What is Chronic Hepatitis?

It is a common knowledge that hepatitis is a medical condition characterized by the destruction of liver cells resulting to inflammation. There are two categories of hepatitis: acute which can last up to 6 months; and chronic condition which lasts longer than 6 months.  Chronic hepatitis is the presence of persistent inflammation and cell necrosis. This disorder could be caused by viral infection, drugs and toxic substances like alcohol, autoimmunity, metabolic elements, and genetics. The intensity of infection usually ranges from asymptomatic constant illness that can be characterized only by visible abnormalities which can progress into more serious cases like liver failure, liver cirrhosis, and worse, death.

Acquisition of Chronic Hepatitis

A person becomes infected by hepatitis if they contract the virus or is exposed to substance-causing hepatitis like alcohol and fungal toxins. There are medications that can cause more harm than good. One can get hepatitis through medicines via overdose or abnormal reaction.

What Triggers the Infection? 

Anyone can be infected with different types of hepatitis virus: hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Infection can also be triggered by using a wide range of drugs and toxic substances like ethanol. There are also metabolic and genetic conditions that can cause infection.

There are a lot cases that are said to represent a distinctive immune-mediated attack on the liver because of recurring exposure to hepatitis virus and specific medicines and drugs. One of the laboratory findings have lead medical practitioners to conclude that the condition is immune mediated; meaning, the presence of marked inflammation of the liver, particularly around the portal region.

Viral hepatitis is the most common cause of chronic liver conditions in the U.S. where almost 5% of the cases of hepatitis B virus and about 85% of hepatitis C virus have inadequate immune response to the disease. When this happens, the person produces the virus within the body thus becoming a carrier with the possibility of infecting people he or she would come in contact with.

Excessive alcohol intake will often result to liver diseases, including but not limited to, hepatitis. Doctors are convinced that chronic liver condition is a result of toxins from alcohol. This aspect of hepatitis is often said to result to more serious medical conditions such as fibrosis, necrosis, and to some extent, liver cirrhosis.

The Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Hepatitis

Patients who suffer from this condition also referred to as chronic persistent hepatitis usually manifest these visible symptoms: body malaise, exhaustion, weight loss, anorexia, sporadic fever, and slight jaundice. There are others, however, that are asymptomatic at first but later develop conditions related to liver cirrhosis like gastrointestinal bleeding, ascites (abdominal distension), encelopathy (characterized by drowsiness and confusion), gynecomastia (breast swelling), testicular atrophy, advanced jaundice, and ankle swelling due to fluid retention.

On the other hand, some patients who are suffering from persistent active hepatitis exhibit common symptoms like diarrhea, arthritis, appearance of skin rash, and a few autoimmune illnesses. These symptoms are quite general hence there isn't any way that it can be linked to hepatitis because a host of other health conditions are manifested by these signs and symptoms.

Patients suffering from this condition exhibit visible a condition known as spider naevi on the chest which is characterized by visible redness of the vessels resembling the body of a spider with fine radiating vessels that look like spider legs, hence the name; palmar erythema characterized by the appearance of reddish marks on the hands and along the fingers; xanthomas or visible palmar creases; and hirsutism in women which is the excessive growth of thick hair in places where thick hair growth is uncommon like face and the chest. When a patient appears to develop jaundice, it is a sign that condition has turned out for the worse.

The feeling of being lethargic and fatigued is often related to other conditions, but can also be indicative of a liver disease. This is because fatigue is often the body's reaction to hypothalamic-adrenal neuroendocrine axis resulting from the alteration of the endogenous opioidergic neurotransmission in the liver.

Are you at Risk of Contracting Chronic Hepatitis?

People who are at risk of contracting hepatitis are those with that are likely to have the hereditary type present in any of their family members, high risk individuals and groups, and those that already exhibit jaundice.

Investigation and Diagnosis for Chronic Hepatitis

The signs and symptoms are also indicative of other medical conditions; hence proper diagnosis should be undertaken by a doctor.

Various tests are done to determine whether a person suspected of having hepatitis for doctors to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. Blood tests are usually done to determine the cause as well as the extent of the condition. Standard urinalysis is done to check for bilirubin and urbilinogen counts. Liver function tests are also performed with the main purpose of determining serum album and prothrombin time. Other tests include ultrasound and MRI scan localized on the liver to determine the presence of abnormality in the biliary tract.

There will also be instances when liver biopsy is done to determine the condition and further assess the extent of chronic hepatitis. The process will only get a small piece of liver cells to be studied under the microscope. Procedure is usually done under local anesthesia and is only an out-patient procedure.

How is chronic hepatitis treated? 

This medical condition is highly treatable because of a lot of options and medications, unlike several years ago when researches have not yet revealed the different types of hepatitis virus, their specific causes, as well as their signs and symptoms.

For slight cases, liver detoxification is recommended. This procedure aims to give the liver the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs to boost the body's immune system. Ozone therapy involves oxidation of the cells to stimulate the production of enzymes and phagocytes of the white blood cells, thus again, boosting the body's defense against diseases. A procedure combining the potency of vaccination with lamivudine can also be performed to improve the body's resistance to the hepatitis virus.

When people are informed about common medical conditions like chronic hepatitis, it is easier for doctors to help patients find cure for their illnesses.