Hepatitis

You may be surprised to learn that medical marijuana fights hepatitis by reducing inflammation and slowing the infection. It can also ease the abdominal pain you may have due to hepatitis. The skilled Kaya Life team in Gulfport, Mississippi, can certify you have hepatitis and qualify you to apply for your Mississippi medical cannabis card, giving you access to this innovative treatment. Call Kaya Life or request an appointment online today to learn more.

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an inflamed liver. The inflammation often develops due to a viral infection, but excessive alcohol use, autoimmune diseases, drugs, and toxins can also cause hepatitis.

Hepatitis A, B, and C are the most common of the five hepatitis viruses:

Hepatitis A

The hepatitis A virus comes from blood and feces, often passing through contaminated food. The body’s immune system typically clears hepatitis A, so it seldom causes an infection.

Hepatitis B

You pick up the hepatitis B virus by touching contaminated body fluids like saliva and blood. If your immune system doesn’t clear the virus, it causes liver inflammation and damage.

Hepatitis C

You get the hepatitis C virus if you come into contact with contaminated blood. The risk of getting hepatitis C rises if you:

Have HIV
Share needles when injecting drugs
Work in health care and handle needles
Get a tattoo or body piercing in an unsanitary environment
Were born between 1945 and 1965
Had a blood transfusion before 1992
Received clotting factor before 1987
Undergo hemodialysis

Like hepatitis B, your immune system may or may not eliminate the hepatitis C virus. It causes progressive liver damage if it’s not cleared.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis?

Symptoms only appear after inflammation damages the liver and you gradually lose liver function. Then, liver disease causes:

Fatigue
Abdominal pain
Jaundice (yellow discoloration of your skin and eyes)
Bleeding or bruising easily
Dark-colored urine
Itchy skin
Nausea
Abdominal bloating (due to a fluid buildup)
Confusion, drowsiness, slurred speech

Without treatment, hepatitis progresses to cause cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

How is hepatitis treated?

Vaccinations can prevent hepatitis A and B. There isn’t a vaccination for hepatitis C, but highly effective antiviral medications are available to treat it.

The challenge is that most people don’t know they have the hepatitis C virus until they have irreparable liver damage.

How does medical marijuana help hepatitis?

Marijuana reduces inflammation and prevents or slows the progression of hepatitis C. Additionally, a 2024 study reported that cannabidiol (CBD), the active ingredient in marijuana, may stop the hepatitis C virus from reproducing and spreading.

You can get medical marijuana for hepatitis with an exam and certification from the Kaya Life team. Call the office or request an appointment online today if you have questions or want to learn more about how it works.