What happens if hepatitis B is not treated?

Hepatitis B affects the liver, and some people have few symptoms while inflammation continues. When symptoms occur, they may include fatigue, dark urine or jaundice. Persistent inflammation can gradually replace healthy liver tissue with scar tissue, reducing the liver’s ability to perform its normal work. Advanced disease may involve liver failure or other serious complications.

A liver function test is one part of assessment. A clinician may also consider the infection’s activity, liver condition, medicines and other health factors before recommending observation or treatment. The right plan can change over time, so follow-up matters even when you feel well.

If hepatitis B is known or suspected, arrange medical review rather than waiting for symptoms. Keep scheduled blood tests and appointments, avoid alcohol, and ask before taking medicines or supplements that may affect the liver. Do not share razors, toothbrushes or needles, and discuss testing and hepatitis B vaccination with household or sexual contacts. Take any prescribed treatment consistently and report side effects.

Seek urgent help for confusion, extreme sleepiness, vomiting blood, black stools, severe abdominal swelling, sudden severe pain, collapse or rapidly worsening jaundice. Contact a clinician promptly for new dark urine, marked fatigue or loss of appetite, particularly if these symptoms are increasing.

Ask whether the infection is active, which liver tests and follow-up checks are needed, how alcohol and medicines affect your liver, and whether treatment is recommended now. Ask how to protect close contacts and whether they should receive hepatitis B vaccination.