via Women’s Medical Center July Newsletter
How much do you know about hepatitis?
More than 4 million people in the US have hepatitis, and most don’t even know it! Hepatitis causes two in every three liver cancer deaths.
Hepatitis is when your liver is inflamed, and it comes in many forms.
What does your liver DO?
The primary functions of your liver are to refine and detoxify everything you eat, breathe, and absorb through your skin. It’s your body’s internal chemical power plant, converting nutrients in the food you eat into muscles, energy, hormones, clotting factors and immune factors.
Your liver neutralizes and destroys poisonous substances and metabolizes alcohol. It helps you resist infection and removes bacteria from the blood stream, helping you to stay healthy.
Hepatitis comes in many forms
There are several different types of hepatitis, that are caused in different ways. The most common forms are Hep A, B, C and alcoholic hepatitis. To learn about the different types, their symptoms, and how to deal with them, click here for a slide show from WebMd.
The thing to remember is that hepatitis often doesn’t have symptoms in early stages, so the more you know whether you are at risk or not, the better off you will be.
If you are concerned about liver disease and how it may be impacted by COVID-19, click herefor a Q & A from the CDC that addresses Hepatitis A, B & C and how they may be impacted by the novel coronavirus.
If you have questions about hepatitis, set up an appointment with
your provider at 575.762.8055
