Hepatitis

Hepatitis means the liver is inflamed. It is not one illness — the causes range from viral infections, hepatitis A, B, C and E among them, to alcohol, certain medicines and supplements, and conditions in which the immune system acts against the liver itself.

Because the causes differ, so does everything that follows: how it is confirmed, how long it lasts, whether it settles on its own and what care it needs. Some forms resolve in weeks; others are long-term and need specialist medical follow-up. Identifying which type is present is the first step and the one everything else depends on.

The long-term forms, hepatitis B and C in particular, can carry on for years without causing anything a person would notice. Feeling well therefore does not rule hepatitis out, and testing is sometimes advised on the basis of exposure or a routine screen rather than on symptoms.

• Yellowing of the eyes or skin
• Dark urine, or unusually pale stools
• Tiredness out of proportion to activity
• Nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite
• Tenderness under the right ribs
• Fever and body aches, in some infective causes

• Viral infection — hepatitis A, B, C or E
• Contaminated food or water, in some of the viral types
• Blood exposure, unsterile needles or unscreened transfusion
• Alcohol
• Certain medicines, herbal products and supplements
• Autoimmune causes, where the immune system targets liver cells

1. 1Have the type identified first — what follows depends entirely on the cause
2. 2Avoid alcohol completely while the liver is inflamed
3. 3Tell every practitioner what you are taking, including herbal and over-the-counter products
4. 4Rest and keep fluids up while unwell, returning to activity gradually
5. 5Follow the vaccination and household precautions advised for that specific type
6. 6Keep specialist follow-up for the long-term forms; monitoring matters even when you feel well