Hepatitis or liver inflammation

Symptoms

Common signs:

• Yellow skin or eyes
• Upper right belly pain (under the right ribs)

Less common

• Dark urine
• Tiredness
• Nausea

Look up a symptom: Fatigue · Loss of appetite · Pale, greasy, or floating stools · Upper right belly pain (under the right ribs) · Yellow skin or eyes

When to get medical care

Causes

Viruses, alcohol, medicines.

Does it spread or run in families?

• Yes, it can spread from person to person.
• How it spreads: contact with infected blood, sex, mother to baby around birth, germs from poop getting into the mouth, or animals.
• Condoms lower the risk. Sex partners should be tested and treated too.

Who is more likely to get it

• Injection drug use
• Unprotected sex

Possible complications

• Cirrhosis

Diagnosis

Blood tests.

Tests

Tests, if needed:

• Liver tests:
• Hepatitis tests:

Treatment

Protect the liver.

Self-care

• Avoid alcohol
• Check medicines and supplements
• Get vaccinated

Medicines

Medicines that may help:

OwieClear doesn't give doses: follow the label or your healthcare professional. Medicine names here are examples, not a full list.

Prevention

To prevent:

• Vaccines
• Don't share needles

Which doctor treats this

• Start with your primary care provider (family doctor or internist).
• They may send you to a gastroenterologist or hepatologist (liver doctor).

Living with it

Support groups and helplines

• American Liver Foundation: Helpline and support groups for liver disease.

Back to school, work, or sports

• You can go to school and work as usual.
• Don't have sex until you and your partners finish treatment and your doctor says it's OK.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• If you're pregnant or planning to be, tell your prenatal provider about this condition.
• Some infections can pass to the baby during pregnancy or birth. Tell your provider if you've been exposed.
• Don't start or stop any medicine on your own. Some are safe in pregnancy and some need to be changed.
• Ask before taking any pain reliever. The FDA advises avoiding ibuprofen and naproxen after 20 weeks unless your doctor says to.
• Breastfeeding: Most medicines are fine, but ask. The NIH LactMed database lists what's known about each one.

Outlook

Most improve with treatment.

Getting ready for your visit

Bring a list of your symptoms and medicines.

What to bring

• A list of your medicines and supplements
• Notes on when symptoms started and what makes them better or worse

Research studies

Research studies test new ways to find and treat health problems. Some are looking for volunteers. Talk with your doctor before joining one.

Search ClinicalTrials.gov for studies on Hepatitis or liver inflammation