Hepatitis C is a disease that contains an RNA virus. When it enters the human blood, destructive processes in the liver occur. They are severe and without special treatment can be fatal.
A patient with hepatitis C is a threat to others, as the disease is infectious. In order to protect yourself from infection, you need to study in detail how the virus is transmitted.
Unfortunately, the number of sick people on the entire planet is quite large. To date, more than 170 million. At risk are both women and men, but in the latter, the disease is much more complicated.
Description of Hepatitis C
Signs of hepatitis C in men can occur 1-4 months after infection. Such a long period of time is explained by the different flow rate. Doctors distinguish a long and light form. As a rule, viral hepatitis C develops gradually. Over time, new foci of inflammation may occur, subsequently the disease becomes severe, which as a result leads to cirrhosis of the liver.
RNA virus is transmitted through the blood. All people in contact with patients are at risk. They are strongly encouraged to study how hepatitis C is transmitted. Once in a healthy person, the virus begins to multiply, affecting liver cells. This leads to a violation of its functionality, and in the final result to complete destruction. Sometimes the incubation period can last up to six months.
The insidiousness of hepatitis C lies in its latent form. Cases were recorded when the disease for a long time did not show any signs. This is what significantly complicates the task for doctors, since hepatitis in neglected form is almost impossible to cure.
Symptoms in acute (initial) form
Hepatitis C in acute (initial) form has the following symptoms:
- a sharp breakdown;
- a feeling of constant weakness and drowsiness;
- fast fatiguability;
- pain in the joints;
- fever;
- digestive disorders, nausea, vomiting;
- the skin becomes icteric;
- a sharp increase in temperature (38 degrees and above);
- persistent bile taste in the mouth ;
- discomfort in the right hypochondrium, sometimes accompanied by pain.
In some patients in the initial stage of hepatitis C, severe headaches, decreased appetite, and skin itching were observed.
This disease is characterized by changes in the liver and spleen. These organs can significantly increase in size. Also, one of the clear signs of hepatitis is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. This symptom indicates severe violations and even cirrhosis.
Very often, the acute form becomes chronic, which can last for decades. With proper treatment, more than 30% of patients can hope for a full recovery.
Such symptoms are common to many diseases, so doctors do not recommend self-medication. Accurately diagnose hepatitis C is possible only after a comprehensive examination.
Signs of severe hepatitis
Symptoms of hepatitis C in men in fulminant form appear almost immediately. This species is quite rare, but very difficult. The spread of the virus is rapid, and after 10-14 days, the patient’s well-being worsens. There is a high risk of hepatic coma. General symptoms of the disease are very similar to the initial form, but they are expressed in a more severe form. Positive dynamics is observed only in 20% of patients.
Hepatitis C: chronic
One of the features of hepatitis C is the chronic form. During her state of remission can last from 10 years or more. As a rule, relapses and jaundice are observed only in 3% of patients. The only difficulty with this form is the constant mutation of the virus. This greatly complicates the task of the immune system, which tries to recognize damaged cells and destroy them. Due to constant changes, it is impossible to stop the reproduction of the virus, which deprives the patient of the possibility of full recovery.
Signs of chronic hepatitis C in men:
- sleep disturbance: drowsiness appears during the day, insomnia at night;
- the body ceases to withstand physical activity, even the smallest;
- decreased appetite;
- weakness and dizziness are felt;
- eating is often accompanied by vomiting and biliary belching.
Hepatitis C - a danger to men
This virus is not selective, both men and women are at risk. However, there is some peculiarity: the stronger sex carries this disease much harder. Also, signs of hepatitis C in men are diagnosed much more often. This is mainly explained quite simply: among them a larger percentage of those who abuse alcohol, violate sanitary and hygienic standards, and suffer from reduced immunity.
There is another important point that should not be forgotten: in the male body, the hormone estrogen is not produced at all. And this, in turn, leaves the liver unprotected.
In a chronic form, men can suffer:
- gynecomastia (breast enlargement);
- decreased potency;
- ejaculation disorder.
As a rule, all these signs lead to a violation of the mental state and cause prolonged depression.
Hepatitis C: liver treatment, drugs, methods
The main way to treat hepatitis C is to prescribe antiviral medications. They are accepted according to a certain pattern. Such treatment can last from 6 months to 1.5 years. The main determining factor in choosing a technique is the positive dynamics in therapy.
When choosing medications, priority is given to liver treatment. The drugs that are most often prescribed to patients belong to the antiviral group. The most effective complex treatment is the combination of "Ribavirin" with pegylated interferon (Aalgeron "," Pegasis ").
While taking these drugs, the patient is prescribed a regular examination. The first blood sampling is taken after 1 month. According to its results, doctors can predict the further behavior of the disease.
Preventative measures
So, having examined in detail all the signs of hepatitis C in men, we can draw a single conclusion - you need to protect yourself as much as possible from infection. What measures should be taken for this:
- injections should be done only with disposable syringes;
- give up bad habits, in particular, from alcohol and drugs;
- use only personal hygiene items (machines, toothbrush, etc.);
- during procedures in cosmetic and dental offices use only disposable instruments;
- protected sex.