hepatitis C also affects the endocrine system and brain. This impact causes a person’s energy levels to dip substantially, resulting in them being frequently tired throughout the day. Additionally, some of the common sleep problems faced by those with hepatitis C include an increased difficulty in falling asleep at night, sleep coming in short spells (waking up intermittently) throughout the night, or, conversely, feeling sleepy all the time and sleeping for more than 8 to 10 hours daily. Normally, people sleep between 6 and 8 hours every day.
Joint Pain
When a person has hepatitis C, their liver undergoes inflammation, which often causes the organ to release a number of antibodies into the bloodstream. The antibodies cause joint pain and muscle pain in individuals. And if one has existing joint pain, it may be aggravated because of the onset of hepatitis C.
Mental Health Issues
Hepatitis C causes several kinds of chemical imbalances within the body. This causes mood swings and other dramatic changes in how a person thinks, behaves, and feels. Some accompanying symptoms include a constant feeling of worry, a constant feeling of desolation and hopelessness, a tendency to become angry or annoyed more easily, a lack of interest in usual activities, feeling sad for long periods of time, and having perpetual brain fog - phases in which it becomes difficult for people to think clearly, speak legibly, or concentrate for more than a few seconds.
Hepatitis C Causative Factors
Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This infection spreads when blood or any fluid in which this virus exists enters the bloodstream of a person who does not have the disease. The transmission of the hepatitis C virus is often caused by improper syringe usage, unhygienic intercourse habits, and some other lifestyle issues
Hepatitis C Treatment Measures
Apart from abstaining from unprotected intercourse and exchanging personal tools as per the WHO protocols, a number of tips can help people successfully manage hepatitis C or prevent it.
*Drink Water Regularly*
People currently undergoing hepatitis C treatment need to drink plenty of water. Good hydration keeps the skin, eyes, and mouth wet and hygienic. Also, hydrating regularly is known to prevent headaches among people already living with this disease. A lack of hydration is known to aggravate the symptoms of hepatitis C and cause the disease to advance within a person's body.
Affected individuals should aim for at least 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. Also, they must reduce their intake of caffeine as it tends to lower the water levels within the body. To maintain the water levels every day, people can keep filled water bottles near them throughout the day, set an alarm on their phone to remind them to sip water every half an hour, add a slice of lemon, lime, or cucumber to add flavor to water, and eat foods with a lot of water, such as watermelons.
Exercise Regularly
Frequent physical activity helps keep the immune system strong and one's liver healthy for longer. Moreover, exercising regularly is known to improve one's mood and resilience to fatigue. One does not even have to do hardcore workouts; all they can do is walk for 30 minutes to an hour to activate the muscles. Exercising is a good habit in general as it helps people develop a disciplined lifestyle and a healthy routine.
Get Adequate Sleep
Many studies have found correlations between diseases such as hepatitis C and a chronic lack of sleep. An erratic sleep schedule can negatively affect a person’s immune system, which can further cause the onset and advancement of hepatitis C quickly. To avoid overall poor health, one must sleep at least 8 hours every day.
References
References:
https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/features/hep-c-self-care
https://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/symptoms-of-hepatitis-c
https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/hepatitis-c-symptoms#signs-and-symptoms
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323862#hiv
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-c/symptoms-causes/syc-20354278
https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-c/prevention/index.html