Hepatitis means an inflammation of the liver. The liver becomes inflamed usually as a result of infection by a virus. One of these viruses is the hepatitis C virus. According to the NIH, about four million people in the United States are infected with hepatitis C at any given time. Hepatitis C can cause symptoms as a result of its infection process and as it damages the liver.
Flu-like Symptoms
Because hepatitis C is caused by a viral infection, many of its earliest symptoms are very similar to those caused by other viruses, such as the flu. Consequently, the initial symptoms of hepatitis C are fever, chills, nausea and stomach pain. Because hepatitis C tends to affect the liver, the abdominal pain may be localized on the right side of the body because the liver may become inflamed and tender. This may also cause the liver to get bigger and palpable with minimal pressure on the right side of the abdomen.
Jaundice
As hepatitis C progresses, the liver can become damaged. This leads to higher-than-normal amounts of a protein called bilirubin being released into the blood. Bilirubin in the blood can lead to a condition known as jaundice, causing the skin and the whites of the eyes to develop a distinctive yellow hue. This yellowing color is a sign of severe liver damage.
Liver Failure
When hepatitis C progresses into its final stages, the liver becomes severely damaged, leading to cirrhosis of the liver. This causes severe liver dysfunction. Because one of the functions of the liver is to create the proteins that lead to blood clotting, patients with liver cirrhosis will have a tendency to bleed as their blood does not clot properly. The liver's other main function is to eliminate toxins from the blood. If the liver fails as a result of cirrhosis, toxins will build up in the blood, which can lead to a coma or, ultimately, death.
