Signs and Symptoms of Hepatitis C

Key points

  • Many people with hepatitis C don't look or feel sick.
  • If people do have symptoms, they are usually mild.
  • Serious signs of liver damage might not show up for 20 years or more.
  • Testing is the best way for your doctor to diagnose hepatitis C.
A man standing by the sick in his kitchen while drinking a glass of water

Signs and symptoms

Hepatitis C can affect people differently.

Many people with hepatitis C do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. If symptoms occur with an acute infection, they can appear any time from 2 weeks to 6 months after exposure.

Symptoms of acute hepatitis C can include:

  • Dark urine or clay-colored stools
  • Feeling tired
  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea, stomach pain, throwing up
  • Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)

Symptoms of chronic hepatitis C can take decades to develop and are typically the same as those for acute infection.

Keep in mind‎

Even if you don't have any symptoms, you may still have hepatitis C and can pass the virus to someone else

Prevention & detection

There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. The best way to protect yourself is to avoid activities that can expose you to the virus — like sharing injection drug use equipment.

Keep Reading: Preventing Hepatitis C

When to talk to your doctor

If you are concerned you might have hepatitis C, you should talk to your doctor and get tested. Since many people don't experience symptoms, testing is the best way to diagnose hepatitis C.

Keep Reading: Hepatitis C Resources
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Content Source:
Division of Viral Hepatitis