Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Hepatitis C Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a liver infection thats spread through blood. It can be cured with treatment. But if left untreated, it can sometimes cause serious and potentially life-threatening damage to the liver over many years. Symptoms of hepatitis C Many people with hepatitis C wont have any symptoms until the liver has been significantly damaged. This means many people have the infection without knowing. Early symptoms (acute hepatitis C) Most people will not have symptoms during the first 6 months of a hepatitis C infection. This stage is known as acute hepatitis C. If symptoms do develop, they usually occur a few weeks after infection. Early symptoms may include: a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above tiredness loss of appetite abdominal pain feeling and being sick yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) Later symptoms (chronic hepatitis C) Symptoms can vary from person to person. They can also go away for long periods of time and then return. Later symptoms may include: feeling tired all the time joint and muscle aches and pain feeling sick brain fog  including problems with memory, concentration and mental tasks such as arithmetic mood swings depression or anxiety indigestion or bloating itchy skin abdominal pain When to get medical advice Speak to your GP practice if: you have symptoms of hepatitis C theres a risk youre infected with hepatitis C, even if you dont have symptoms The only way to know for certain if these symptoms are caused by hepatitis C is to get tested. Getting tested for hepatitis C You can get tested for hepatitis C at: your GP practice a sexual health clinic a drug treatment service most substance use recovery services Treatments for hepatitis C Treatment takes 8 to 12 weeks, and usually cures the infection. But you wont be immune to hepatitis C. So you should take steps to reduce your risk of becoming infected again. If the infection is diagnosed early (acute hepatitis), you may not need treatment straight away. Instead, you may have another blood test after a few months to see if your body fights off the virus itself. If the infection continues for several months (chronic hepatitis), treatment will usually be recommended. Things you can do yourself There are things you can do to stop liver damage and prevent the infection spreading to others before you start treatment. Do eat a healthy and balanced diet exercise regularly speak to your doctor if youre thinking of having a baby Dont do not drink alcohol do not smoke do not share toothbrushes, razors, needles or other injecting equipment with other people How is hepatitis C spread? You can become infected with hepatitis C if you come into contact with the blood of an infected person. Some ways the infection can be spread include: injecting drugs and sharing needles and other drug equipment, such as spoons and filters sharing toothbrushes, razors or scissors contaminated with infected blood from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby having sex with an infected person without using a condom  if your partner has hepatitis C, you should be tested if you had a blood transfusion in Scotland before September 1991, for example after a traffic accident or during childbirth, you may have been exposed to hepatitis C  all donor blood in Scotland has been screened for hepatitis C since September 1991 having a tattoo, body piercing, or medical or dental treatment with unsterilised equipment How to prevent hepatitis C Theres no vaccine for hepatitis C. There are things you can do to reduce your risk of becoming infected. Do use condoms when having anal sex, or sex with a new partner get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B if you inject drugs, use a fresh safe injecting kit (available from needle exchanges) every time you inject Dont do not share any drug-injecting equipment  including needles, syringes, spoons and filters do not share razors or toothbrushes The risk of getting hepatitis C through vaginal sex is very low. It may be higher if blood is present, such as period (menstrual) blood or from bleeding during anal sex. Complications of hepatitis C If left untreated for many years, hepatitis C can cause liver damage ( cirrhosis ). In severe cases, life-threatening problems such as liver failure or liver cancer can eventually develop. Early treatment of hepatitis C prevents these serious complications, while later treatment reduces the risk. Last updated: 19 December 2023 How can we improve this page? 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