HepatitisIntroduction:
Hepatitis means that the liver is inflamed. This inflammation
can be caused by alcohol (alcoholic hepatitis), by drugs( drug induced hepatitis)
or by a viruses( hepatitis A ,B, C etc.). Viral hepatitis is dealt with in another
chapter. Symptoms: Depending on
what the immune system of the patient is like, hepatitis presents in very different
ways. A person with good immunity might only experience a flu like illness
that lasts for a few days with a lack of appetite, but only very little bloating
or abdominal discomfort. Another patient might suddenly be very ill with a violent
distaste for cigarettes, even though the patient might have been a heavy smoker
before. Nausea, vomiting and a fever will follow. After several days to
a week the urine turns dark and the patient looks jaundiced. In the second week
the patient may feel better, although the jaundice is still worsening. The physician
feels an enlarged tender liver with a smooth edge. Within 3 to 4 weeks from the
beginning most patients recover. Blood tests help in determining the severity
and the type of virus. The higher the liver enzymes, the worse the liver damage.
Hepatitis A and E do not tend to get chronic. Hepatitis B, C, D and G lead to
a chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Hepatitis B, C and D have been linked with
liver cancer. Treatment: Treatment
for acute hepatitis is supportive. During the icteric (jaundice) phase the patient
should stay home, but no special treatment other than rest is necessary. Vitamin
supplements or corticosteroids have not been shown to be of value. There is no
special dietary requirement. When the jaundice disappears and the appetite has
returned the patient can return to work, even if the liver enzymes are not quite
back to normal. Chronic hepatitis exists when hepatitis persists on laboratory
tests beyond 6 months. The gastroenterologist will want to do some more involved
tests including a liver biopsy to see what the liver tissue looks like histologically.
Depending on what the pathologist finds out the treatment may differ somewhat.
For instance, if it looks like a drug induced hepatitis (for instance from oral
contraceptive use) the physician will advise to stop the medication that causes
the hepatitis. On the other hand, the autoimmune type hepatitis can affect not
only the liver, but other organ systems as well such as the skin (acne), the colon
(ulcerative colitis), joints (arthralgia), the thyroid (thyroiditis), the bone
marrow (hemolytic anemia) and the kidney (nephritis). These cases are usually
treated with corticosteroids and possibly also with azathioprine. A gastroenterologist
should be consulted for the long-term supervision of this chronic maintenance
therapy. In the case of chronic hepatitis B and C corticosteroids are contraindicated
(=forbidden), because it would allow the virus to replicate much faster. Instead
interferon-alpha is used for maintenance by the gastroenterologist. This is now
often combined with long-term ribavirin, an antiviral antibiotic. Unfortunately
these substances are all very expensive, but do lead to cures in 30 to 40 %. Pain
relief: There is an FDA approved non-drug method available, IceWave
patches from Lifewave, which will control pain. This is mentioned in the
book "Breakthrough" by Suzanne Somers (Ref. 9) where newer insights
of antiaging medicine are also reviewed. Although the patches are placed over
acupuncture points, there are no needles involved. Nanotechnology, a newer technology,
was used in the manufacturing of these patches and infrared (heat) waves from
body heat are utilized to stimulate an acupuncture point, which modifies pain
perception and reduces pain to half or less. Medically this would be considered
an excellent pain reliever. For more info on the patches see the IceWave patches
from Lifewave link above (click "products"). In the US a 5 pack of the
IceWave spray is available that can be directly sprayed onto the skin in the area
where the pain is located.
Prevention:
It
is important to note that hepatitis A and B vaccines are available (85% to 95%
effective). I can only recommend them to people. Research is being done to develop
a vaccine for hepatitis C. For more detailed information on viral
hepatitis click on this link. |
