Symptoms
The main danger [1] of this form of hepatitis lies in the difficult diagnosis at an early stage. The reason for this is the complete absence of symptoms or their meager, insignificant manifestation. The patient for a long time may not present any complaints or not pay due attention to them due to their low intensity. In addition, such symptoms [2] are “disguised” as signs of other diseases, such as a rise in temperature with a cold or general malaise with a sudden change in weather. Patients may experience:
● increased sweating (especially at night);
● increased body temperature chills;
● arthralgia (aches, joint pains);
● loss of appetite and nausea (up to disgust for food);
● heaviness in the epigastric region;
● soreness in the right hypochondrium (due to stagnation of bile or inflammation of the gallbladder);
● Instability to sustain concentration, distraction;
● easily fatigued;
● spider veins, itching, rash;
● digestive disorders (constipation, diarrhea);
● light-colored stools, discolored stool;
● dark urine;
● moderate increase in liver size;
● General weakness, dizziness.
All of the above signs do not always appear together, but separately. In some cases, the skin becomes yellowish (jaundice), which quickly passes. In the later stages of liver damage [3], the development of encephalopathy, ascites (dropsy, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity), and hemorrhages due to portal hypertension is possible.