Hepatitis C is not easy to diagnose since it is veiled under symptoms that could be mistaken for a flu or stomach bug. One may not notice something unusual until the condition has gone for too long. The time leading up to the appearance of symptoms lets the disease progress and fester, making the body weaker. Here we talk about some early signs of hepatitis C to look out for.

1. Loss of Appetite
Most viral infections leave no room or wish for any food intake, the same holds true for hepatitis C infections. Appetite loss is a common sign of being infected by the hepatitis C virus. This symptom can be observed in both acute as well as chronic hepatitis C.

2. Fever
If the patient has recently come in contact with and been infected by the hepatitis C virus, they might develop a mild fever. Although fever is a possible outcome most people do no show signs of temperature change immediately after contact with the virus. On the other hand, mild fever may also be a sign of chronic infections.

3. Fatigue
If the body is constantly engaged in fighting off an infection or an invasion by an antigen, it will possibly show signs of fatigue and exhaustion. One must make note of any changes in their eating or resting patterns. Some cases of sudden onset of insomnia are also related to liver diseases.

4. Nausea and Vomiting
When the liver isn’t functioning well, it is common for the patient to feel queasy. Such a feeling can tend to be persistent even when the patient hasn’t eaten anything substantial during the day. Sometimes nausea might last even without having had anything.

5. Joint Pain
Patients that have been infected by the hepatitis C virus often experience pain in their hands and wrists. The patients may experience major or minor joint pains.

6. Abdominal Pain
Sudden and prolonged inflammation of the liver often causes stretching of the outer layer of the liver. This inflammation results damages in the upper right part of the stomach. The pain caused by this damage is considered one of the common symptoms of acute hepatitis C.

7. Easy Bruising
When the liver is damaged, it tends to hand on to the platelets when backing up blood to the spleen. This decrease in the platelets found in the blood results in poor clotting function of blood, which means easy bruising. Easy bruising is often considered an early warning sign of hepatitis C.

8. Dark Urine
The color of a person’s urine is often indicative of their health. People who are passing urine that is darker in color and looks more black than yellow or straw-colored should consult their doctor. Dark or blackish urine is a symptom of hepatitis c infection among few other diseases. The change in color is caused by the increased levels of bilirubin found in the urine.