With so many different health conditions out there, it’s not uncommon for some of them to slip through the cracks. That’s what makes awareness days so important — such as this one. The 28th is World Hepatitis Day, and brings our attention to a global health concern impacting more and more daily. Recognition is critical, and that makes this the perfect opportunity to educate everyone a little bit about hepatitis. Below, you’ll learn about what it is, the different types of hepatitis, and how liver testing, among other types of health tests, including blood tests, can be your best approach to a healthy life.
Why is World Hepatitis Day important?
While hepatitis itself is widespread in specific communities, its awareness is not. Since this is considered a significant health issue in the UK, it is time to learn about hepatitis and how to prevent, treat, and live with it.
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis, in all of its forms, is when the liver gets inflamed, impacting its function and health. There are quite a few types of hepatitis, as we will discuss, and its cause comes from different areas, depending on your type. It will usually be a viral infection, liver damage due to alcohol consumption, or an autoimmune response. We’ll talk about all of those in more detail below.
Regardless of your type, keeping on top of your health is essential for screening and adjusting your health as needed. This is why getting allergy and intolerance testing and more specialised testing, such as a blood test, is a recommended health plan to get a complete picture of what is happening.
What are the different types of hepatitis?
There are seven main hepatitis types to know about and understand. Quite a few are similar regarding contamination but must be diagnosed so that specialists can properly treat it and monitor you for complications, etc.
Hepatitis A
This kind of hepatitis is caused by eating or drinking something contaminated with the poo of a person infected with hepatitis A. Of course, that sounds rather disgusting, but it can happen easily in certain situations.
Hepatitis B
This is the most common type of hepatitis worldwide. This is spread through blood-to-blood contact, specifically from someone infected with hepatitis B. The most common transference is between mother and child during pregnancy.
Hepatitis C
This type of hepatitis is most often transferred through sharing drug needles and other medical supplies. This is the most common type of hepatitis in the UK, partially because it rarely has noticeable symptoms. Most don’t even realise they have it, making liver testing an essential starting point to know what’s happening.
Hepatitis D
Often spread through blood-to-blood contact, hepatitis D only affects people with hepatitis B. You cannot have hepatitis D without hepatitis B. Not all those with hepatitis B contract hepatitis D.
Hepatitis E
In the UK, this is the most common cause of short-term hepatitis. It is easy to treat and often done in the UK. It is contracted if you eat raw or undercooked pork meat.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
As you might be able to guess, this kind of hepatitis is specific to those who have consumed too much alcohol over the years. This consumption causes their liver to become overworked. This is common in the UK. If you drink heavily, liver testing is recommended to catch a potential issue before it gets too advanced. Over time, unchecked liver damage can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
Autoimmune Hepatitis
You aren’t alone if you have never heard of this one. This is a rare autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and damages the liver.
Symptoms of hepatitis
As you read above, some forms of hepatitis will have symptoms, and others will not. Some of the most common symptoms reported include the following:
- Muscle and joint pain
- Fatigue
- Dark wee
- Pale poos
- Jaundice
These symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe. One concern with hepatitis symptoms is that they can be attributed to other health conditions or life in general. Specifically, some of these symptoms can also be a food allergy or intolerance. This means that allergy and intolerance testing and liver testing are solid choices for figuring out what is and isn’t happening in your body. Personalised test results are always a good starting point, after all.
Understanding hepatitis on World Hepatitis Day
Generally, liver issues are common in the world. Whether from a poor diet, alcohol consumption, or predisposition, the liver needs a lot of TLC. Maintaining your health profile should include regular visits to your GP and a healthy lifestyle.
Eating a well-balanced diet is a helpful way to reduce the risk of liver disease. Plenty of resources are available online for a liver diet and additional care for personalised liver care and attention. This is a good idea for preventative care and after a hepatitis diagnosis. Remember that changing your diet to new foods can also introduce another potential issue that may cause reactions such as food intolerances or allergies. If you plan on making a diet change, consider doing allergy and intolerance testing to have a blank slate on what you can and cannot eat or drink. Your GP and a dietician can help you put these test results to work, too.
Since World Hepatitis Day is fast approaching, why not use this as the perfect opportunity to do a liver check? Ask about how your liver is doing and how to care for yourself for the best liver protection. The more you know, the more you can protect yourself. Do your part to raise hepatitis awareness.
