Are the signs of hepatitis obvious?

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Like many other progressive diseases, the signs of hepatitis are often not easily detected in the early stages. As liver function begins to decline, some physical changes become apparent, and the diagnosis is easier to confirm when a person is hospitalized for signs of acute hepatitis.

1. What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is a disease that inflames and damages the liver. As a result of the inflammatory response, it affects the liver's ability to perform physiological functions, including synthesizing proteins and removing unwanted impurities from the blood. The most common causes of hepatitis are viral infections with the following 5 types of viral hepatitis:
Hepatitis A - an acute inflammation of the liver that usually lasts from a few weeks to up to 6 months; Hepatitis B - a serious liver infection that is more serious and can lead to liver damage and cirrhosis ; Hepatitis C - a type of chronic viral hepatitis that is treatable today; Hepatitis D - also a hepatitis but only affects people who are already infected with hepatitis B; Hepatitis E - an acute hepatitis, similar to hepatitis A. In addition, there are other types of hepatitis that are not caused by infectious agents, including:
Autoimmune hepatitis ; Alcoholic hepatitis. However, once a person has one type of hepatitis, there is still a chance that a person will have other types of hepatitis.

2. What are the signs of hepatitis?

The liver is an important organ of the body because it is responsible for the functions of digestion and converting food into energy. In addition, the liver also plays a role in storing energy as fuel to be used between meals or when energy requirements are excessive. On the other hand, the liver also acts as a giant filter removing harmful substances from the body. So any liver disease or liver damage can affect all these functions and can lead to serious health problems.
Signs of hepatitis are as follows:
Yellow skin, also known as jaundice; Nausea and vomiting; Urine is dark yellow; stools that look pale, bloody, or black (tarry-like); Swollen ankles, legs or abdomen; Reduced appetite; Persistent fatigue; itchy skin; There are abnormal patches of bruising on the skin.

3. Stages of acute hepatitis

While it is difficult to diagnose hepatitis when it requires urgent medical attention, understanding the different stages of this disease helps to make better and earlier treatment options.
Stages of acute hepatitis include:
Hepatitis: Hepatitis is an early sign of liver disease and is often asymptomatic. If left untreated, the inflamed liver can become hard and cause other health problems; Liver fibrosis: Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver that is inflamed. During this stage, the normal function of the liver will be impaired. In cases where cirrhosis does not cause symptoms, it can progress to true cirrhosis if left untreated; Cirrhosis: In this stage, the liver becomes inflamed, scarred, damaged, and incapacitated due to a reduced blood supply. Patients with cirrhosis may experience symptoms of liver disease; End-stage liver disease: End-stage liver disease is a case of cirrhosis that develops after reactions to hepatitis, in which the liver does not function properly. This condition is irreversible and will require aggressive, supportive treatment for liver function. Complications include ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, which may require liver transplantation in cases of decompensated liver failure; Liver cancer: In some cases, liver cells can become abnormal and grow out of control causing cancer. Risk factors for liver cancer include cirrhosis and hepatitis B and can occur in any stage of liver disease. Treatment for liver cancer varies depending on tumor size, location, scar tissue, liver function and may include liver resection or transplantation, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, embolization and chemistry.

4. What to do when there are signs of hepatitis?

Tests to evaluate liver function in regular health checkups are an important step to prevent and detect liver disease early, right before the signs of hepatitis, avoid irreversible damage. .
Accordingly, your doctor may recommend some liver function tests or blood tests to understand the health of your liver. As such, tests will be ordered as the next step to take when there are signs of hepatitis, including assessing the levels of enzymes and proteins in the blood. The goal is to understand the liver's ability to produce protein and clear bilirubin or to check the levels of enzymes in the blood. Liver function tests are used to measure the following quantities:
Alanine transaminase (ALT); Aspartate transaminase (AST); Alkaline phosphatase (ALP); Albumin and total protein; Bilirubin; Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT); L-lactate dehydrogenase (LD); Prothrombin time (PT). Objectives of liver function tests when there are signs of hepatitis :
Screening for liver infections such as viral hepatitis; Liver diseases such as cirrhosis are progressive. Liver function tests help monitor disease progression and extent of damage. In addition, the results received will also help evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment method in controlling the disease condition; Tests can help monitor signs of hepatitis such as possible side effects of certain drugs that affect and/or metabolize the liver.

5. How to treat hepatitis diseases

Cases with signs of hepatitis if left untreated can cause impaired function and permanent liver damage. Non-surgical treatment can help reduce pain and discomfort.
On the other hand, your doctor may recommend some lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments to control blood cholesterol levels. Patients need to ask to limit alcohol consumption, maintain a reasonable weight, cut down on fat and sugar consumption, and increase the diet rich in fiber.
In addition, the doctor may recommend some of the following drugs based on the severity of the condition:
Anti-inflammatory drugs - to reduce inflammation in cases where there are signs of acute hepatitis; Medicines to treat hepatitis - Antiviral drugs for hepatitis, only applied when there are signs of acute hepatitis B or C; Blood pressure medication; Supplements - vitamins and minerals. In cases where there are signs of severe acute hepatitis, your doctor may recommend liver transplant surgery.
In a nutshell, hepatitis is an inflammatory reaction in the liver caused by a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious agents, leading to health problems, some of which can be fatal. Therefore, regular physical examination and liver function tests are an effective way to detect liver disease early. In addition, as soon as the above signs of hepatitis are detected, it is necessary to visit a liver specialist for an aggressive diagnosis and treatment from the beginning.

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