4 Ways to Identify Hepatitis B Symptoms

1. Review Recent Risky Behaviors

When diagnosing hepatitis B, doctors frequently start by asking questions about recent behaviors that may have put a person at risk for the virus. Such behaviors include unprotected sexual activity, sharing needles for drugs or getting a tattoo with unsterilized needles. In addition, the doctor may ask if you've had acupuncture or a piercing recently. While neither of these activities is dangerous, they can put you at risk for hepatitis B, if the practitioner didn't use sterilized equipment. Finally, the doctor may look into your blood transfusion history. People who've had blood transfusions in countries where blood isn't screened, are at greater risk for contracting hepatitis B.

2. The Acute Form of Hepatitis B

Approximately half of all patients who receive hepatitis B diagnoses don't experience any symptoms. The other half of people experience symptoms within 30 to 180 days after initial exposure to the virus. A wide range of symptoms may appear. Presentation varies from one individual to another. Often, hepatitis B patients report experiencing flu-like symptoms. These symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. In addition, a person may experience difficulty focusing, headache, irritability, pale stools and darkened urine. Doctors determine the official diagnosis using the hepatitis B surface antigen blood test. After 6 months, the person develops antibodies against the disease and begins to heal.

3. When Hepatitis B Becomes Chronic

Some people struggle to fight off the hepatitis B virus. In these cases, chronic hepatitis B develops with continuous symptoms. It also leads to an increased risk for developing cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. Doctors conduct blood tests to look for antibodies; however, if the person has chronic hepatitis B, antibodies won't present. Additional tests used to confirm the diagnosis and degree of chronic hepatitis B include ultrasound and liver biopsy.

4. Rapidly Developing Form of Hepatitis

Fulminant hepatitis is a unique type of acute hepatitis that rarely affects people. However, when this virus strikes, it comes on rapidly and intensely. The onset is so rapid that it may cause a person to suddenly collapse from complete exhaustion. Changes in mood frequently accompany the extreme fatigue and sleepiness. Sometimes people experience extreme changes in their mental state that manifest through hallucinations. Jaundice and a swollen abdomen may also appear.