Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver which if left untreated can lead to scarring of the live tissue, cirrhosis and even liver cancer. This condition is often caused by Hepatitis viruses but other health conditions, including the presence of auto-immune health conditions can also cause you to develop Hepatitis. The viruses causing your liver to get inflamed falls into five categories, from A to E, of which both Hepatitis B and C are considered to be the most dangerous because they often cause fatalities.
Often people get confused between Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, since they are the most common but a careful read of the following passage should clearly highlight the differences between both.
Hepatitis A
Let’s start with the symptoms; some of the common symptoms associated with Hepatitis A happens to be –
- Sharp pain around the abdominal area
- General weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetitive
- Jaundice
A person who is affected by Hepatitis A may not even realize that he has Hepatitis, as this particular variant could manifest itself as a mild health condition. It is not unheard for Hepatitis A patients to become well all of a sudden, become more active only to fall ill again. While others may suffer from a more virulent form, which may have devastating effect on their health as whole. It is widely believed that the Hepatitis A often occurs as a result of eating contaminated food, drinks or taking drugs under extremely unsanitary conditions. The virus causing the hepatitis is mainly transmitted through feces, so eating seafood or for that matter, any food particulates which has been exposed to the same is enough to cause a full-blown case of Hepatitis A.
The good news is that Hepatitis A is a less virulent form of the disease and does not come with a chronic stage. You can seek immediate treatment for the same on confirmation, and take the required rest and recharge your body with the required vitamins, proteins – you should be fine after a period of rest. Even better, you can take a hepatitis A vaccine, to protect you from the same.
Hepatitis B
This is a serious health condition which often has devastating effects on young children and young adults, whose immune system is yet to develop fully or have been compromised for one reason or the other.
Some of the symptoms of Hepatitis B happen to be
- Sharp pain around the abdominal area
- General weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetitive
- Jaundice
- Fatigue
- nausea
While these symptoms are more or less the same as those for hepatitis A, a quick blood and urine analysis should soon make it apparent as to whether you are suffering from Hepatitis A or Hepatitis B. Unless you take effective treatment right away, this disease can cause your kidneys to shut down, and even total liver failure. It is important that you get yourself tested at the earliest as this particular Hepatitis can lead to a chronic condition, which can cause your health to be compromised in the long term.
This disease can be transmitted with exchange of body fluids and is also tagged as a sexually transmitted disease. You can also get the same from infected food, sharing needles, sharing utensils or instruments infected by contaminate blood and much more. It is vital that you seek out your doctor if you are already experiencing some of the symptoms listed above. And if you are a frequent flier and travel to many countries, then it is highly advisable that you opt for a preventive vaccine, which should protect you from Hepatitis.
There is no known cure for Hepatitis B so if you have been diagnosed with the same, then you need to opt for effective treatment. And depending on the state of your heath, go in for a Liver transplant.
Some of the key differences between Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B happens to be that Hepatitis A condition progresses fast, whereas hepatitis B progresses to the next stage gradually. It should also be pointed out that the incidence of Hepatitis is indeed growing, especially in countries like India where most of the population tends to have little or no knowledge of hepatitis. This lack of adequate information is often leading many to seek medical help only in the later stages of the disease by which time they put their lives at risk as well as their loved ones, whom they may have infected inadvertently. This is why it is vital to get yourself tested at the earliest if any of the above symptoms sound familiar.
