Saturday, May 31, 2014

Viral Hepatitis : Best Homeopathy Specialist Doctor Treatment Clinic at Chennai, Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Panruti, Tamilnadu, India



   Viral hepatitis  Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Many illnesses and conditions can cause inflammation of the liver, for example, drugs, alcohol, chemicals, and autoimmune diseases. Many viruses, for example, the virus of mononucleosis and the cytomegalovirus can inflame the liver. Most viruses, however, do not attack primarily the liver; the liver is just one of several organs that the viruses affect. When doctors speak of viral hepatitis, they are using the definition that means hepatitis caused by a few specific viruses that primarily attack the liver and are responsible for about half of all human hepatitis.   There are several hepatitis viruses; they have been named types A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G. As our knowledge of hepatitis viruses grows, it is likely that this alphabetical list will become longer. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B, and C. Reference to the hepatitis viruses often occurs in an abbreviated form. (For example, HAV, HBV, HCV represent hepatitis viruses A, B, and C, respectively.)  Hepatitis viruses replicate (multiply) in the liver cells. Newly-produced viruses are released into the blood stream where they can be spread to other organs or to other persons exposed to the infected blood.  1. The liver helps purify the blood by changing harmful chemicals into harmless ones. The source of these chemicals can be external, such as medications or alcohol, or internal, such as ammonia or bilirubin. Typically, these harmful chemicals are broken down into smaller chemicals or attached to other chemicals that then are eliminated from the body in the urine or stool. 2. The liver produces many important substances, especially proteins that are necessary for good health. For example, it produces albumin, the protein building block of the body, as well as the proteins that cause blood to clot properly. 3. The liver stores many sugars, fats and vitamins until they are needed elsewhere in the body. 4. The liver builds smaller chemicals into larger, more complicated chemicals that are needed elsewhere in the body. An example of this type of function is the manufacture of cholesterol.  When the liver is inflamed, it does not perform these functions well, which brings about many of the symptoms, signs, and problems associated with any type of hepatitis. Each viral type has both articles and books describing the details of infection with that specific virus. This article is designed to give the reader an overview of the predominant viruses that causes viral hepatitis and should help the reader choose the subject(s) for more in depth information.  Common types of viral hepatitis Although the most common types of viral hepatitis are HAV, HBV and HCV, some clinicians have considered the acute and chronic phases of hepatic infections as "types" of viral hepatitis. HAV was considered to be acute viral hepatitis because the HAV infections seldom caused permanent liver damage with chronic or fulminant hepatic (liver) failure. HBV and HCV produced chronic viral hepatitis. However, these terms are not used as frequently because all of the viruses that cause hepatitis may have acute phase symptoms  Prevention techniques and vaccinations have markedly reduced the common viral hepatitis infections;   Hepatitis A (HAV)  The hepatitis caused by HAV is an acute illness (acute viral hepatitis) that never becomes chronic. At one time, hepatitis A was referred to as "infectious hepatitis" because it could be spread from person to person like other viral infections. Infection with hepatitis A virus can be spread through the ingestion of food or water, especially where unsanitary conditions allow water or food to become contaminated by human waste containing hepatitis A (the fecal-oral mode of transmission). Hepatitis A typically is spread among household members and close contacts through the passage of oral secretions (intimate kissing) or stool (poor hand washing). It also is common to have infection spread to customers in restaurants and among children and workers in day care centers if hand washing and sanitary precautions are not observed.  Hepatitis B (HBV)  HBV hepatitis was at one time referred to as "serum hepatitis," because it was thought that the only way HBV could spread was through blood or serum (the liquid portion of blood) containing the virus. It is now known that HBV can spread by sexual contact, the transfer of blood or serum through shared needles in drug abusers, accidental needle sticks with needles contaminated with infected blood, blood transfusions, hemodialysis, and by infected mothers to their newborns. The infection also can be spread by tattooing, body piercing, and sharing razors and toothbrushes (if there is contamination with infected blood). About 6% to 10% of patients with HBV hepatitis develop chronic HBV infection (infection lasting at least six months and often years to decades) and can infect others as long as they remain infected. Patients with chronic HBV infection also are at risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.   Hepatitis C (HCV) HCV hepatitis was previously referred to as "non-A, non-B hepatitis," because the causative virus had not been identified, but it was known to be neither HAV nor HBV. HCV usually is spread by shared needles among drug abusers, blood transfusion, hemodialysis, and needle sticks. Approximately 90% of transfusion-associated hepatitis is caused by HCV. Transmission of the virus by sexual contact has been reported, but is considered rare. An estimated 50% to 70% of patients with acute HCV infection develop chronic infection. Patients with chronic HCV infection can continue to infect others. Patients with chronic HCV infection are at risk for developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.   Types D, E, and G Hepatitis  There also are viral hepatitis types D, E, and G. The most important of these at present is the hepatitis D virus (HDV), also known as the delta virus or agent. It is a small virus that requires concomitant infection with HBV to survive. HDV cannot survive on its own because it requires a protein that the HBV makes (the envelope protein, also called surface antigen) to enable it to infect liver cells. The ways in which HDV is spread are by shared needles among drug abusers, contaminated blood, and by sexual contact; essentially the same ways as HBV.   Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is similar to HAV in terms of disease, and mainly occurs in Asia where it is transmitted by contaminated water.   Hepatitis G virus (HGV) was recently discovered and resembles HCV; the virus and its effects are under investigation but some investigators do not recognize it as a cause of hepatitis.   Patients who already have chronic HBV infection can acquire HDV infection at the same time as they acquire the HBV infection or, alternatively, on top of a chronic HBV infection. Patients with chronic hepatitis due to HBV and HDV develop cirrhosis (severe liver scarring) rapidly. Moreover, the combination of HDV and HBV virus infection is very difficult to treat.  Risk for viral hepatitis People who are most at risk for developing viral hepatitis are:  Workers in the health care professions,  Sewage and water treatment workers,  People with multiple sexual partners,  Intravenous drug users,  HIV patients, and  Hemophiliacs who receive blood clotting factors.  Blood transfusion, once a common means of spreading viral hepatitis, now is a rare cause of hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is generally thought to be as much as ten times more common among lower socioeconomic and poorly educated individuals. About one third of all cases of hepatitis come from an unknown or unidentifiable source. This means that a person does not have to be in a high risk group in order to be infected with a hepatitis virus. In countries with poor sanitation, food and water contamination with HAV increases risk. Some day care centers may become contaminated with HAV, so children at such centers are at a higher risk for HAV infections.  Symptoms and signs of viral hepatitis The period of time between exposure to hepatitis and the onset of the illness is called the incubation period. The incubation period varies depending on the specific hepatitis virus. Hepatitis A virus has an incubation period of about 15 to 45 days; Hepatitis B virus from 45 to 160 days, and Hepatitis C virus from about 2 weeks to 6 months.  Many patients infected with HAV, HBV, and HCV have few or no symptoms of illness. For those who do develop symptoms of viral hepatitis, the most common are flu- like symptoms including:  Loss of appetite  Nausea  Vomiting  Fever  Weakness  Tiredness  Aching in the abdomen  Less common symptoms include:  Dark urine  Light-colored stools  Fever  Jaundice (a yellow appearance to the skin and white portion of the eyes)   Acute fulminant hepatitis  Rarely, individuals with acute infections with HAV and HBV develop severe inflammation, and the liver fails (acute fulminant hepatitis). These patients are extremely ill with the symptoms of acute hepatitis already described and the additional problems of confusion or coma (due to the liver's failure to detoxify chemicals) and bruising or bleeding (due to a lack of blood clotting factors). In fact, up to 80% of people with acute fulminant hepatitis can die within days to weeks; therefore, it is fortunate that acute fulminant hepatitis is rare. For example, less than 0.5% of adults with acute infection with HBV will develop acute fulminant hepatitis, but the rate may be slightly higher in HCV.  Chronic viral hepatitis  Patients infected with HBV and HCV can develop chronic hepatitis. Doctors define chronic hepatitis as hepatitis that lasts longer than 6 months. In chronic hepatitis, the viruses live and multiply in the liver for years or decades. For unknown reasons, these patients' immune systems are unable to eradicate the viruses, and the viruses cause chronic inflammation of the liver. Chronic hepatitis can lead to the development over time of extensive liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, and liver cancer. Liver failure from chronic hepatitis C infection is the most common reason for liver transplantation in the U.S.. Patients with chronic viral hepatitis can transmit the infection to others with blood or body fluids (for example, sharing needles, sexually, and infrequently by organ donation) as well as infrequently by transmission from mother to newborn.  Viral hepatitis  - Diagnosis Diagnosis of viral hepatitis is based on symptoms and physical findings as well as blood tests for liver enzymes, viral antibodies, and viral genetic materials.  Symptoms and physical findings. Diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis often is easy, but diagnosis of chronic hepatitis can be difficult. When a patient reports symptoms of fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, darkening of urine, and then develops jaundice, the diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis is likely and can be confirmed by blood tests. On the other hand, patients with chronic hepatitis due to HBV and HCV often have no symptoms or only mild nonspecific symptoms such as chronic fatigue. Typically, these patients do not have jaundice until the liver damage is far advanced. Therefore, these patients can remain undiagnosed for years to decades.  Blood tests There are three types of blood tests for evaluating patients with hepatitis: liver enzymes, antibodies to the hepatitis viruses, and viral proteins or genetic material (viral DNA or RNA).  Liver enzymes. Among the most sensitive and widely used blood tests for evaluating patients with hepatitis are the liver enzymes, called aminotransferases. They include aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT). These enzymes normally are contained within liver cells. If the liver is injured (as in viral hepatitis), the liver cells spill the enzymes into the blood, raising the enzyme levels in the blood and signaling that the liver is damaged.  The normal range of values for AST is from 5 to 40 unit s per liter of serum (the liquid part of the blood) while the normal range of values for ALT is from 7 to 56 units per liter of serum. (These normal levels may vary slightly in the literature.) Patients with acute viral hepatitis (for example, due to HAV or HBV) can develop very high AST and ALT levels, sometimes in the thousands of units per liter. These high AST and ALT levels will become normal in several weeks or months as the patients recover completely from their acute hepatitis. In contrast, patients with chronic HBV and HCV infection typically have only mildly elevated AST and ALT levels, but these abnormalities can last years or decades. Since most patients with chronic hepatitis are asymptomatic (no jaundice or nausea), their mildly abnormal liver enzymes are often unexpectedly encountered on routine blood screening tests during yearly physical examinations or insurance physicals.  Elevated blood levels of AST and ALT only means that the liver is inflamed, and elevations can be caused by many agents other than hepatitis viruses, such as medications, alcohol, bacteria, fungus, etc. In order to prove that a hepatitis virus is responsible for the elevations, blood must be tested for antibodies to each of the hepatitis viruses as well as for their genetic material.  Viral antibodies. Antibodies are proteins produced by white blood cells that attack invaders such as bacteria and viruses. Antibodies against the hepatitis A, B, and C viruses usually can be detected in the blood within weeks of infection, and the antibodies remain detectable in the blood for decades thereafter. Blood tests for the antibodies can be helpful in diagnosing both acute and chronic viral hepatitis.  In acute viral hepatitis, antibodies not only help to eradicate the virus, but they also protect the patient from future infections by the same virus, that is, the patient develops immunity. In chronic hepatitis, however, antibodies and the rest of the immune system are unable to eradicate the virus. The viruses continue to multiply and are released from the liver cells into the blood where their presence can be determined by measuring the viral proteins and genetic material. Therefore in chronic hepatitis, both antibodies to the viruses and viral proteins and genetic material can be detected in the blood.  Some Tests for viral antibodies are:  Anti-HAV (hepatitis A antibody)  Antibody to hepatitis B core, an antibody directed against the inner core (nucleus) of the virus (core antigen)  Antibody to hepatitis B surface, an antibody directed against the outer surface envelope of the virus (surface antigen)  Antibody to hepatitis B e, an antibody directed against the genetic material of the virus (e antigen)  Hepatitis C antibody-antibody against the C virus  Viral proteins and genetic material. Examples of tests for viral proteins and genetic material are:  Hepatitis B surface antigen  Hepatitis B DNA  Hepatitis B e antigen  Hepatitis C RNA  Other tests. Obstruction of the bile ducts, from either gallstones or cancer, occasionally can mimic acute viral hepatitis. Ultrasound testing can be used to exclude the possibility of gallstones or cancer.    Treatment for viral hepatitis Treatment of acute viral hepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis are different. Treatment of acute viral hepatitis involves relieving symptoms and maintaining adequate intake of fluids. Treatment of chronic viral hepatitis involves medications to eradicate the virus and taking measures to prevent further liver damage.  Acute hepatitis Treatment  In patients with acute viral hepatitis, the initial treatment consists of relieving the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Careful attention should be given to medications which can have adverse effects in patients with abnormal liver function. Only those medications that are considered necessary should be administered since the impaired liver is not able to eliminate drugs normally, and drugs may accumulate in the blood and reach toxic levels. Moreover, sedatives and "tranquilizers" are avoided because they may accentuate the effects of liver failure on the brain and cause lethargy and coma. The patient must abstain from drinking alcohol, since alcohol is toxic to the liver. It occasionally is necessary to provide intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration caused by vomiting. Patients with severe nausea and/or vomiting may need to be hospitalized for treatment and intravenous fluids.  Acute HBV is not treated with antiviral drugs. Acute HCV - though rarely diagnosed - can be treated with several of the drugs used for treating chronic HCV. Treatment of HCV is recommended primarily for the 80% of patients who do not eradicate the virus early. Treatment results in clearing of the virus in the majority of patients. Homeopathy medicines works well for Acute Hepatitis,  Chronic hepatitis Treatment Treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C usually involves medication or combinations of medications to eradicate the virus. Doctors believe that in properly selected patients, successful eradication of the viruses can stop progressive damage to the liver and prevent the development of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.   Alcohol aggravates liver damage in chronic hepatitis, and can cause more rapid progression to cirrhosis. Therefore, patients with chronic hepatitis should stop drinking alcohol. Smoking cigarettes also can aggravate liver disease and should be stopped.  Not all patients with chronic viral hepatitis are candidates for treatment. Some patients need no treatment (since some patients with chronic hepatitis B and C do not develop progressive liver damage or liver cancer).  Medications for chronic infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C are not always effective. Prolonged treatment (6 months to years) often is necessary. Even with prolonged treatment, rates of successful treatment (defined as complete and lasting eradication of the virus) often are low (usually less than 80% and often around 50%).  Some of the Allopathy  medications such as interferon and ribavirin can have serious side effects, and doses may have to be reduced.  Homeopathy medicines works well for Acute Hepatitis,  Fulminant hepatitis. Treatment of acute fulminant hepatitis should be done in centers that can perform liver transplantation since acute fulminant hepatitis has a high mortality (about 80%) without liver transplantation.   Viral hepatitis prevention  Prevention of hepatitis involves measures to avoid exposure to the viruses, using immunoglobulin in the event of exposure, and vaccines. Administration of immunoglobulin is called passive protection because antibodies from patients who have had viral hepatitis are given to the patient. Vaccination is called active protection because killed viruses or noninfective components of viruses are given to stimulate the body to produce its own antibodies.  Avoidance if exposure to viruses  Prevention of viral hepatitis, like any other illness, is preferable to reliance upon treatment. Taking precautions to prevent exposure to another individual's blood (exposure to dirty needles), semen (unprotected sex), and other bodily waste (stool) will help prevent the spread of all of these viruses.   Hepatitis Vaccinations Hepatitis A. Two hepatitis A vaccines are available in the US, hepatitis A vaccine (Havrix, Vaqta). Both contain inactive (killed) hepatitis A virus. For adults, two doses of the vaccine are recommended. After the first dose, protective antibodies develop in 70% of vaccine recipients in 2 weeks and more than 95% of recipients in 4 weeks. After two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine, immunity against hepatitis A infection is believed to last for many years.  Individuals at increased risk for acquiring hepatitis A and individuals with chronic liver disease (for example, cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis C) should be vaccinated. Although individuals with chronic liver disease are not at increased risk for acquiring hepatitis A, they can develop serious (sometimes fatal) liver failure if infected with hepatitis A and, thus, they should be vaccinated.  Individuals at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis A are:  Travelers to countries where hepatitis A is common  Men who have sex with men  Illegal drug users (either injection or non-injection drug use)  Researchers working with hepatitis A or primates that are susceptible to infection with hepatitis A  Patients with clotting factor disorders who are receiving clotting factor concentrates that can transmit hepatitis A  Some local health authorities or private companies may require hepatitis A vaccination for food handlers.  Because protective antibodies take weeks to develop, travelers to countries where infection with hepatitis A is common should be vaccinated at least 4 weeks before departure.   Hepatitis B For active vaccination, a harmless hepatitis B antigen is given to stimulate the body's immune system to produce protective antibodies against the surface antigen of hepatitis B. Vaccines that are currently available in the U.S. are made (synthesized) using recombinant DNA technology (joining DNA segments). These recombinant hepatitis B vaccines, hepatitis B vaccine (Energix-B and Recombivax-HB) are constructed to contain only that part of the surface antigen that is very potent in stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies. The vaccine contains no viral component other than the surface antigen, and therefore, cannot cause HBV infections. Hepatitis B vaccines should be given in three doses with the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose, and the third dose 4 to 6 months after the first dose. For the best results, the vaccinations should be given in the deltoid (shoulder) muscles and not in the buttocks.  Hepatitis B vaccines are 95% effective. Five percent of vaccinated individuals will fail to develop the necessary antibodies for immunity after the three doses. Patients with weakened immunity (such as HIV infection), elderly patients, and patients undergoing kidney hemodialysis are more likely to fail to respond to the vaccines.  Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:  All infants  Adolescents under 18 years of age who did not receive hepatitis B vaccine as infants  People occupationally exposed to blood or body fluids  Residents and staff of institutions for the developmentally disabled  Patients receiving kidney hemodialysis  Hemophiliacs and other patients receiving clotting factor concentrates  Household contacts and sexual partners of patients infected with hepatitis B chronically  Travelers who will spend more than 6 months in regions with high rates of hepatitis B infection  Injection drug users and their sexual partners  Men who have sex with men, men or women with multiple sex partners, or recent infection with a sexually transmitted infection  Inmates of long-term correctional facilities  All pregnant women should have a blood test for the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen. Women who test positive for hepatitis B risk transmitting the virus to their infants during labor, and, therefore, infants born to mothers with hepatitis B infection should receive HBIG in addition to hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The reason for giving both immunoglobulin and vaccine is that even though hepatitis B vaccine can offer long lasting, active immunity, immunity takes weeks or months to develop. Until active immunity develops, the short-lived, passive antibodies from the HBIG protect the infant.  Unvaccinated individuals exposed to materials infected with hepatitis B (such as healthcare workers stuck by a contaminated needle) will need HBIG in addition to hepatitis B vaccine for the same reason as infants born to mothers with hepatitis B infection.  Hepatitis C There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C. However, researchers claim preliminary research results suggest that a vaccine can be made that will be effective against the multitude of HCV antigenic types that infect humans. They predict it may become available in about 3 to 5 years.   Prognosis of viral hepatitis The prognosis of viral hepatitis for most patients is good; however, this prognosis varies somewhat depending on the infecting virus. For example those patients that develop chronic hepatitis may have a worse prognosis because of cirrhosis, fulminant hepatitis (liver failure), and occasionally death . Symptoms of viral hepatitis such as fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, and jaundice usually subside in several weeks to months, without any specific treatment. In fact, virtually all patients with acute infection with HAV and most adults (greater than 95%) with acute HBV recover completely.   Complete recovery from viral hepatitis means that:  The hepatitis virus has been completely eliminated from the liver by the body's immune system,  The inflammation in the liver subsides,  The patient develops immunity to future infection with the same virus, and  The patient cannot transmit the infection to others. Unfortunately, not all patients with viral hepatitis recover completely. Five percent of patients with acute HBV infection and about 60% of patients with acute HCV infection develop chronic hepatitis.   Because the liver works to detoxify substances, this task is compromised during acute and chronic viral hepatitis infections. Consequently, avoiding items that may stress the compromised livers function (for example, alcohol, smoking, taking drugs that require liver processing) should be strongly considered by the patient to improve their prognosis. .   Viral hepatitis facts  Many illnesses and conditions can cause inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), but certain viruses cause about half of all hepatitis in people.  Viruses that primarily attack the liver are called hepatitis viruses. There are several types of hepatitis viruses including types A,B, C, D, E, and possibly G. Types A, B, and C are the most common.  Those at risk for viral hepatitis include workers in the health care profession, people with multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug abusers, and hemophiliacs. Blood transfusion is a rare cause of viral hepatitis.  All hepatitis viruses can cause acute hepatitis.  Viral hepatitis types B and C can cause chronic hepatitis.  Symptoms of acute viral hepatitis include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, dark urine, light-colored stools, fever, and jaundice; however, acute viral hepatitis may occur with minimal symptoms that go unrecognized. Rarely, acute viral hepatitis causes fulminant hepatic failure.  The symptoms of chronic viral hepatitis often are mild and nonspecific, and the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis often is delayed.  Chronic viral hepatitis often requires treatment in order to prevent progressive liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.  Hepatitis infections can be prevented by avoiding exposure to viruses, injectable immunoglobulins or vaccines.    Homeopathy Treatment for Hepatitis Symptomatic Homeopathy works well for Hepatitis, So its good to consult a experienced Homeopathy physician without any hesitation.   Whom to contact for Hepatitis Treatment  Dr.Senthil Kumar Treats many cases of Hepatitis, In his medical professional experience with successful results. Many patients get relief after taking treatment from Dr.Senthil Kumar.  Dr.Senthil Kumar visits Chennai at Vivekanantha Homeopathy Clinic, Velachery, Chennai 42. To get appointment please call 9786901830, +91 94430 54168 or mail to consult.ur.dr@gmail.com,    For more details & Consultation Feel free to contact us. Vivekanantha Clinic Consultation Champers at Chennai:- 9786901830  Panruti:- 9443054168  Pondicherry:- 9865212055 (Camp) Mail : consult.ur.dr@gmail.com, homoeokumar@gmail.com   For appointment please Call us or Mail Us  For appointment: SMS your Name -Age – Mobile Number - Problem in Single word - date and day - Place of appointment (Eg: Rajini – 30 - 99xxxxxxx0 – Hepatitis – 21st Oct, Sunday - Chennai ), You will receive Appointment details through SMS



Viral hepatitis
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Many illnesses and conditions can cause inflammation of the liver, for example, drugs, alcohol, chemicals, and autoimmune diseases. Many viruses, for example, the virus of mononucleosis and the cytomegalovirus can inflame the liver. Most viruses, however, do not attack primarily the liver; the liver is just one of several organs that the viruses affect. When doctors speak of viral hepatitis, they are using the definition that means hepatitis caused by a few specific viruses that primarily attack the liver and are responsible for about half of all human hepatitis.

There are several hepatitis viruses; they have been named types A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G. As our knowledge of hepatitis viruses grows, it is likely that this alphabetical list will become longer. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B, and C. Reference to the hepatitis viruses often occurs in an abbreviated form. (For example, HAV, HBV, HCV represent hepatitis viruses A, B, and C, respectively.)

Hepatitis viruses replicate (multiply) in the liver cells. Newly-produced viruses are released into the blood stream where they can be spread to other organs or to other persons exposed to the infected blood.

  1. The liver helps purify the blood by changing harmful chemicals into harmless ones. The source of these chemicals can be external, such as medications or alcohol, or internal, such as ammonia or bilirubin. Typically, these harmful chemicals are broken down into smaller chemicals or attached to other chemicals that then are eliminated from the body in the urine or stool.
  2. The liver produces many important substances, especially proteins that are necessary for good health. For example, it produces albumin, the protein building block of the body, as well as the proteins that cause blood to clot properly.
  3. The liver stores many sugars, fats and vitamins until they are needed elsewhere in the body.
  4. The liver builds smaller chemicals into larger, more complicated chemicals that are needed elsewhere in the body. An example of this type of function is the manufacture of cholesterol.

When the liver is inflamed, it does not perform these functions well, which brings about many of the symptoms, signs, and problems associated with any type of hepatitis. Each viral type has both articles and books describing the details of infection with that specific virus. This article is designed to give the reader an overview of the predominant viruses that causes viral hepatitis and should help the reader choose the subject(s) for more in depth information.

Common types of viral hepatitis
Although the most common types of viral hepatitis are HAV, HBV and HCV, some clinicians have considered the acute and chronic phases of hepatic infections as "types" of viral hepatitis. HAV was considered to be acute viral hepatitis because the HAV infections seldom caused permanent liver damage with chronic or fulminant hepatic (liver) failure. HBV and HCV produced chronic viral hepatitis. However, these terms are not used as frequently because all of the viruses that cause hepatitis may have acute phase symptoms  Prevention techniques and vaccinations have markedly reduced the common viral hepatitis infections;

Hepatitis A (HAV)
v  The hepatitis caused by HAV is an acute illness (acute viral hepatitis) that never becomes chronic. At one time, hepatitis A was referred to as "infectious hepatitis" because it could be spread from person to person like other viral infections. Infection with hepatitis A virus can be spread through the ingestion of food or water, especially where unsanitary conditions allow water or food to become contaminated by human waste containing hepatitis A (the fecal-oral mode of transmission). Hepatitis A typically is spread among household members and close contacts through the passage of oral secretions (intimate kissing) or stool (poor hand washing). It also is common to have infection spread to customers in restaurants and among children and workers in day care centers if hand washing and sanitary precautions are not observed.

Hepatitis B (HBV)
v  HBV hepatitis was at one time referred to as "serum hepatitis," because it was thought that the only way HBV could spread was through blood or serum (the liquid portion of blood) containing the virus. It is now known that HBV can spread by sexual contact, the transfer of blood or serum through shared needles in drug abusers, accidental needle sticks with needles contaminated with infected blood, blood transfusions, hemodialysis, and by infected mothers to their newborns. The infection also can be spread by tattooing, body piercing, and sharing razors and toothbrushes (if there is contamination with infected blood). About 6% to 10% of patients with HBV hepatitis develop chronic HBV infection (infection lasting at least six months and often years to decades) and can infect others as long as they remain infected. Patients with chronic HBV infection also are at risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Hepatitis C (HCV)
HCV hepatitis was previously referred to as "non-A, non-B hepatitis," because the causative virus had not been identified, but it was known to be neither HAV nor HBV. HCV usually is spread by shared needles among drug abusers, blood transfusion, hemodialysis, and needle sticks. Approximately 90% of transfusion-associated hepatitis is caused by HCV. Transmission of the virus by sexual contact has been reported, but is considered rare. An estimated 50% to 70% of patients with acute HCV infection develop chronic infection. Patients with chronic HCV infection can continue to infect others. Patients with chronic HCV infection are at risk for developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Types D, E, and G Hepatitis
v  There also are viral hepatitis types D, E, and G. The most important of these at present is the hepatitis D virus (HDV), also known as the delta virus or agent. It is a small virus that requires concomitant infection with HBV to survive. HDV cannot survive on its own because it requires a protein that the HBV makes (the envelope protein, also called surface antigen) to enable it to infect liver cells. The ways in which HDV is spread are by shared needles among drug abusers, contaminated blood, and by sexual contact; essentially the same ways as HBV.

v  Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is similar to HAV in terms of disease, and mainly occurs in Asia where it is transmitted by contaminated water.

v  Hepatitis G virus (HGV) was recently discovered and resembles HCV; the virus and its effects are under investigation but some investigators do not recognize it as a cause of hepatitis.

v  Patients who already have chronic HBV infection can acquire HDV infection at the same time as they acquire the HBV infection or, alternatively, on top of a chronic HBV infection. Patients with chronic hepatitis due to HBV and HDV develop cirrhosis (severe liver scarring) rapidly. Moreover, the combination of HDV and HBV virus infection is very difficult to treat.

Risk for viral hepatitis
People who are most at risk for developing viral hepatitis are:
Ø  Workers in the health care professions,
Ø  Sewage and water treatment workers,
Ø  People with multiple sexual partners,
Ø  Intravenous drug users,
Ø  HIV patients, and
Ø  Hemophiliacs who receive blood clotting factors.

Blood transfusion, once a common means of spreading viral hepatitis, now is a rare cause of hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is generally thought to be as much as ten times more common among lower socioeconomic and poorly educated individuals. About one third of all cases of hepatitis come from an unknown or unidentifiable source. This means that a person does not have to be in a high risk group in order to be infected with a hepatitis virus. In countries with poor sanitation, food and water contamination with HAV increases risk. Some day care centers may become contaminated with HAV, so children at such centers are at a higher risk for HAV infections.

Symptoms and signs of viral hepatitis
The period of time between exposure to hepatitis and the onset of the illness is called the incubation period. The incubation period varies depending on the specific hepatitis virus. Hepatitis A virus has an incubation period of about 15 to 45 days; Hepatitis B virus from 45 to 160 days, and Hepatitis C virus from about 2 weeks to 6 months.

Many patients infected with HAV, HBV, and HCV have few or no symptoms of illness. For those who do develop symptoms of viral hepatitis, the most common are flu- like symptoms including:
ü  Loss of appetite
ü  Nausea
ü  Vomiting
ü  Fever
ü  Weakness
ü  Tiredness
ü  Aching in the abdomen

Less common symptoms include:
ü  Dark urine
ü  Light-colored stools
ü  Fever
ü  Jaundice (a yellow appearance to the skin and white portion of the eyes)


Acute fulminant hepatitis
¬  Rarely, individuals with acute infections with HAV and HBV develop severe inflammation, and the liver fails (acute fulminant hepatitis). These patients are extremely ill with the symptoms of acute hepatitis already described and the additional problems of confusion or coma (due to the liver's failure to detoxify chemicals) and bruising or bleeding (due to a lack of blood clotting factors). In fact, up to 80% of people with acute fulminant hepatitis can die within days to weeks; therefore, it is fortunate that acute fulminant hepatitis is rare. For example, less than 0.5% of adults with acute infection with HBV will develop acute fulminant hepatitis, but the rate may be slightly higher in HCV.

Chronic viral hepatitis
¬  Patients infected with HBV and HCV can develop chronic hepatitis. Doctors define chronic hepatitis as hepatitis that lasts longer than 6 months. In chronic hepatitis, the viruses live and multiply in the liver for years or decades. For unknown reasons, these patients' immune systems are unable to eradicate the viruses, and the viruses cause chronic inflammation of the liver. Chronic hepatitis can lead to the development over time of extensive liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, and liver cancer. Liver failure from chronic hepatitis C infection is the most common reason for liver transplantation in the U.S.. Patients with chronic viral hepatitis can transmit the infection to others with blood or body fluids (for example, sharing needles, sexually, and infrequently by organ donation) as well as infrequently by transmission from mother to newborn.

Viral hepatitis  - Diagnosis
Diagnosis of viral hepatitis is based on symptoms and physical findings as well as blood tests for liver enzymes, viral antibodies, and viral genetic materials.

Symptoms and physical findings.
Diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis often is easy, but diagnosis of chronic hepatitis can be difficult. When a patient reports symptoms of fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, darkening of urine, and then develops jaundice, the diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis is likely and can be confirmed by blood tests. On the other hand, patients with chronic hepatitis due to HBV and HCV often have no symptoms or only mild nonspecific symptoms such as chronic fatigue. Typically, these patients do not have jaundice until the liver damage is far advanced. Therefore, these patients can remain undiagnosed for years to decades.

Blood tests
There are three types of blood tests for evaluating patients with hepatitis: liver enzymes, antibodies to the hepatitis viruses, and viral proteins or genetic material (viral DNA or RNA).

Liver enzymes. Among the most sensitive and widely used blood tests for evaluating patients with hepatitis are the liver enzymes, called aminotransferases. They include aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT). These enzymes normally are contained within liver cells. If the liver is injured (as in viral hepatitis), the liver cells spill the enzymes into the blood, raising the enzyme levels in the blood and signaling that the liver is damaged.

The normal range of values for AST is from 5 to 40 unit s per liter of serum (the liquid part of the blood) while the normal range of values for ALT is from 7 to 56 units per liter of serum. (These normal levels may vary slightly in the literature.) Patients with acute viral hepatitis (for example, due to HAV or HBV) can develop very high AST and ALT levels, sometimes in the thousands of units per liter. These high AST and ALT levels will become normal in several weeks or months as the patients recover completely from their acute hepatitis. In contrast, patients with chronic HBV and HCV infection typically have only mildly elevated AST and ALT levels, but these abnormalities can last years or decades. Since most patients with chronic hepatitis are asymptomatic (no jaundice or nausea), their mildly abnormal liver enzymes are often unexpectedly encountered on routine blood screening tests during yearly physical examinations or insurance physicals.

Elevated blood levels of AST and ALT only means that the liver is inflamed, and elevations can be caused by many agents other than hepatitis viruses, such as medications, alcohol, bacteria, fungus, etc. In order to prove that a hepatitis virus is responsible for the elevations, blood must be tested for antibodies to each of the hepatitis viruses as well as for their genetic material.

Viral antibodies. Antibodies are proteins produced by white blood cells that attack invaders such as bacteria and viruses. Antibodies against the hepatitis A, B, and C viruses usually can be detected in the blood within weeks of infection, and the antibodies remain detectable in the blood for decades thereafter. Blood tests for the antibodies can be helpful in diagnosing both acute and chronic viral hepatitis.

In acute viral hepatitis, antibodies not only help to eradicate the virus, but they also protect the patient from future infections by the same virus, that is, the patient develops immunity. In chronic hepatitis, however, antibodies and the rest of the immune system are unable to eradicate the virus. The viruses continue to multiply and are released from the liver cells into the blood where their presence can be determined by measuring the viral proteins and genetic material. Therefore in chronic hepatitis, both antibodies to the viruses and viral proteins and genetic material can be detected in the blood.

Some Tests for viral antibodies are:
¬  Anti-HAV (hepatitis A antibody)
¬  Antibody to hepatitis B core, an antibody directed against the inner core (nucleus) of the virus (core antigen)
¬  Antibody to hepatitis B surface, an antibody directed against the outer surface envelope of the virus (surface antigen)
¬  Antibody to hepatitis B e, an antibody directed against the genetic material of the virus (e antigen)
¬  Hepatitis C antibody-antibody against the C virus

Viral proteins and genetic material. Examples of tests for viral proteins and genetic material are:
Ø  Hepatitis B surface antigen
Ø  Hepatitis B DNA
Ø  Hepatitis B e antigen
Ø  Hepatitis C RNA

Other tests. Obstruction of the bile ducts, from either gallstones or cancer, occasionally can mimic acute viral hepatitis. Ultrasound testing can be used to exclude the possibility of gallstones or cancer.



Treatment for viral hepatitis
Treatment of acute viral hepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis are different. Treatment of acute viral hepatitis involves relieving symptoms and maintaining adequate intake of fluids. Treatment of chronic viral hepatitis involves medications to eradicate the virus and taking measures to prevent further liver damage.

Acute hepatitis Treatment
In patients with acute viral hepatitis, the initial treatment consists of relieving the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Careful attention should be given to medications which can have adverse effects in patients with abnormal liver function. Only those medications that are considered necessary should be administered since the impaired liver is not able to eliminate drugs normally, and drugs may accumulate in the blood and reach toxic levels. Moreover, sedatives and "tranquilizers" are avoided because they may accentuate the effects of liver failure on the brain and cause lethargy and coma. The patient must abstain from drinking alcohol, since alcohol is toxic to the liver. It occasionally is necessary to provide intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration caused by vomiting. Patients with severe nausea and/or vomiting may need to be hospitalized for treatment and intravenous fluids.

Acute HBV is not treated with antiviral drugs. Acute HCV - though rarely diagnosed - can be treated with several of the drugs used for treating chronic HCV. Treatment of HCV is recommended primarily for the 80% of patients who do not eradicate the virus early. Treatment results in clearing of the virus in the majority of patients.
Homeopathy medicines works well for Acute Hepatitis,

Chronic hepatitis Treatment
Treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C usually involves medication or combinations of medications to eradicate the virus. Doctors believe that in properly selected patients, successful eradication of the viruses can stop progressive damage to the liver and prevent the development of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Alcohol aggravates liver damage in chronic hepatitis, and can cause more rapid progression to cirrhosis. Therefore, patients with chronic hepatitis should stop drinking alcohol. Smoking cigarettes also can aggravate liver disease and should be stopped.

Not all patients with chronic viral hepatitis are candidates for treatment. Some patients need no treatment (since some patients with chronic hepatitis B and C do not develop progressive liver damage or liver cancer).

Medications for chronic infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C are not always effective. Prolonged treatment (6 months to years) often is necessary. Even with prolonged treatment, rates of successful treatment (defined as complete and lasting eradication of the virus) often are low (usually less than 80% and often around 50%).

Some of the Allopathy  medications such as interferon and ribavirin can have serious side effects, and doses may have to be reduced.

Homeopathy medicines works well for Acute Hepatitis,

Fulminant hepatitis. Treatment of acute fulminant hepatitis should be done in centers that can perform liver transplantation since acute fulminant hepatitis has a high mortality (about 80%) without liver transplantation.


Viral hepatitis prevention
ü  Prevention of hepatitis involves measures to avoid exposure to the viruses, using immunoglobulin in the event of exposure, and vaccines. Administration of immunoglobulin is called passive protection because antibodies from patients who have had viral hepatitis are given to the patient. Vaccination is called active protection because killed viruses or noninfective components of viruses are given to stimulate the body to produce its own antibodies.

Avoidance if exposure to viruses
ü  Prevention of viral hepatitis, like any other illness, is preferable to reliance upon treatment. Taking precautions to prevent exposure to another individual's blood (exposure to dirty needles), semen (unprotected sex), and other bodily waste (stool) will help prevent the spread of all of these viruses.


Hepatitis Vaccinations
Hepatitis A. Two hepatitis A vaccines are available in the US, hepatitis A vaccine (Havrix, Vaqta). Both contain inactive (killed) hepatitis A virus. For adults, two doses of the vaccine are recommended. After the first dose, protective antibodies develop in 70% of vaccine recipients in 2 weeks and more than 95% of recipients in 4 weeks. After two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine, immunity against hepatitis A infection is believed to last for many years.

Individuals at increased risk for acquiring hepatitis A and individuals with chronic liver disease (for example, cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis C) should be vaccinated. Although individuals with chronic liver disease are not at increased risk for acquiring hepatitis A, they can develop serious (sometimes fatal) liver failure if infected with hepatitis A and, thus, they should be vaccinated.

Individuals at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis A are:
Ø  Travelers to countries where hepatitis A is common
Ø  Men who have sex with men
Ø  Illegal drug users (either injection or non-injection drug use)
Ø  Researchers working with hepatitis A or primates that are susceptible to infection with hepatitis A
Ø  Patients with clotting factor disorders who are receiving clotting factor concentrates that can transmit hepatitis A
Ø  Some local health authorities or private companies may require hepatitis A vaccination for food handlers.

Because protective antibodies take weeks to develop, travelers to countries where infection with hepatitis A is common should be vaccinated at least 4 weeks before departure.

Hepatitis B
For active vaccination, a harmless hepatitis B antigen is given to stimulate the body's immune system to produce protective antibodies against the surface antigen of hepatitis B. Vaccines that are currently available in the U.S. are made (synthesized) using recombinant DNA technology (joining DNA segments). These recombinant hepatitis B vaccines, hepatitis B vaccine (Energix-B and Recombivax-HB) are constructed to contain only that part of the surface antigen that is very potent in stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies. The vaccine contains no viral component other than the surface antigen, and therefore, cannot cause HBV infections. Hepatitis B vaccines should be given in three doses with the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose, and the third dose 4 to 6 months after the first dose. For the best results, the vaccinations should be given in the deltoid (shoulder) muscles and not in the buttocks.

Hepatitis B vaccines are 95% effective. Five percent of vaccinated individuals will fail to develop the necessary antibodies for immunity after the three doses. Patients with weakened immunity (such as HIV infection), elderly patients, and patients undergoing kidney hemodialysis are more likely to fail to respond to the vaccines.

Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:
¬  All infants
¬  Adolescents under 18 years of age who did not receive hepatitis B vaccine as infants
¬  People occupationally exposed to blood or body fluids
¬  Residents and staff of institutions for the developmentally disabled
¬  Patients receiving kidney hemodialysis
¬  Hemophiliacs and other patients receiving clotting factor concentrates
¬  Household contacts and sexual partners of patients infected with hepatitis B chronically
¬  Travelers who will spend more than 6 months in regions with high rates of hepatitis B infection
¬  Injection drug users and their sexual partners
¬  Men who have sex with men, men or women with multiple sex partners, or recent infection with a sexually transmitted infection
¬  Inmates of long-term correctional facilities

All pregnant women should have a blood test for the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen. Women who test positive for hepatitis B risk transmitting the virus to their infants during labor, and, therefore, infants born to mothers with hepatitis B infection should receive HBIG in addition to hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The reason for giving both immunoglobulin and vaccine is that even though hepatitis B vaccine can offer long lasting, active immunity, immunity takes weeks or months to develop. Until active immunity develops, the short-lived, passive antibodies from the HBIG protect the infant.

Unvaccinated individuals exposed to materials infected with hepatitis B (such as healthcare workers stuck by a contaminated needle) will need HBIG in addition to hepatitis B vaccine for the same reason as infants born to mothers with hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis C
There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C. However, researchers claim preliminary research results suggest that a vaccine can be made that will be effective against the multitude of HCV antigenic types that infect humans. They predict it may become available in about 3 to 5 years.


Prognosis of viral hepatitis
The prognosis of viral hepatitis for most patients is good; however, this prognosis varies somewhat depending on the infecting virus. For example those patients that develop chronic hepatitis may have a worse prognosis because of cirrhosis, fulminant hepatitis (liver failure), and occasionally death . Symptoms of viral hepatitis such as fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, and jaundice usually subside in several weeks to months, without any specific treatment. In fact, virtually all patients with acute infection with HAV and most adults (greater than 95%) with acute HBV recover completely.

Complete recovery from viral hepatitis means that:
ü  The hepatitis virus has been completely eliminated from the liver by the body's immune system,
ü  The inflammation in the liver subsides,
ü  The patient develops immunity to future infection with the same virus, and
ü  The patient cannot transmit the infection to others.
Unfortunately, not all patients with viral hepatitis recover completely. Five percent of patients with acute HBV infection and about 60% of patients with acute HCV infection develop chronic hepatitis.

Because the liver works to detoxify substances, this task is compromised during acute and chronic viral hepatitis infections. Consequently, avoiding items that may stress the compromised livers function (for example, alcohol, smoking, taking drugs that require liver processing) should be strongly considered by the patient to improve their prognosis. .


Viral hepatitis facts
¬  Many illnesses and conditions can cause inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), but certain viruses cause about half of all hepatitis in people.
¬  Viruses that primarily attack the liver are called hepatitis viruses. There are several types of hepatitis viruses including types A,B, C, D, E, and possibly G. Types A, B, and C are the most common.
¬  Those at risk for viral hepatitis include workers in the health care profession, people with multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug abusers, and hemophiliacs. Blood transfusion is a rare cause of viral hepatitis.
¬  All hepatitis viruses can cause acute hepatitis.
¬  Viral hepatitis types B and C can cause chronic hepatitis.
¬  Symptoms of acute viral hepatitis include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, dark urine, light-colored stools, fever, and jaundice; however, acute viral hepatitis may occur with minimal symptoms that go unrecognized. Rarely, acute viral hepatitis causes fulminant hepatic failure.
¬  The symptoms of chronic viral hepatitis often are mild and nonspecific, and the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis often is delayed.
¬  Chronic viral hepatitis often requires treatment in order to prevent progressive liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.
¬  Hepatitis infections can be prevented by avoiding exposure to viruses, injectable immunoglobulins or vaccines.



Homeopathy Treatment for Hepatitis
Symptomatic Homeopathy works well for Hepatitis, So its good to consult a experienced Homeopathy physician without any hesitation.


Whom to contact for Hepatitis Treatment
Dr.Senthil Kumar Treats many cases of Hepatitis, In his medical professional experience with successful results. Many patients get relief after taking treatment from Dr.Senthil Kumar.  Dr.Senthil Kumar visits Chennai at Vivekanantha Homeopathy Clinic, Velachery, Chennai 42. To get appointment please call 9786901830, +91 94430 54168 or mail to consult.ur.dr@gmail.com,


For more details & Consultation Feel free to contact us.
Vivekanantha Clinic Consultation Champers at
Chennai:- 9786901830
Panruti:- 9443054168
Pondicherry:- 9865212055 (Camp)

For appointment please Call us or Mail Us

For appointment: SMS your Name -Age – Mobile Number - Problem in Single word - date and day - Place of appointment (Eg: Rajini – 30 - 99xxxxxxx0 – Hepatitis – 21st Oct, Sunday - Chennai ), You will receive Appointment details through SMS










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HEPATITIS



HEPATITIS

Did you know you can get hepatitis through close personal contact with a person who has the infection?


What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is a liver disease that makes your liver swell and keeps it from working correctly. Several viruses cause hepatitis. The most common types are the hepatitis A, B, and C viruses.


How could I get hepatitis?

Hepatitis A is spread through food or water contaminated by feces from a person who has the virus. You can get hepatitis A by eating food prepared by someone with the virus. You can also get it by drinking water in parts of the world with poor sanitary conditions.


Hepatitis B is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluid. You can get hepatitis B by having sex with an infected person without a condom, sharing drug needles, or sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person. A woman with hepatitis B can give the virus to her baby at birth.


Hepatitis C is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood. You can get hepatitis C by sharing drug needles or getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it.


How will I know if I have hepatitis?

· Hepatitis can make you feel like you have the flu. You might

· Feel tired

· Feel sick to your stomach

· Have a fever

· Lose your appetite

· Have stomach pain

· Have diarrhoea

· Some people who have hepatitis have

· Dark yellow urine,

· Light-colour stools,

· Yellowish eyes and skin.


Some people don’t have any symptoms.

If you think you might have hepatitis, go to your doctor for a blood test.


How is hepatitis treated?

Most people who have hepatitis A get well on their own, after a few weeks. If you have hepatitis B or C, your doctor will give you shots of medicine. Over time, hepatitis B or C can cause your liver to stop working.


How can I protect myself from hepatitis?

You can get vaccines to protect yourself from hepatitis A and B.

You can also protect yourself and others from hepatitis A by washing your hands after using the toilet and before fixing food or eating.

*You can protect yourself from hepatitis B by using a condom when you have sex,

*Not sharing drug needles with anyone,

*Not sharing a toothbrush or razor with anyone who might be

infected.

*No vaccine for hepatitis C exists.

*You can protect yourself from hepatitis C by wearing gloves if you have to touch someone’s blood,

*Not sharing drug needles.

*Sharing a toothbrush or razor with anyone who might be infected.


Treatment

Homoeopathic medicines have excellent medicines for hepatitis. With out producing any side effect.

For treatment

Please click the following link


http://treatmentt.blogspot.com/2009/11/hepatitis-acute-and-chronic-treatment.html


Cirrhosis of the Liver

The liver, the largest organ in the body, is essential in keeping the body functioning properly. It removes or neutralizes poisons from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, and removes germs and bacteria from the blood. It makes proteins that regulate blood clotting and produces bile to help absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. You cannot live without a functioning liver.

In cirrhosis of the liver, scar tissue replaces normal, healthy tissue, blocking the flow of blood through the organ and preventing it from working as it should. Cirrhosis is the twelfth leading cause of death by disease, killing about 26,000 people each year. Also, the cost of cirrhosis in terms of human suffering, hospital costs, and lost productivity is high.


Causes

Cirrhosis has many causes. In the United States, chronic alcoholism and hepatitis C are the most common ones.


Alcoholic liver disease. Too many people, cirrhosis of the liver is synonymous with chronic alcoholism, but in fact, alcoholism is only one of the causes. Alcoholic cirrhosis usually develops after more than a decade of heavy drinking. The amount of alcohol that can injure the liver varies greatly from person to person. In women, as few as two to three drinks per day have been linked with cirrhosis and in men, as few as three to four drinks per day. Alcohol seems to injure the liver by blocking the normal metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.


Chronic hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus ranks with alcohol as a major cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the United States. Infection with this virus causes inflammation of and low grade damage to the liver that over several decades can lead to cirrhosis.


Chronic hepatitis B and D. The hepatitis B virus is probably the most common cause of cirrhosis worldwide, but it is less common in the United States and the Western world. Hepatitis B, like hepatitis C, causes liver inflammation and injury that over several decades can lead to cirrhosis. Hepatitis D is another virus that infects the liver, but only in people who already have hepatitis B.


Autoimmune hepatitis. This disease appears to be caused by the immune system attacking the liver and causing inflammation, damage, and eventually scarring and cirrhosis.


Inherited diseases. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases are among the inherited diseases that interfere with the way the liver produces, processes, and stores enzymes, proteins, metals, and other substances the body needs to function properly.


Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In NASH, fat builds up in the liver and eventually causes scar tissue. This type of hepatitis appears to be associated with diabetes, protein malnutrition, obesity, coronary artery disease, and treatment with corticosteroid medications.


Blocked bile ducts. When the ducts that carry bile out of the liver are blocked, bile backs up and damages liver tissue. In babies, blocked bile ducts are most commonly caused by biliary atresia, a disease in which the bile ducts are absent or injured. In adults, the most common cause is primary Biliary cirrhosis, a disease in which the ducts become inflamed, blocked, and scarred. Secondary Biliary cirrhosis can happen after gallbladder surgery if the ducts are inadvertently tied off or injured.


Drugs, toxins, and infections. Severe reactions to prescription drugs, prolonged exposure to environmental toxins, the parasitic infection schistosomiasis, and repeated bouts of heart failure with liver congestion can all lead to cirrhosis.


Symptoms

Many people with cirrhosis have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. However, as scar tissue replaces healthy cells, liver function starts to fail and a person may experience the following symptoms:

· Exhaustion

· Fatigue

· Loss of appetite

· Nausea

· Weakness

· Weight loss

· Abdominal pain

· Spider-like blood vessels (spider angiomas) that develop on the skin

As the disease progresses, complications may develop. In some people, these may be the first signs of the disease.


Treatment

Homoeopathic medicines have excellent medicines for hepatitis. With out producing any side effect. Liver damage from cirrhosis cannot be reversed, but treatment can stop or delay further progression and reduce complications. Treatment depends on the cause of cirrhosis and any complications a person is experiencing. For example, cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse is treated by abstaining from alcohol. Treatment for hepatitis-related cirrhosis involves medications used to treat the different types of hepatitis, Helps to extent the Life of sufferer


For treatment

Please click the following link

To Take Treatment


http://treatmentt.blogspot.com/2009/11/hepatitis-acute-and-chronic-treatment.html




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