Hepatitis B is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus known as HBV. Although there is no cure, there is a vaccine. Fortunately, most adults who are infected with this virus recover and become healthy after treatment.
Steps
Step 1. See your doctor immediately after being exposed to the virus to try to prevent transmission
If you think you are at risk for hepatitis B, contact your doctor right away. An immunoglobulin injection of this virus within 24 hours of exposure can prevent infection. If you are lucky enough to block it in its first phase, you can avoid it completely.
Step 2. Get your doctor to tell you if hepatitis B is acute or chronic
Most cases of hepatitis B are acute. This case, contrary to what the name might suggest, is an infection that will go away on its own. Chronic cases, on the other hand, must be addressed with the help of medicine and treatment. Here's what to check to see if the infection is acute, or short-lived:
- Since you do not have to fight the cause of the infection, discuss with your doctor to treat the signs and symptoms of hepatitis. He will find strategies to relieve pain and discomfort and make your natural recovery as quick as possible.
- Schedule blood tests with your doctor at set times to monitor the natural course of the infection and determine if the virus goes away.
- Get plenty of bed rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy foods.
Step 3. Learn the symptoms of chronic hepatitis B
If your doctor determines that you have chronic hepatitis B, don't worry - you can treat it. However, it is useful to know the different stages of this infection:
- Phase One - Immune Tolerance. In hepatitis B patients who contract the infection at a young age or at birth, the body simply does not react, and the infection remains dormant. This phase can last for a few years, up to decades, and then it converts into the second phase.
- Phase Two - immuno-clearance. In children who have already passed stage one or in adults who have recently contracted the infection, the body begins to fight the infection fully. During this stage, the body attacks liver cells that contain the virus, sometimes causing liver damage, inflammation and scar tissue. Patients at this stage are exposed to cirrhosis.
- Phase Three - quiescent phase. After stage two, the virus recedes and becomes less active. Blood tests return to normal or near normal, although any scars (fibrosis) present remain active. There may be times when the virus can flare up to a greater or lesser extent, and become active again.
Step 4. Chronic hepatitis B patients must have tests to measure viral load
The goal of treatment is primarily to reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis. Studies have found a link between virus saturation in the liver (viral load) and the likelihood of developing cirrhosis.
Patients with a high viral load (one million viral copies per milliliter of blood) are about 33% likely to develop cirrhosis over a decade, while those with a low viral load (less than 300 viral copies per milliliter) they only have a 4.5% chance
Step 5. Consult your doctor about antiviral drugs and a drug called peginterferon
These drugs are often used to slow the virulence of the infection and block possible liver damage. Peginterferon is a powerful antiviral drug normally prescribed for people with hepatitis B.
Step 6. If the chronic phase is very advanced, discuss a possible liver transplant with your doctor
If you begin to suffer from liver failure, it is very likely that this type of intervention will be necessary. Liver transplants usually come from deceased donors, although in some cases they are living donors.
Step 7. Eliminate alcohol completely and consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter drugs
Alcohol is processed in the liver, which is already weak to fight hepatitis infection. Try not to drink alcohol during phase two of your illness, as well as during any flare-up phases. You should also avoid over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen, because they affect the liver.
