Treatment Options

Helping Yourself

For individuals who already have hepatitis B, the following tips can be helpful:

• See the doctor regularly so that progress can be closely monitored. Follow the doctor's advice for taking medications to treat symptoms.
• Get plenty of bed rest until fever disappears and jaundice (yellow coloration of skin and eyes) fades away. Be sure to check with the health care provider about how much bed rest will be needed.
• Avoid becoming too active during the first few months as symptoms start to improve.
• Eat small, balanced meals. Try to include green and yellow vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, and carrots, which contain nutrients that benefit the liver. If nausea becomes a problem, taking hard candy, juice, or lightly carbonated beverages may help. Dividing large meals into several smaller snacks that are eaten throughout the day helps control nausea for some individuals.
• Check with a doctor or health care provider before taking any medication, including over-the-counter products, vitamins, or herbal supplements.
• Do not drink alcohol.

To prevent the spread of hepatitis B to others, an infected individual should take the following precautions:

• Avoid sexual intercourse until a doctor confirms that the infectious period has passed. Use latex condom correctly for every sex encounter (even if the infectious period is thought to be over).
• Do not share anything that may have blood on it, including toothbrushes, razors, needles, or syringes.
• Make sure all of the individuals, especially sexual partners of the individual infected with HBV, in the household get the hepatitis B vaccine.
• Use a disinfectant to clean up any bloodstains.

Although it is necessary to take precautions, it is also important to know that HBV CANNOT be spread to others by the following actions:

• Breast-feeding
• Casual contact (such as the workplace)
• Coughing
• Eating food or drinking water
• Hugging
• Kissing
• Sharing a glass or eating utensil
• Sneezing

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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.