Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver, which can often lead to serious and severe liver damage. The HCV, or hepatitis C virus, is spread by means of contaminated blood. Chronic hepatitis C can be cured today with oral medications taken daily for six months. The symptoms of this viral disease may take up to ten years or longer to appear, so many people with the virus may not be aware that they have been infected with it.

Anyone with a high risk of having Hep C should take a one time blood test. This is a recommendation of the CDC. These are some common symptoms of hepatitis C:

1. Fatigue and sore muscles
Being tired for seemingly no reason, and muscle aches are generally a sign of the hepatitis C virus. Chronic hepatitis C is a long term infection for many years, and is referred to as the silent infection. Normally, people will go through their daily routines, but with sore muscles with no apparent cause.

2. Poor appetite
This symptom can be associated with various other illnesses, but it is also a sign of the hepatitis C virus. Poor appetite usually results in poor nutrition and weight loss. The person with Hep C may eat junk foods to help satisfy a hunger, but this is not a good healthy choice. This sign may also be overlooked for Hep C.

3. Itchy skin
This hep C virus HCV symptom may be diagnosed as dry skin from dehydration, or some other dermatological issue. Many people within a certain age range will receive hepatitis C blood testing when they visit their doctor. This is a one time screening that can answer many questions about the presence of the HCV hepatitis C virus.

4. Dark urine
Dark colored urine usually indicates that there is a problem that pertains to one of the organs in the body that filters urine and waste. This symptom should be reported to a doctor to further diagnose the reason for the discoloration.

5. Nausea, fever, and jaundice
These are symptoms of the acute phase of hepatitis C that usually appear from one to three months after being exposed to the virus. This phase of the chronic hepatitis C infection is typically not diagnosed because symptoms are rarely seen at this stage. When these symptoms do appear, nausea, fever, jaundice, fever, and muscle pain are the signs that occur.

6. Stomach pain
Stomach pain and other gastrointestinal issues may occur with the presence of the hepatitis C virus. The nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and sometimes irritable bowel syndrome will contribute to the stomach pain as it relates to the hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C can remain dormant for a number of years even after it has been diagnosed. Some people will not experience any symptoms for these years, and will only know that they have Hep C because their doctor has tested them for it. Older adults, or baby boomers, are the demographic group that is most commonly diagnosed with the virus. It seems that there are symptoms for no specific reason, consult your doctor for a Hep C screening blood test.