Let’s get to the bottom of hepatitis C

The common people in our country believed that unhygienic conditions lead to the development and spread of hepatitis C. The reality is far from it. No doubt unhygienic conditions lead to many a disease or infection but not hepatitis C. The cases of this disease are on the increase in the hygiene-conscious developed countries.

While only patients often show a keen interest in the knowledge of treatment, everybody ought to know about the causes of the disease to take preventive measures in time. The discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1989 was considered a major breakthrough. Then a race began among all pharmaceutical companies to beat one another out in finding a vaccine or a lasting cure for this disease. This race continues till todate.

Recently a team of medical researchers, while trying to get to the bottom of the rapid spread of the hepatitis C all over the world, came across a strange discovery. They found striking similarity between the symptoms experienced by the hepatitis C patients and the side-effects of the antibiotics. They dug out a strong link between the extensive usage of antibiotics and the spread of hepatitis C disease. They also observed that patients with a history of constant use of antibiotics for a long time are more prone to develop the chronic form of the disease.

Antibiotics are drugs used to treat infections caused mainly by bacteria. Even when properly administered, antibiotics weaken the immune system by altering the body’s natural bacterial balance.

The first antibiotics were prescribed in the late 1930s. They were hailed as the magic bullet that would put an end to the threat of infectious diseases. In 1969 the US Surgeon General said, “The war against infectious diseases has been won.” This impression was, however, proved erroneous as in the last few decades we faced an alarming increase in cases of bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics. This is because bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics, so there is a continuous search for new and effective antibacterial agents.

The hepatitis C virus is spread by contact with an infected person’s blood. But not all who get the infected blood develop the chronic hepatitis. Most of the young, healthy and strong persons successfully resist against the virus. This means that weak defence mechanism along with other factors contributes to the development of the chronic form of this disease.

In homeopathy great emphasis is laid on strengthening the immune system of the body. People are now gradually becoming aware of the dangerous side-effects of the antibiotics. The number of patients using homeopathic medicines to strengthen their own immune defences is increasing day by day. Only those who have a strong defence mechanism are, by the grace of Allah, safe from hepatitis C in the real sense.

Dr Asghar Ali Shah

Homeopathic Physician

dr_asghar_shah@yahoo.com