Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can result in liver inflammation and other chronic damage. Previously, its treatment required oral medications and weekly injections, which several HCV-infected people could not take. However, this has changed now and the condition can be cured more easily. For that, it is recommended to be aware of the signs and symptoms of hepatitis C.

Common signs
Generally, there are no signs and symptoms of hepatitis C.As a matter of fact, approximately fifty percent of people with the disease might not even know that they are infected. There are only minor issues in people who do get some symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue. Unfortunately, these are often disregarded because they might occur due to an umpteen number of reasons, such as intense workout or anything in general. Since these signs are so ubiquitous, people usually miss them, and it is only a rare possibility that you might associate them with hepatitis C.

Other signs

1. Weight loss
Weight loss might occur because of an array of different side effects of HCV infection in the body. Fatigue, vomiting, and nausea can directly impact your diet and may reduce the amount of food you consume. Further, as your liver is impaired, it might not be fit enough to produce the vital fats and proteins, which ensure the body absorbs or digests the food you eat. This can result in malnutrition or diarrhea whenever you eat.

2. Clay-colored stools
If your liver is impaired, it fails to transfer bilirubin, which is a substance that gives the stools its brown color. So, this is the reason for the discoloration in the excretion.

3. Dark-colored urine
As the liver is responsible for proper digestion of your food, bilirubin in the organ leads to dark-colored pee.

4. Itchy skin
As an outcome of hepatitis C, your liver might be damaged, resulting in bile salt accumulating on the skin and causing itchiness.

5. Jaundice eyes or skin
With the bilirubin build-up, the white hue of the eye and the skin may start looking pale yellow.

6. Fever or fatigue
Fever might appear in the later stages, too, and as the body tries to fight the infection. This might then lead to fatigue.

7. Stomach swelling or pain
Hepatitis C might lead to pain or swelling in the upper part of the abdomen.

8. Slurred speech and confusion
When liver disease aggravates, it might result in toxin accumulation in the brain. Consequently, it might be hard for you to think clearly or communicate.

9. Swelling in the legs
One of the signs and symptoms of hepatitis C, fluid retention in the legs might lead to swelling.

10. Spider-like blood vessels on the skin
The spider-like veins appear when you have an excess of estrogen in the body. This is prevalent in all liver diseases.

11. Bruising and bleeding easily
When the liver is damaged, it may not produce adequate clotting proteins, resulting in bleeding or bruising easily.