Cause for Concern?More serious than you think. There is no serum against Hepatitis C. AWARENESS is key.
We encourage you to read this information even if you don't have hepatitis, just to be educated on the subject.... See info on body piercing below, farther down on this page.
HOW IT IS SPREAD
The Hepatitis C virus can be avoided. (This is where awareness and getting the facts helps us all.)
Hepatitis C is not spread by casual contact, it IS spread through contact with contaminated blood. We should always practice safe sex and never share objects such as needles, razors, toothbrushes, combs/brushes, nail files, and clippers. When getting a manicure, tattoo, or body piercing, make sure sterile instruments are used.
KNOWLEDGE is POWER. •••••
Hepatitis (A,B,&C) is a disease characterized by inflammation of the liver which can lead to serious, permanent liver damage. >>>We are, in this website, focusing on the 'C' virus.
"One of the big problems we have with public awareness of hepatitis C is that it is often confused with other forms of hepatitis that are preventable and not as deadly....." Excerpt from Statement of C. Everett Koop.
Another message from Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General: "...And unless we do something about it soon, it will kill more people than AIDS." [source: www.epidemic.org]
Most people who get Hepatitis C have no recognizable signs or symptoms. You can feel and appear perfectly healthy yet still be infected with the disease--and infect others. Symptoms show up late in the disease process. The only way Hepatitis C can be positively identified is through blood tests.
Hepatitis C develops into a chronic infection and if left untreated can result in cirrhosis, liver cancer, or even liver failure. Liver failure due to chronic Hepatitis C infection is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.
PLEASE NOTE ... in regard to BODY PIERCING••••• ... While earlobes are still generally safe, piercing eyebrows, lips, nipples, noses and genitalia all carry special health hazards. These range from exposure to HIV to forms of hepatitis carried by improperly sterilized piercing instruments. Plus, the body's own bacteria can get into bleeding wounds caused by the piercing. --Also be cautious if you are planning to get a tattoo. Be safe ...it is up to you to be wise.
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You can see how important it is to pay special attention to this disease, since everything we eat, breathe and absorb through our skin must be refined and detoxified by the liver.
It's been known since ancient times that a damaged liver can grow back to its full size, or close to it. However, some diseases, including certain forms of hepatitis, can harm the liver and completely destroy it if they aren't treated properly.
Beware of booze (damages liver, among other things).
CLICK on the "For Everybody" Related Link, a little further down on this page, to learn more about Hepatitis C, and to read about our friend's struggles and triumphs with this disease. There is lots of info at that location to help EDUCATE. Also info about organ donation.
A quick word about organ donation. Realize the IMPORTANCE of informing at least 2 family members and/or friends of your intention to become an organ donor (besides having it marked on your drivers license) for several reasons: to ease their burden/fears regarding your final wishes; to make certain your choice is honored; and to increase -their- awareness and ask them to further spread the word about this good cause.
^^Decisions made by the family (regarding organ donation) seem to override the notation on your drivers license, so please (even though it may seem difficult) please bring up the subject with your family and share your wishes to become an organ donor.
There is no vaccine yet for Hepatitis C. Research is always in progress and doctors have a few treatments to slow it down. Hepatitis C exists as many strains and mutates quickly. Hence the difficulty of discovering a vaccine that can protect against more than one strain of Hepatitis C at once.
All the more reason to GET MORE INFORMATION and BE SAFE.
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Related Links (off-site):
For Everybody - Hepatitis C, a personal story. Included are important and informative resource links regarding this condition and organ donation. Also, brief descriptions of Hepatitis A & B.
to everyone everywhere*Designed by SoftEz, ©99-2008