Hepatitis C is a disease wherein one suffers from inflammation of the liver. It can be serious and fatal if timely treatment is not provided. In the initial stages, the people with hepatitis C do not usually perceive or show any symptoms, making it hard to diagnose the condition.

Typically, hepatitis C is usually caused by one strain of the hepatitis virus, other strains cause hepatitis A and hepatitis B. It can also be caused by infection, medication, toxins, and autoimmune reactions. The hepatitis C virus is considered the most serious one among all the hepatitis viruses.

Read on to understand the early warning signs of hepatitis C and its various methods of prevention.

Early warning signs of hepatitis C
It has been found that, in certain cases, patients develop hepatitis C symptoms within two weeks of the infection occurring. If you exhibit hepatitis C symptoms soon after getting the infection, you can experience various other symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, joint or muscle pain, abnormalities in urine or bowel movements, and yellowing of eyes or skin.

The early warning signs of hepatitis C usually become visible in around six or seven weeks of being infected.

Delayed symptoms of hepatitis C
According to various studies, more than 80% of patients do not experience any symptoms initially. Sometimes it can take from six months to ten months or more before someone with the condition becomes aware of its symptoms, by which time it may be too late. This is because the virus takes time to cause substantial damage to the liver. In such cases, the signs to look out for include fever, feeling tired all the time, and poor appetite.

Prevention methods for hepatitis C
While no one can guarantee complete immunity from the infection since there is no vaccine for it yet, taking certain precautionary measures may limit the chances of one developing the condition. However, this does not mean it isn’t crucial for one to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, since that is an option, unlike for hepatitis C. The following are some of the easiest ways to prevent getting infected with the disease.

• Ensure that you do not share or re-use any kind of injecting equipment. This not only includes needles but it also covers syringes, filters, spoons, swabs and tourniquets.
• Always avoid body tattooing or body piercing performed by those who are untrained and unregulated. Look out for sterile technique under sterile conditions. Most importantly, visit those premises only which are regularly inspected by environmental health officers. Before getting tattooed, ask if the equipment, ointments, dyes and dye pot surfaces are sterile or not. Do not hesitate to ask about sterilizing procedures they are adhering to.
• Make sure to cover any open sores, cuts or abrasions with waterproof dressings.