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DESCRIPTION
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection. The liver becomes tender and enlarged and is unable to function normally. As a result, toxins that would normally be filtered out by the liver build up in the body, and certain nutrients are not processed and stored the way they should be. Hepatitis is the most common of all serious contagious diseases, affecting as many as 500,000 Americans each year. Hepatitis is often misdiagnosed because it is often mistaken for the flu. The five types of hepatitis all cause infection and inflammation of the liver, but each type is contracted in a different way. The acute phase of the disease lasts approximately two to three weeks; complete recovery usually takes nine weeks. Most patients recover fully with a lifelong immunity to the disease; 1% of all cases die in the acute phase; some develop chronic hepatitis with liver inflammation that lasts six months or more, resulting in cirrhosis and possibly death.
There are different types of hepatitis, classified according to the virus that causes the condition. The most common are type A, type B and type C. Other types less common include hepatitis D, E, and G. In the last 15 years, scientists have identified the viruses responsible for the three leading types of the disease (A,B,and C). Each of these types have many subtypes within that determine greatly through studies and therapies whether or not the infected person will respond to a specific therapy (such as interferon therapy). All types of viral hepatitis is contagious.
Hepatitis A, also known infectious hepatitis, is easily spread through person-to-person contact, and through contact with food, clothing, bed linen, and other items. It is contagious between two and three weeks before and one week after jaundice appears. After a bout with hepatitis A, the individual develops an immunity to it. It is contracted orally or through fecal contamination of food and water. It is the least dangerous form of the disease because it clears up on its own and it rarely results in chronic liver inflammation. Hepatitis A usually spreads through improper handling of food, close contact with family members or children in day-care centers, and eating shellfish taken from polluted waters.
Hepatitis B, also referred to as serum hepatitis, is the most widespread form of the disease. It is spread through contact with infected blood (for example, through the use of contaminated syringes, needles, and transfused blood) and some forms of sexual activity. It can be passed from mother to child at or shortly following birth and can be spread from adults to children in the same family. It is estimated that up to 5 percent of all Americans, and as many as 85 percent of gay men, are infected with hepatitis B. However, most hepatitis B infections come and go unrecognized and about 1/3 of all hepatitis B cases cannot be traced to a reliable source. Most hepatitis B sufferers recover fully, but a small percentage of cases do not recover. In some 10 percent of cases, the disease becomes chronic, scarring the liver and making it more vulnerable to cancer. Hepatitis B is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.
Hepatitis C (once called non-A-non-B hepatitis) accounts for 20 to 40 percent of all hepatitis and 90 to 95 percent of hepatitis contracted through blood transfusions. Tests can now detect antibodies against hepatitis C in donated blood, a major advancement in ensuring a safe blood supply, but an infected individual may take up to six months to develop the antibodies, so it is still impossible to identify all infected blood. Hepatitis C can also be contracted through intravenous drug use, sexual contact, and broken skin, tattoo needles, or mucous membranes. In 1/3 of all hepatitis C patients, the cause is unknown.
Hepatitis D affects only people with hepatitis B and intensifies the symptoms of that form of the disease. It is spread from mother to child and through sexual contact. Hepatitis D is the most dangerous form of the disease because it has two types of hepatitis working at once.
Hepatitis E occurs most commonly in Asia, India, Africa and Mexico. Only a few cases are seen in the U.S. each year, mostly in people who traveled to the afore mentioned countries.
In addition to the various types of viral hepatitis, there is a form of the disease called toxic hepatitis, which can be cause by exposure to chemicals, principally the injection, ingestion, or absorption of toxins through the skin. Chlorinated hydrocarbons and arsenic are examples of severe hepatotoxic agents. In toxic hepatitis, the amount of exposure to the toxin determines the extent of liver damage.
FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Early StagesSeveral days later.
- Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Weakness, abdominal pain, and headaches also are common symptoms.
- Elevated enzymes in the blood.
- Jaundice (yellow eyes and skin) caused by a build-up of bile in the blood.
- Dark urine from bile spilling over into the urine.
- Light, "clay-colored" or whitish stools.
- Itching and impaired mental state.
CAUSES
Types A and E: The virus usually enters the body through water or food, especially raw shellfish, that has been contaminated by sewage (fecal-oral contact).
Type B: Usually sexually transmitted (contact with bodily fluids or an infected person), through blood transfusions contaminated with the virus, or from injections with non-sterile needles or syringes. An infected mother can pass it to her newborn. Some cases appear sporadically.
Type C: Usually transmitted through intravenous drug use, blood transfusions, and other exposures from contaminated blood or its products. An infected mother usually does not pass it on to her newborn. This is a rare occurrence. In 40% of the cases, mode of transmission is unknown.
Type D: Associated with an infection of hepatitis type B.
Type G: Similar patterns to type C; usually blood-borne.
Hepatitis can also be caused by alcohol, drug and toxin abuse, or by an autoimmune process that produces antibodies that attack the liver.
RISK INCREASES WITH
Travel to areas with poor sanitation.
Oral-anal sexual practices
Use of intravenous drugs.
Alcoholism.
Blood transfusions.
Health care workers and other occupational risks.
Day-care centers or residential programs.
Kidney-dialysis treatment.
Poor nutrition.
Illness that has lowered resistance.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Avoid risk factors listed above. Practice good hygiene and use common sense. Cook all food well, boil water that may be contaminated, wash hands often. If you travel abroad, or have children in a day-care facility, consider getting vaccinations (see link below about vaccinations).
Avoid exposure to the blood of anyone contaminated with the disease. Do not share razors, nail files, toothbrushes, or needles with anyone who has hepatitis. If you are exposed to someone with hepatitis, seek medical advice about whether or not you should receive gamma-globulin injections to prevent or decrease the risk of hepatitis.
If you are in a high-risk group, such as a hospital worker, dentist, dental worker, sexually promiscuous, intravenous drug abuser, and others, obtain information about hepatitis vaccinations (A and B available; others being studied) and immune globulin in addition to the vaccination. Be sure to learn about the pros and cons of vaccinations before proceeding with this measure. Be aware of potential side effects.
It has been a common medical practice in Massachusetts hospitals to provide routine hepatitis B vaccinations for all newborn infants in the event that the mother is a hepatitis B carrier. However there has been a great deal of controversy over this practice lately due to Thimerosal (a mercury based preservative found in vaccines and other products). In Massachusetts, the State Department of Health has urged hospitals to temporarily halt routine vaccinations for newborns against hepatitis B. Associated Press, 07/23/99 As a parent you have a choice of vaccination or non-vaccination of your children under certain conditions. See pros and cons of vaccinations for more information.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Jaundice and other symptoms peak and then gradually disappear over 3 to 16 weeks. Most people in good general health recover fully in 1 to 4 months. A small percentage proceed to chronic hepatitis. Recovery from viral hepatitis usually provides permanent immunity against it.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS
Liver failure, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, even death. Some individuals may qualify for liver transplant surgery. Consult with your health care provider about options open to you if you are dealing with liver failure.
Chronic hepatitis. These patients are carriers and potentially infectious to household and sexual contacts. These people may look and feel well and not realize they are infected.
TREATMENT
GENERAL MEASURES
Diagnostic tests include laboratory blood tests to identify infection, liver function studies and liver biopsy in severe or chronic cases. If you have already been diagnosed with viral hepatitis, you may be monitored for viral counts (number of viral organisms in your blood) using various tests such as PCR amplification and detection, b-DNA tests for viral count and monitoring, genotyping of viral hepatitis (some strains of virus respond to therapy and other strains are resistant to therapy). PCR amplification can also be used to test for virus in body organs. (I used to do this type of testing for Hepatitis C for many years at a local Boston hospital.)
Most persons with hepatitis can be cared for at home without undue risk. Strict isolation is not necessary, but the ill person should have separate eating and drinking utensils, or use disposable ones.
If you have hepatitis or are caring for someone with it, wash your hands carefully and often, especially after bowel movements.
MEDICATION
There are few specific medications to treat hepatitis.
An anti-inflammatory (cortisone) may be prescribed for severe cases to reduce liver inflammation and improve symptoms.
Chronic hepatitis B or C may be treated with alpha-interferon.
WARNING! Drugs used in the treatment of viral hepatitis may have several negative side effects. Be sure to discuss them with your health care provider before taking them. There are no drugs that have been proven absolutely safe for your developing baby. Use extreme caution in taking any medications during pregnancy and then these should only be used after all other methods have been tried and with the careful guidance of your midwife or health care provider.
ACTIVITY
Bed rest is recommended until jaundice disappears and appetite returns. People differ widely in the rate at which they can return to normal activity. Drugs used in the treatment of hepatitis may have some negative side effects that may alter your normal daily routine.
HERBAL & HOLISTIC RECOMMENDATIONS
HERBAL THERAPY
Be sure to check with your health care provider before using alternative therapies in case there may be interactions between therapies and medications. Check with your midwife before using herbs or nutritional supplements during pregnancy.
Burdock and dandelion are important in cleansing the liver and the bloodstream.
Studies have shown licorice to be effective in treating viral hepatitis, particularly chronic active hepatitis, due to its well-documented antiviral activity.
Calendula, goldenseal, marshmallow root, usnea, and yarrow can all be used in douche form to fight a yeast infection. Make a strong tea using one or more or these herbs and douche with it twice daily for one week. Caution: Do not use this herb on a daily basis for more than seven days in a row. Avoid if you have high blood pressure.
Milk thistle extract contains silymarin, a flavonoid that has been shown to aid in healing and rebuilding the liver. It can be taken in capsule or alcohol-free extract form. Take 200 to 400 milligrams three times daily.
Other herbs beneficial for hepatitis include black radish, goldenseal, green tea, red clover, and yellow dock. Caution: Do not take goldenseal internally on a daily basis for more than one week at a time, do not use it during pregnancy, and use with caution if you are allergic to ragweed.
HELPFUL PRODUCTS
TO DETOXIFY THE LIVER & AID HEALING
RECOMMENDATIONS & CONSIDERATIONS
Get plenty of rest.
Use a chlorophyll enema three times a week. use one pint and retain it for fifteen minutes.
MoonDragon's Health Information: Therapies - Enemas
Apply warm castor oil packs over the liver area. Place castor oil in a pan and heat but do not boil it. Dip a piece of cheesecloth or other white cotton material in the oil until the cloth is saturated. Apply the cloth to the upper right abdomen and cover it with a piece of plastic that is larger in size than the cotton cloth. Place a heating pad over the plastic and use it to keep the pack warm. Keep the pack in place for one-half to two hours, as needed.
Keep a person with hepatitis A in isolation to avoid spreading the infection. Wash hands and all clothing often. The clothing and bed linens of a person with hepatitis A require special handling. Wash them separately from other laundry in hot water with chlorine bleach or a disinfectant added. Because the feces are infectious, bathrooms should be decontaminated frequently. Clean toilets and floors with a disinfectant.
Especially when traveling, beware of contaminated water or foods from polluted waters.
Do not take any drugs that have not been prescribed by your health care provider. Read package inserts carefully for information regarding liver toxicity.
One of the most important forms of hepatitis worldwide - hepatitis E - is rarely seen in the United States, but it has been linked to numerous large epidemics in Africa and Asia. Two outbreaks in Mexico in 1986 were the first to be identified in the Western Hemisphere. Sporadic cases have occurred among travelers, including some Americans. Hepatitis E is usually contracted from sewage-contaminated water, and it can be spread from person to person. It is more likely to cause symptoms in adults than in small children. No blood test is available, but the virus can be identified through a stool sample. The best known safeguard is to boil water before drinking it or washing with it.
Taking excessive amounts of vitamin A over long periods may cause liver enzyme levels to become elevated. Anyone who has been taking over 50,000 IU of vitamin A daily for over a year should reduce their intake or switch to natural beta-carotene, which should not have any side effects.
Catechin, a flavonoid found in green and black Indian teas, has been shown to decrease serum bilirubin levels in people with all types of acute viral hepatitis.
According to researchers at the University of California, as many as 25 percent of Americans who receive blood transfusions develop hepatitis. If you are planning on having any surgery where you may need to receive blood as part of the treatment, you should consider donating and storing your own blood ahead of time to be used for your transfusion instead of relying upon the standard anonymous donations that are usually stored at your hospital blood bank.
A study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that high doses of the antiviral agent interferon alfa, given daily for four months, produced remission in a third of subjects with hepatitis B. People who had low levels of virus particles present in their bloodstreams benefited most. A version of interferon alfa (interferon alfa-2b) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of hepatitis C.
Studies have shown that the herb milk thistle can cure liver cancer in rats.
Liver supplements contain a nutritional substance that aids liver regeneration. Only liver from organically raised beef should be used.
In lab experiments, injections of whole liver cells have rapidly repaired liver tissue in experimental animals with lethal, acute liver failure.
DIET
Despite poor appetite, small well-balanced meals help promote recovery. Eat a raw vegetable and fruit diet for two to four weeks. Start this diet with a cleansing fast.
Include artichokes in the diet. Artichokes protect the liver. Globe artichoke extract also is available.
Drink "green drinks", carrot juice, and beet juice.
Drink only steam distilled or quality pure water. At least 8 glasses of water are necessary each day.
Consume no alcohol.
Avoid all fats, sugar, and highly processed foods.
Avoid all raw fish and shellfish, and eat no animal protein. Also avoid chemicals and food additives.
HEPATITIS SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCTS
Information, supplements and products for hepatitis, a general term that refers to a group of viruses that cause inflammation of the liver.
Black Seed Theramune Ultimate with Garlic - 100 Caps
Promotes healthy circulation, useful for arthritis and cardiovascular & respiratory support. It also supports digestion and is a natural remedy for ulcers. Garlic is known to lower cholesterol naturally.AlcohLiver Fix, Yangan - 60 Capsules
AlcohLiver Fix is made of extracts from schisandra, white peony, and milk thistle, this well-known formula is used in traditional Chinese medicine for its liver nurturing and restoring, detoxifying, virus inhibiting properties to maintain healthy liver and its functions, Chinese herbs for liver support.Olive Leaf Plus, Black Seed with Olive Leaf Extract and High Potency Garlic - 100 Caps
Combined, these herbs are a superior circulation and immune system support.Vitamin C 1000 with Bioflavonoids, Nature's Way, 100% Natural, 1000mg - 250 Vcaps
Nature's Way Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids provides antioxidant protection for many of the body's important enzyme systems.Gotu Kola Powder (Centella asiatica), 100% Organic - 8 oz. Bulk
Gotu kola has been used as a tonic for purification of blood and for promoting healthy skin. It has also been used to aid in restful sleep, treat skin inflammations, as a treatment for high blood pressure and as a mild diuretic.Bringraj Powder, 100% Organic (Eclipta erecta) - 8 oz. Bulk
Bringraj is believed to prevent aging, maintains and rejuvenates hair, teeth, bones, memory, sight, and hearing.Arogya Vardhani, 100% Organic - 8 oz. Bulk
Used for dermatological infections and hepatic dysfunctions.Alpha Lipoic Acid w/ Rosemary, Nature's Way Pharmaceutical Grade 50mg - 60 Caps
Alpha Lipoic Acid is central to recycling other antioxidants like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and GSH glutathione. By "sparing" their destruction, Alpha Lipoate extends their antioxidant power. Being both water and fat soluble, lipoic acid is the "universal" antioxidant that can easily function in both cellular membranes and fluid media within and outside the cell.L-Glutamine, Amino Acid Supplement, NOW Foods 1000mg - 120 Caps
L-Glutamine is an important amino acid that helps brain function, as it converts quickly into glucose, the only source of energy to the brain. L-Glutamine promotes better thinking ability, and increases the amount of GABA, another amino acid that aids in proper brain function.Selenium 100% Natural, 200mcg - 100 Caps
Selenium is an essential component of glutathione, the body's most potent natural antioxidant system. It is a popular choice in many antioxidant regimens.Selenium Ionic Mineral Supplement, Fully Absorbable, 50 +/- ppm - 16 fl. oz.
WaterOz Ionic Selenium is pure liquid Selenium supplement. Selenium promotes normal body growth, enhances fertility, encourages tissue elasticity and is a potent antioxidant that naturally reduces the retention of toxic metals in the body. Selenium is crucial for the proper functioning of the heart muscle and there is evidence that it can help the body fight cancer.DMG Supplement N, N Dimethyl Glycine, NOW Foods 125mg - 100 Caps
NOW Foods' DMG Supplement is a methylated amino acid found in all cells. DMG is an antioxidant and methyl donor that has a number of beneficial effects. It has shown to have potential in increasing immune response to the flu and salmonella.Alive! Whole Food Energizer Multi Vitamin with Mineral, Nature's Way 18mg of Iron added - 90 Tabs
Alive Whole Food Energizer Multi Vitamin with Mineral with Iron by Nature's Way is absorbed into your blood stream 5 times faster than other leading brands.Artichoke Standardized Extract, Nature's Way 300mg - 60 Caps
Research on standardized Artichoke extract has focused on the constituent, caffeoylquinic acid and its ability to increase bile production in the liver. An increase in bile production assists the body in blood fat metabolism, which assists the digestion process. It is also an herbal remedy for gas (flatulence).Burdock - AKA: Arctium lappa / Beggar's Buttons / Niu Bang / Turkey Burrseed / Bardana / Burdock Burrs / Burrs / Burr Seed / Cockle Buttons / Grass Burdock / Great Burdock / Hardock / Hareburr / Hurrburr / Lappa / Lappa Minor / Personata / Thorny Burr Supplements & Products
Buy Burdock Supplements and Products. Helpful liver detoxifier.Dandelion Root, Nature's Way 540mg - 180 Vcaps
Dandelion root has a long history of use as an herbal remedy, as a food, and in beverages. Dandelion root is native to Greece.Olive Leaf Extract Standardized, Nature's Way 500mg - 60 Caps
Nature's Way Standardized Olive Leaf extract is a technically advanced herbal product.Turmeric Tincture, 100% Organic - 2 fl. oz.
Turmeric is useful as an anti-inflammatory.Sutherlandia (Sutherlandia frutescens), 300mg - 60 Tabs
Sutherlandia powerfully assists the body to mobilize its own immunological physiological resources to cope with diverse physical, mental and chemical stressors.Colon & Liver Cleanser, Truman's CAC Tea, Loose Leaf - 1/2 lb.
Use of this cleansing tea has many additional benefits: improves overall digestion; strengthens the immunity; helps to prevent cancer; makes the skin more emollient and flexible: clears the eyes; and provides an overall tonic effect on the body.Liver Formula Tincture, 100% Organic - 2 fl. oz.
The Liver Formula can be used to help treat alcoholism naturally.Herbs For Hepatitis C and the Liver, By Stephen Harrod Buhner
Includes descriptions of common medical tests and treatments, a guide to knowing and using the top herbal medicines that work to protect the liver and immune system.
RECOMMENDED READING & HEPATITIS EDUCATION
Mountain Rose Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Aromatherapy Oils
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils A-B
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils C-E
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils F-L
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils M-P
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils Q-Z
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils: Oil Blends & Resins
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils: Diffusers, Nebulizers, & Burners
Mountain Rose Herbs, Aromatherapy Oils: Oil Kits
Click Here To Visit Herbal Remedies Product Page
NOTIFY YOUR MIDWIFE OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF...
You or a family member has symptoms of hepatitis or has been exposed to someone who has it. Everybody should be periodically tested for hepatitis (as well as HIV). especially if you are in a high risk situation where it is possible you may be exposed to the virus, such as multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug use, blood transfusions, or working in a medical facility around patients that have the virus or in a lab that tests blood. Persons working as emergency medical technicians and police officers should be regularly tested for the virus.
The following occur during treatment:
- Increasing loss of appetite.
- Excessive drowsiness or mental confusion.
- Vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain.
- Deepening jaundice; skin rash or itching.
