Hepatitis is a general term that refers to a variety of diseases that inflame the liver. The C variety of hepatitis is contagious and spreads through blood contact with another person who has HCV. While anyone may contract hepatitis C, people who frequently come in contact with other people's blood--such as intravenous drug users--are much more likely to get HCV. Hepatitis C presents itself as either an acute disease or a chronic disease. Treatment options to cure hepatitis C depend on which presentation of the disease you have and what damage it has already done to your liver.
Cure for Acute Hepatitis C
Acute hepatitis C is usually the first version of hepatitis C that people contract, but sometimes people may have acute hepatitis C without realizing it. The acute phase of hepatitis C is short-lived but often the virus remains in a person's body even after initial symptoms subside. As this occurs, acute hepatitis C develops into chronic hepatitis C.
The Centers for Disease control currently does not recommend any specific medication for acute hepatitis C. To cure the disease, the CDC recommends hydration, rest and a healthy diet.
Cures for Chronic Hepatitis C
If acute hepatitis C evolves into chronic hepatitis C, doctors may opt for a variety of treatments. Aggressive treatment plans target sufferers who already have significant liver damage, actively have the virus in their bloodstream, or whose blood shows high levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase. If the liver has already suffered extensive damage, the only cure is a transplant. A liver transplant entails a major operation, during which a surgeon implants a healthy liver or portion of a liver into your body in place of the diseased liver. Since donated livers must match a person's blood type, sufferers who require a transplant remain on a waiting list until a suitable match is made. After a liver transplant, you will have to remain on medication for the rest of your life to ensure that your body doesn't reject the new liver.
If you have chronic hepatitis C that has not already inflicted extensive damage on your liver, you may benefit from a variety of medications that will help your body eliminate the hepatitis C virus from your bloodstream. If you undergo medicinal treatment for HCV, you may have to self-administer a weekly injection of the medication pegylated interferon alfa. In addition, you will need to take an anti-viral medication known as ribavirin twice a day. To ensure that the hepatitis C virus exits the bloodstream properly, you will have to continue medicinal treatment for either 24 or 48 weeks, depending on your genotype.
Hepatitis That Resolves Itself Naturally
According to CDC statistics, 15 percent to 25 percent of people with HCV do not require treatment. For this group, the body fights off the virus without medical intervention. While "doing nothing" is not a recommended course of action, a doctor will regularly test your liver function through a blood test to monitor the progress of the disease. This treatment option is known as watchful waiting. As long as your liver continues to function normally and/or your doctor decides you are "low risk" due to your overall health and age, you do not have to fight HCV actively with medication.
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