Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that can range in severity and duration from mild and acute to severe and chronic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that hepatitis C is usually transmitted between people via needle sharing or when the blood of an infected individual enters the body of a non-infected individual. Herbal support -- the used of herbal remedies to help heal your ailment -- may be a helpful method for treating your hepatitis C. Ask your doctor about the risks and limitations associated with herbal medicines.
Hepatitis C Information
Of the various hepatitis viruses that affect humans, the Mayo Clinic notes, hepatitis C is considered among the most severe. Hepatitis C is an infection that occurs when your liver is attacked by a virus, which leads to inflammation. In most cases, if you have hepatitis C you will not experience any symptoms, although this condition may cause fatigue, nausea, fever, reduced appetite, muscle and joint pains, and upper right quadrant abdominal tenderness. Health care workers exposed to blood have a greater risk of developing this condition.
Herbal Support
Herbal support for hepatitis C is intended to protect or restore the functioning of your liver and prevent long-term health complications associated with this condition. Phyllis A. Balch, a nutrition expert and author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," reports that turmeric is helpful for this condition due to its potent anti-inflammatory effects, while artichoke is helpful in enhancing your liver functioning. Fumitory, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, may strengthen your liver, while burdock root and dandelion root may help detoxify your liver. Some herbs used in treating hepatitis C may require further scientific study to validate their use.
Featured Remedy
Artichoke, also known as globe artichoke, is an herbal remedy that may be beneficial in treating your hepatitis. In his book "Plant Medicine in Practice," herbalist and and naturopathic physician William A. Mitchell Jr. states that the dried or fresh leaves of the artichoke plant contain medicinal ingredients that are effective hepatic, or liver, antioxidants. Artichoke, Mitchell notes, is used in treating diseased or degenerated livers, and it may also be helpful in treating various gallbladder disorders.
Additional Information
Hepatitis C may cause serious health problems, although the National Center for Biotechnology Information states that the likelihood of eliminating the hepatitis C virus from your blood -- using appropriate treatment measures -- is greater than 90 percent for some individuals. Even if the virus survives the treatment, effective care can significantly reduce your chances of developing injurious liver disease. Herbal support may be a helpful adjunct therapy in treating hepatitis C, but it should not supplant other treatment measures recommended by your physician.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Hepatitis C Information
- MayoClinic.com: Hepatitis C
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2010
- "Plant Medicine in Practice"; William A. Mitchell Jr., N.D.; 2003
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Hepatitis C
