Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is just one of several
types of hepatitis, an infection that affects the liver. It is
considerably more serious than hepatitis A and affects thousands of
people each year. Knowing the facts can help prevent the spread of
hepatitis B.
What Is It?
Hepatitis B is a serious viral
condition that causes inflammation of the liver and affects how well the
liver functions. Unlike other types of hepatitis, it is a little bit
harder to become infected with hepatitis B, but it is still one of the
more widespread diseases in the world. Hepatitis B also differs from
other types of hepatitis in that some people go on to have chronic
hepatitis, which means that it never completely goes away, but rather
goes into remission. Those who have chronic hepatitis B are at a much
higher risk for developing cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer or
needing a liver transplant.
The swelling and irritation
associated with inflammation is the body's attempt to heal itself and it
occurs whenever there is an injury or illness in the body. The
inflammation of the liver can cause the liver not to work properly,
which is of serious concern when consideration is given to the job that
the liver performs every day. The liver is responsible for removing
harmful substances from the blood, aiding in food digestion and storing
nutrients in the body.
Hepatitis B is diagnosed with blood tests
that look for immunoglobulin antibodies. The body produces these
antibodies in response to the hepatitis B virus. Depending upon the
results of the blood tests, the doctor can determine the type of
hepatitis infection as well as how far it has progressed.
Hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV according to the
World Health Organization (WHO). According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), there are an estimated 800,000 to 1.4
million people currently living with a chronic hepatitis B infection in
the United States. The CDC also estimates that between 4.3 and 5.6
percent of the population have had hepatitis B.
Causes And Risk Factors
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is transmitted
through contact with the blood, semen and other bodily fluids of an
infected person. It is also transmitted from mother to child during
birth. Because of this, all newborns in the U.S. usually receive the
hepatitis B vaccine for newborns before leaving the hospital. Common
routes of infection include:
* Getting a tattoo or acupuncture with an unclean needle
* Blood transfusions (though most blood products in the U.S. are tested for hepatitis B and other diseases)
* Sexual contact with an infected person
* Direct contact with blood in a health care setting
* Shared needles during drug use
* Sharing personal items such as toothbrushes or razors
Risk factors for contracting hepatitis B include:
* Being born or having parents who were born in regions that have high infection rates
* Being infected with HIV (those who have HIV are often infected with hepatitis B as well)
* Being on hemodialysis
* Having sex with multiple partners
* Men having sex with other men
Hepatitis B cannot be transmitted through casual contact such as
hugging, shaking hands or sitting in a chair after an infected person.
Symptoms
Many people with hepatitis B experience no symptoms at all, others
experience very mild symptoms, while others still have very serious
symptoms. Just because a person doesn't experience severe symptoms,
doesn't mean that the condition isn't serious. Symptoms can include;
* Fever
* Nausea or vomiting
* Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)
* A longer than normal period of time for bleeding to stop
* Swelling in the stomach or ankles
* Dark urine
* Pale or gray stool
* Bruising
* Tiredness
* Loss of appetite
* Diarrhea
Those who have hepatitis B can be sick with the above symptoms for
several weeks or months or the hepatitis may be fulminant which means
that it comes on suddenly and is quite severe, even life threatening.
Treatment
Treatment for hepatitis B is usually supportive, unless the hepatitis
becomes chronic, meaning that it doesn't go away. If someone has chronic
hepatitis they may need the help of antiviral medications. For those
who don't have chronic hepatitis B, rest is recommended, as well as
avoiding fatty food and substances that are toxic to the liver such as
alcohol and acetaminophen (Tylenol).
In the case of chronic
hepatitis B, antiviral medications can be used to help stop the damage
to the liver that can result from chronic infection. If the damage to
the liver becomes severe, a liver transplant may be required as a person
cannot live without a functioning liver. But this is only done in
extreme cases.
Prevention
Most cases of hepatitis B are
completely preventable and there are a number of ways to help stop the
spread. The hepatitis B vaccine is given to all newborns before leaving
the hospital (unless their health dictates otherwise) in an effort to
stop the spread of the disease, since vaccinating only those who were at
risk did not prove to be effective. Adults can also get a different
type of hepatitis B vaccine if they are at a higher risk for contracting
the disease. Some of the things that people can do to prevent
contracting or spreading hepatitis B include;
* Avoid sexual contact with a person who is infected or use condoms and other safe sex practices
* Don't share personal items such as toothbrushes and razors
* Don't share needles or other drug paraphernalia
* Clean up any blood or other bodily fluid spills with a solution of one part chlorine bleach mixed with 10 parts of warm water
Hepatitis B can be a serious condition, but with proper vaccinations
and diligent preventative measures, the number of people who contract
the disease each year will continue to decline.
Homoeopathy Can Cure Hepatitis B.
Dr. Faridul Islam Shohag
D.H.M.S. (Dhaka)
P.D.T. (Hom) B.H.M.C.H. (Dhaka)
Homeopathic Consultant.
Cell 01717088016
01822816885