When a person has hepatitis C, they may not have symptoms for many years, even decades. When a person does have symptoms, the symptoms can be vague, so may not be connected to the hep C virus or liver problems. For both reasons, it is important that people get tested for the hepatitis C virus so they can be treated and cured!
Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Common symptoms of hepatitis C infection include [1]:
- Fatigue or extreme tiredness
- Muscle and joint pain
- Fever
- Stomach or gastrointestinal problems including loss of appetite (not feeling hungry), nausea (feeling sick), vomiting (throwing up), stomach pain, and diarrhea
- Dark yellow urine (pee) and light-coloured stools (poop)
- Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
Some of these symptoms are common to many types of viruses and infections, and some are more specific to the liver. Not everyone will experience all—or any!—of these symptoms of hepatitis C.
Treatment often resolves symptoms, can halt or prevent liver damage and lower risk of liver cancer. Treatment can also prevent symptoms from starting. Some people may never have symptoms of hepatitis C, but treating the virus is still important to prevent the virus from causing liver damage and causing a person to feel sick later.
Watch Hep C 101: Living with Hepatitis C
Extra-hepatic manifestations and symptoms
We also know people can experience hepatitis C symptoms that are different from those listed above, and some symptoms may continue after hepatitis C has been treated and cured. Sometimes, these symptoms are related to extra-hepatic manifestations of hepatitis C—or symptoms that appear unrelated to the liver.