Hepatitis C is caused by a virus and is a disease that infects the liver ultimately leading to liver damage that can cause cirrohsis, liver cancer and liver failure. While some people who get hepatitis C only have it for a short time, most people will have chronic or long-term hepatitis C. Though hepatitis C is a serious health concern, most people diagnosed with it will have long, relatively healthy lives. Hepatitis C treatment should be done under the care of a physician, and your physician should be told if you add or change any home remedies.
What are the symptoms of Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C often develops without presenting symptoms and you can be infected for long periods of time without showing symptoms. If symptoms do present, however, they will include:
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Belly pain
- Itchy skin
- Sore muscles
- Dark urine
- Jaundice
Cirrohsis symptoms including:
- Redness in the palms of the hands
- Spider veins on the chest, shoulders and face
- Swelling of the legs, feet and belly
- Shrinking muscles
- Variceal bleeding
- Encephalopathy
What causes Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is caused by a virus that is not transmitted through coughing or sneezing but through sharing of other bodily fluids such as blood. To prevent contracting hepatitis C you should:
- Never share needles or other equipment
- Wear protective clothing to dispose of needles or other contaminated objects.
- Make sure that any equipment used when getting a tattoo has been sterilized properly.
- If you have hepatitis C, help prevent the spread by doing the following:
- Don’t share needles or equipment
- Cover open wounds to prevent others coming in contact with them.
- Do not donate blood or sperm.
- Wash your hands and any objects that come in contact with your blood.
- Don’t share anything that may have your blood on it.
How do I treat Hepatitis C?
- Get plenty of sleep, especially during treatments which may cause insomnia.
- Avoid as much drug, alcohol and medication contamination as you can. With hepatitis C your body is already working overtime and the addition of drugs and alcohol to your liver can completely overwhelm it.
- Learn how to de-stress and relax. Work on avoiding depression; get out and do things with people. Many individuals with hepatitis C live long lives. Most don’t have symptoms for decades and many never show them.
- Milk thistle, sold as Silybum marianum or silymarin, helps to promote liver health. Be warned, however, it can cause nausea, diarrhea and bloating.
- Reishi mushroom can help balance the immune system and aid in liver function and circulation. It can be taken on a long-term basis.
- Black seed oil helps to improve liver function and digestion. It also boosts the immune system and promotes good health.
- Licorice helps protect the liver from further damage by helping to lower cholesterol levels. Don’t take for too many days, however, as it can raise blood pressure.
- Colloidal silver can be taken to help fight off secondary infections.
- Olive leaf extract is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral as well as being an anti-oxidant.
- Sterols and sterolins helps to lower cholesterol, balance the immune system and work as anti-inflammatories. Plus they boost T-cell production.
- Burdock and dandelion can be taken to help cleanse the liver and bloodstream.
- Ligustrum is an anti-inflammatory and helps to restore the immune system.
- Make sure to get plenty of fluids, especially during a flare up to help flush toxins out of the body.
- Avoid fatty foods and allergen foods like dairy and gluten.
