Hepatitis C is one of the three types of Hepatitis viruses, resulting in inflammation of the liver. It is the most serious of all three. Hepatitis C can be acute or chronic, depending on how long the symptoms last. The acute condition can develop into chronic hepatitis if left untreated, so it is crucial to be aware of the symptoms.  The following are the early symptoms of hepatitis C.

1. Fever
Like any other infection, one of the first signs of hepatitis C is fever. When your body perceives an external threat in the form of a virus, bacteria, or any other dangerous foreign substance, it affects the white blood cells. These cells work best at a temperature slightly higher than body temperature. Thus, the body itself produces a fever when infected with hepatitis C. Being generic to many diseases, fever is an early symptom and can get easily ignored.

2. Fatigue
Along with fever, an active immune system also brings about fatigue. The human body is intelligent in allocating resources, ensuring that most energy is sent to the immune system to fight the infection effectively. It can make you tired and exhausted. Doctors often encourage people with infections to rest. But be sure to consult a specialist if you think you might have contracted the hepatitis C virus.

3. Jaundice
Hepatitis is a disease of the liver. So it is no surprise that hepatitis C causes jaundice. This disease refers to the yellowing of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in the body. This is typical because of higher bilirubin levels, the pigment that makes the bile appear yellow-orange. While jaundice, on its own, is harmless, it is typically an indicator of something serious like hepatitis, tumors, or gallstones.

4. Stomach pain
The liver lies in the abdomen and is a part of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). So symptoms related to digestion are no surprise. Damage to liver cells triggers inflammation in the gut and can give rise to discomfort and pain. In over 60% of people with hepatitis C, hepatomegaly or enlargement of the liver is common, and it is also a cause of pain in the region.

5. Inflammation
While inflammation can be related to your immune response like fever, inadequate albumin production by a liver damaged by hepatitis C can also cause the buildup of fluids. This fluid buildup, along with an enlarged liver, can cause nausea and vomiting along with a noticeable reduction in appetite.

6. Abnormal stools
When the GI tract is affected, one of the consequences is immediately noticeable in the stools. Many people do not know that bile salts from the liver give stools the standard brown color. Along with jaundice, abnormal bile production can result in the stools turning “clay-colored” or more yellow than usual.

7. Dark urine
Hepatitis infection spreads through blood, not just from person to person, but also within a person, from organ to organ. Hepatitis C can travel to the kidneys and impair their functioning as well. The direct consequence will be the inability to process and filter fluids, typically resulting in dark urine.