Understanding Hepatitis - Treatment

How Do I Know If I Have It?

The CDC recommends that you have a blood test for hepatitis C if any of the following are true:

• You have been notified that you received blood from a donor who later tested positive for the disease.
• You have ever injected drugs, even once many years ago.
• You received a blood transfusion or an organ transplant before July 1992.
• You received a blood product used to treat clotting problems that was made before 1987.
• You have had long-term kidney dialysis.
• You have signs or symptoms of liver disease.

Each of these factors increases your risk for hepatitis C. Children whose mothers were infected when they gave birth are also at increased risk and should be tested. Screening for hepatitis B is done in pregnant women and may also be done on the sexual partners or household contacts of people known to be infected with hepatitis B. Otherwise, routine screening for hepatitis typically is not recommended unless you have symptoms of the condition.

If You Have Symptoms

When the patient's symptoms suggest hepatitis, the doctor normally takes blood samples and runs tests to check for the presence of a disease organism. More blood samples may be necessary later -- even after the symptoms have vanished -- to check for complications and determine if the patient is a carrier of the disease.

The doctor may also require a liver biopsy, or tissue sample, in order to determine the extent of the damage. A biopsy is commonly performed by inserting a needle into the liver and drawing out a fragment of tissue, which is then sent to a laboratory to be analyzed.

What Are the Treatments?

There are only a few specific remedies for most types of hepatitis. The conventional approach in each case is to treat the disease with rest and proper diet and to make efforts to contain its spread.

Conventional Medicine

Although your doctor may recommend bed rest, you may find that simply restricting physical activity is enough to make you feel better. The general rule is this: If you feel well, get up; if you don't, take it easy or lie down. Avoid close contact with others to keep the virus from spreading.

Good nutrition is an important part of treatment for all types of hepatitis. In most cases, eating properly means a simple regimen of nutritious, well-balanced meals that supply adequate calories. Many hepatitis patients like to eat a hearty breakfast because their appetites wane and nausea intensifies as the day progresses. Patients who have trouble eating larger meals may prefer to eat smaller amounts at each sitting and snack frequently throughout the day.

Treatment for alcoholic, toxic, and drug-related hepatitis is generally the same as that for viral hepatitis, although hospitalization is more common for nonviral hepatitis and severe cases tend to be more life-threatening. As is often the case, simply removing the offending drink, toxin, or drug goes a long way toward helping patients recover from nonviral hepatitis.