Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that is caused by the Hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can be acute or chronic. Hepatitis B is considered acute or self limiting when the affected person can clear the infection in a matter of weeks. It was noted that adults have a greater chance of full recovery from acute hepatitis than children. Chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong infection. This means that an afflicted person can never get rid of the infection that oftentimes can result to either cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
Hepatitis B has several symptoms that are similar to flu.
The following are the hepatitis B symptoms:
• General weakness or malaise
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Jaundice or yellowish discoloration of the skin
As the disease progresses, the signs and hepatitis symptoms which the person manifests become more specific to the organ affected. Soon after, the afflicted person develops halitosis or foul breath, abdominal pains, dark color of urine, light-colored stools.
Since Hepatitis B is a disease which is difficult if not impossible to cure, the best way to remedy the problem is to manage the Hepatitis symptoms it brings to a person. Alcohol abstinence and sexual abstinence is a must- this prevents further liver damage and transmission of the disease to other persons, respectively.
Also, upon diagnosis of Hepatitis B, the person should refrain from taking any medications that he or she has been taking previously, unless otherwise specified by the attending physician. Encouraging the person to be active and maximize his potentials is a good way of diverting their depression. However, it should be considered that persons suffering from this chronic disease experiences fatigue easily.
Hepatitis B is a debilitating disease and as always, prevention is better than curing the disease. Hepa-B vaccines are a good way of making sure that a person would not acquire the said deadly disease.
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