6. Joint Pains: The Unexpected Visitors with Hepatitis C
At first glance, one wouldn’t connect joint pains to a liver ailment. Yet, in the perplexing realm of Hepatitis C, joint pains emerge as one of the poignant symptoms. The pains are often migratory, flitting from one joint to another, causing discomfort that’s both baffling and distressing.
The science behind this is intriguing. Hepatitis C can sometimes trigger autoimmune reactions. The body, in its bid to combat the virus, mistakenly targets its tissues, including the joints. This self-inflicted damage manifests as pain, swelling, and sometimes even redness in the affected areas.
These aren’t your everyday aches either. They can be so pronounced that they’re mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis. Individuals often recount mornings when their joints feel stiff, needing a bit of ‘warming up’ before they get going. The aches have a way of waxing and waning, peaking sometimes post exertion or during colder days. (6)
