Hepatitis C Treatment Options

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the HCV virus which affects the liver. The infection is asymptomatic in many cases, but if the infection is chronic it can result in scarring of the liver, leading to cirrhosis after some years. Sharing of toothbrushes and towels of infected people, use of contaminated needles and blood, are some of the reasons for spread of the hepatitis C virus from one person to another. So, how do you treat hepatitis C? What kind of hepatitis C treatment is available for the infected person?

People infected with the hepatitis C virus don't require serious treatment if there are minor liver abnormalities. Such conditions can be treated with follow up blood tests for monitoring liver problems. But patients with a proven hepatitis C infection are required to undergo medication. Generally, antiviral drugs like ribavirin and other medications are recommended to be taken for a period of six months to one year depending upon the type of virus. Besides medication, homeopathy is also believed to be a successful hepatitis C treatment which involves use of homeopathic medicines to cure liver problems and curb the virus.

Patients are prescribed with antiviral medications in order to clear the virus from the body. Doctors may prescribe a combination of medications for a number of weeks. After the completion of the treatment course, the patient will be diagnosed for the virus again. If the virus is still present in the patient's body, a second round of treatment is recommended. It must be noted that antiviral drugs often cause depression and symptoms of flu such as fever, fatigue and headaches. If the side effects turn out to be serious, doctors may stop or suspend treatment for some time.

In case of severe conditions, a liver transplant is the only option to treat hepatitis C, especially if the liver is seriously damaged. In a liver transplant, the damaged liver is replaced with a healthy liver. Since it is impossible to get livers from living persons, livers of the recently deceased are used for liver transplant. But a liver transplant is not a permanent cure for the hepatitis C patient. Even after a liver transplant, treatment with antiviral drugs continues. This is mainly because there are high chances that the infection may recur in the new liver.

In certain cases, the treatment is physically demanding for the infected person. This is particularly true for people with a prior history of alcohol or drug abuse. As a result, some patients may have to face temporary disability.

After getting cured, patients must take every step to prevent the recurrence of the virus again. Many doctors also recommend vaccines against hepatitis A and B because even these viruses can damage the liver and complicate hepatitis C treatment.

By: Sandy Rutherforde

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