Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Although some people who get hepatitis C only have it for a short time (up to 6 months on average) and then improve on their own, many people who get diagnosed with hepatitis C will go on to develop chronic hepatitis C. In all but acute cases, hepatitis C doesn’t go away without treatment.

It can take time for chronic hepatitis C to cause serious symptoms. Often when the serious symptoms — dark urine, yellow skin and eyes, stomach pain — surface, it’s a sign of liver cancer or cirrhosis.

Because of this, it’s not wise to delay treatment. Starting treatment early may lower your risk of developing complications from the illness, including liver scarring and liver cancer.

Read on to learn why it’s important to start treatment as soon as possible after being diagnosed with this condition.

Thanks to recent breakthroughs in treatment, antiviral medications can cure more than 90% of cases of hepatitis C. There’s no vaccine for hepatitis C. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs, is the best way to prevent hepatitis C.

The newer generations of antiviral medications are more effective at curing hepatitis C infections than earlier treatments, however. Newer medications tend to require shorter courses of treatment than older options. They also tend to cause fewer side effects.

What does all this mean? There are fewer reasons than ever to delay treatment if your test reveals you have hepatitis C.

There are multiple medications available to treat hepatitis C. Most courses of treatment take 8–24 weeks to complete, according to the American Liver Foundation.

One course of antiviral treatment might be enough to clear the virus from your body and cure the infection. But in some cases, people need two or more courses of treatment.

In a minority of people, the first course of treatment won’t be successful, and their healthcare professional will likely prescribe another course with different medications.

Starting treatment early helps prevent liver damage.

Hepatitis C causes damage to your liver. Over time, this damage can cause a type of scarring known as cirrhosis. Within 15–25 years of developing hepatitis C, an estimated 15–30% of people develop cirrhosis.

The more advanced cirrhosis becomes, the harder it will be for your liver to process nutrients and remove waste products from your body. Late-stage cirrhosis can cause serious health problems, such as:

  • high blood pressure in the veins that supply blood to your liver
  • burst veins and bleeding in your esophagus and stomach
  • buildup of fluid in your legs and abdomen
  • buildup of toxins in your brain
  • enlargement of your spleen
  • malnutrition and weight loss
  • increased risk of infection
  • increased risk of liver cancer
  • liver failure

After cirrhosis develops, it may not be possible to reverse it. That’s why it’s so important to take steps to prevent it. Early treatment for hepatitis C may help prevent or limit the development of cirrhosis, lowering your risk of developing liver cancer, liver failure, and other complications.

The longer you wait to begin treatment, the longer the virus has to cause potentially life threatening damage to your liver.

In 2019, approximately 290,000 people with hepatitis-C-related illnesses, including cirrhosis and primary liver cancer, died, according to the World Health Organization.

Getting early treatment may help prevent life threatening complications, which might add years to your life. Preventing complications can also help you enjoy a better quality of life for longer.

Hepatitis C is transmitted from one person to another through blood-to-blood contact. Today, the most common routes of transmission include:

  • being born to a mother with hepatitis C
  • sharing needles or syringes that have been used to inject recreational drugs
  • being accidentally stuck with a used needle while working as a healthcare professional

Although it’s less common, hepatitis C can also be passed through:

  • sexual contact
  • sharing personal care products, such as razors or toothbrushes
  • getting body piercings or tattoos in unregulated settings

Hepatitis C is not transmitted through:

  • breast milk
  • sharing food or water
  • casual contact, including hugging or kissing

If you have hepatitis C, there are steps you can take to lower your risk of transmitting the virus to other people. In addition to practicing protective strategies, early treatment may help.

After the infection is cured, it can’t be transmitted to other people.

In some cases, your healthcare professional might encourage you to delay treatment for hepatitis C. If you’re pregnant, for example, they might advise you to wait until you’ve given birth to reduce the risk of birth defects from antiviral medications.

In most cases, starting treatment right away may be the best choice you can make for your health. Talk with your clinician to learn more about your treatment options and the potential benefits of starting treatment early.