Tensed about if you are one of them with Hepatitis A? Then relax ,as it takes lesser time to heal unlike hepatitis B and C and thus it’s completely harmless.
So what is Hepatitis A? It’s nothing but an infectious disease caused by HAV virus. According to WHO reports, about 7,134 people died due to this disease.
Let’s have a look at its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatments and remedies along with short FAQs at the end.
Symptoms of hepatitis A
The signs of hepatitis A are seen after a few weeks of infection. These may include:
•Pain:Abdomen, muscles, joints
•Stomach issues:Vomiting, nausea and poor appetite
•Fever
•Yellow skin and eyes
•Dark coloured urine
Causes of hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is mainly caused by-
•Food
It is the common medium through which this virus is spread.
•Water
Drinking contaminated water can infect a person with HAV.
•Sexual Contact
Another common way to spread HAV virus is through sexual means of contact
•Raw Shellfish
Eating raw shellfish from sewage water also lead to HAV infection.
Diagnosis of hepatitis A
As HAV infection are found mild, therefore, tests aren’t important part for those suffering from this infection.
But still doctor may order few basic tests:
•Blood Tests for HAV
It is done to detect the level of liver enzymes off course, and also to look for the following antibodies namely:
a.IgM (Immunoglobulin M) antibodies
This first antibody produced in the blood of the person when exposed to HAV is IgM. It stays for about 3 to 6 months.
b.IgG (Immunoglobulin G) antibodies
If tests positive for IgG but not for IgM ,it means that the person was having hepatitis A or recently had vaccination to protect from HAV. While, a negative test result indicates the absence of HAV at past times.
Treatments for hepatitis A
Well, doctors may not prescribe any medication after tests. So what they do is to provide patients with home based treatments and self care tips which are as follows:
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Eat, sleep and repeat
As there’s no medicine needed for HAV, so doctors usually recommend to take rest and to eat more nutritious food.
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Hydration
Hydrating the body more with fluids such as water is an important process to activate the recovery speed.
However, doctors might recommend taking Intravenous fluids (or IV fluids) depending on the condition that the person is in.
Home Remedies
There’s no specific home remedies for hepatitis A.
But, as I said, proper exercising, eating protein rich food ,and fruits, and having a lot of sleep and water are the best possible remedies that one should follow.
Read More: https://www.health-niche.com/healthy-foods-for-critical-situations-in-life/
What to avoid?
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Alcohol
There’s nothing more dangerous for your liver than consuming alcohol. It is known responsible for increasing liver inflammation and lowering the immunity level in your body.
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Contaminated water and food
The main cause of hepatitis A is having unclean water and food as mentioned before. Hence, avoiding it as much as possible will give better results.
Conclusion
Certain precautions should keep in mind to recover fast.
Thus ,keeping good hygiene, not sharing personal items such as towels, brushes etc., washing hands regularly and consuming clean water and food is enough.
Although hepatitis A has no serious chronic stage like hepatitis B and C, but going for checkup and taking vaccine after diagnosis is a must to do. And especially, if the person is travelling across the parts of the world such as Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America where this virus is common.
FAQs
•Does hepatitis A go away on its own?
: Yes, it can go away on its own but after a few months. But it also depends on certain factors such as whether the disease is at chronic stage or not.
•Is there any vaccine for hepatitis A?
: Yes, there is vaccine .
•Does hepatitis A require isolation?
: Yes, as it is highly contagious disease.
•What is the incubation period of Hepatitis A?
: 14-28 days
