Viral hepatitis isn’t quite the scourge it used to be. Thanks in large part to widespread immunization of adolescents and young children in the U.S. for hepatitis A and B, the incidence of the liver-destroying disease has fallen 90% in the past 20 years. Yet many people who could be vaccinated against hepatitis haven’t been — and so remain at higher risk.
Scientists have identified several types of viral hepatitis. In the U.S., the main threats are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. They cause similar symptoms, including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, joint pain, clay-colored bowel movements, and jaundice (yellow skin or eyes).
Almost all people with hepatitis A recover fully in weeks or months. In contrast, hepatitis B and C can become chronic infections that lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, and even death. What’s more, the three types differ in the way they spread from person to person:
•Hepatitis A. The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is present in the feces of people who have hepatitis A and spreads by fecal-oral contact. Infection can occur if even a microscopic amount of virus-laden feces reaches the mouth. This can happen by consuming contaminated food or beverages, as well as through close personal contact or sex with an infected person.
•Hepatitis B. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is found in the blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and other body fluids of people who have hepatitis B. Infection occurs when there is contact with these fluids — for example, during sex with an infected person or exposure to contaminated needles or personal items. Up to 25% of people with chronic HBV infection die from liver disease.
•Hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is found in the blood of people who have hepatitis C. It can be spread by sexual contact, although it’s usually spread from mother to child during childbirth or by sharing hypodermic needles or other drug paraphernalia. Up to 85% of people infected with HCV develop chronic hepatitis C infection.
What You Need to Know:
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The liver can become inflamed as a result of chronic, excessive consumption of alcohol, exposure to toxic chemicals, allergic reactions, or overdoses of some prescription drugs, but it is most commonly caused by viral infection.
Most cases of viral hepatitis tend to be acute, that is, they generally last for a few weeks. Chronic hepatitis is an inflammation that lasts more than six months. Please refer to the bottom of this page to find home remedies hepatitis.
At least seven different hepatitis viruses cause liver infection, so blood tests are needed for an accurate diagnosis. While some forms can be spread through casual contact, the more serious forms are transmitted primarily through infusions of tainted blood, sexual contact, and, among intravenous drug users, sharing hypodeuilic needles. Hepatitis symptoms vary widely.
Initially they may include flulike complaints, such as malaise and loss of appetite. Later symptoms may include fever, nausea, sensitivity to light, vomiting, headache, swollen joints, dark urine, abdominal discomfort, and jaundice. Symptoms vary because the liver is an extremely robust organ, able to function even if large portions are destroyed.
In chronic hepatitis, the nutrients ordinarily distributed by the liver become unavailable. Low blood-sugar levels and fatigue result. Chronic hepatitis also keeps the liver from breaking down the toxins it normally removes from the body.
The buildup of toxins in the bloodstream can result in depression, delirium, or loss of short-term memory. Toxic buildup also can cause jaundice, a condition in which the skin and eyes turn any color from faint yellow to bright tangerine. Frequently, however, there is no change in skin color at all.
The destructive agent in viral hepatitis is not the virus, but rather the immune system itself. As long as the virus lies dormant in the liver cells, it is undetectable to the immune system. When the virus begins to multiply, however, immune-system cells engulf and destroy the cell. Thus, the immune response destroys liver tissue and causes the most serious symptoms of hepatitis.
Asymptomatic viral hepatitis may wait for months or years for a “trigger”—such as a drinking binge, or exposure to a poisonous chemical, or the use of certain prescription drugs—to manifest itself. This trigger stresses the liver and activates the infection. When that happens, symptoms appear.
Conventional treatment uses several different types of drugs. Be aware that some herbs may have a negative impact on the liver and/or interact negatively with conventional medicines. Always work with a qualified healthcare practitioner.
HOME REMEDIES HEPATITIS
Home Remedies Hepatitis #1: Artichoke increases the effectiveness of liver function.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #2: Ayurvedic medicine has used beets to promote the regeneration of liver cells.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #3: Burdock and dandelion are important for cleansing the liver and the bloodstream.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #4: Studies have shown licorice to be effective in treating viral hepatitis, particularly chronic active hepatitis, due to its well-documented antiviral activity.
Caution: Do not use this herb on a daily basis for more than seven days in a row. Avoid if you have high blood pressure.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #5: Ligustrum is an immune restorative and anti-inflammatory agent.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #6: Milk thistle extract contains silymarin, a flavonoid that has been shown to aid in healing and rebuilding the liver. It can be taken in capsule or alcohol-free extract form. Take 200 to 400 milligrams three times daily.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #7: Olive leaf extract is a potent antifungal agent.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #8: Phyllanthus, an Ayurvedic herb, is useful for hepatitis B. After an initial bout with the virus, you can become symptom-free but still remain a carrier of the disease. This herb is said to eradicate carrier-status hepatitis B in some cases.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #9: Schizandra is a Chinese herb used to protect the liver.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #10: Scutellaria, also known as Baikal skullcap or Chinese skullcap, is a Chinese herb that is a powerful antioxidant.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #11: Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #12: Other herbs beneficial for hepatitis include black radish, green tea, red clover, and yellow dock.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #13: Eat a raw vegetable and fruit diet for two to four weeks. Start this diet with a cleansing fast.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #14: Especially when symptoms are acute, take care to replace
fluids by drinking vegetable broth, diluted vegetable juices, and herbal teas.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #15: Take 30 milligrams of zinc daily. The changes in virally
infected liver cells that cause cirrhosis involve an imbalance of zinc and copper, with copper in excess. Copper, an oxidant, can damage the walls of cells, and zinc displaces copper from the cells.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #16: Take 500 to 1,000 milligrams of liver extracts daily. Over a period of three to six months, the use of liver extracts lowers liver enzyme levels.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #17: Avoid fatty foods entirely, and limit protein intake to between 3 and 6 ounces (100 to 200 grams) a day.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #18: Avoid stale or moldy bakery products and grains. At least in laboratory studies, the fungus byproduct aflatoxin amplifies the carcinogenic potential of hepatitis infection.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #19: Avoid alcohol in all forms, including that found in drugs and flavorings.
Home Remedies Hepatitis #20: If you are taking interferon for hepatitis B, make sure your doctor orders blood tests to monitor iron (ferritin) levels in your blood. Iron deficiency cuts the success rate of interferon treatment roughly in half. Your doctor will recommend treatments that can bring iron levels up to normal.
source: webmd.com, homemademedicine.com
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