Hepatitis

Overview

Hepatitis means an inflammation of the liver. Inflammation causes painful, red swelling and occurs when tissues become injured or infected. The inflammation can cause organs to not function properly.

There are different kinds of hepatitis.

Hepatitis A usually gets better within a few weeks without treatment. Usually, getting lots of rest and avoiding alcohol will be sufficient, but if symptoms persist you should see a doctor.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are usually not treated unless they become chronic. If chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C causes liver failure, a liver transplant may become necessary.

Applicable Procedures

Liver Biopsy

What are the different types of hepatitis?

Hepatitis A is contagious and is caused by a viral infection. It typically results in a mild illness lasting a few weeks, but some cases may be severe and persist for months. People contract hepatitis A by coming consuming a food or beverage contaminated by an infected person’s fecal matter. Hepatitis B is also a viral infection, and it can be mild or chronic. Chronic cases can lead to liver cancer or liver failure and be life-threatening. The hepatitis B virus is spread through contact with blood, body fluid, or open sores from someone with the virus. Finally, hepatitis C is also caused by a virus, and it can lead to serious liver damage. Most people who contract hepatitis C, which also spreads through blood or body fluids, experience a chronic infection, which leads to complications like liver cancer and cirrhosis if not treated.

How can a person prevent hepatitis?

You can prevent hepatitis A and B through vaccination, but there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. You can avoid catching this virus by refraining from sharing needles with others or from having unprotected sex. Practicing safe sex, wearing gloves when cleaning up after others, and avoiding sharing chewing gum with others are also protective measures for hepetatis B. Additional preventive measures for hepatitis A include washing your hands and avoiding raw food or tap water if you travel to a place with poor sanitation.

How is hepatitis treated?

There is no medication or formal treatment for hepatitis A, but your doctor may monitor your liver health to ensure that you are healing. While you are sick, it is important to rest and avoid alcohol. For hepatitis B, it is important to get treated as soon as possible after exposure, so a doctor can administer a vaccination and a hepatitis B immune globulin shot to help your body fight the infection. Your infection may go away, but if it becomes chronic, you may have to take medications to treat it. There is no treatment for acute cases of hepatitis C, but if it becomes chronic, there are also medications available to treat it. Medication is usually successful at treating hepatitis C, but if it is not, you may need a liver transplant.

Common Symptoms

“I felt extremely tired, and I had no appetite. I also began experiencing nausea and muscle pain without warning, and several days later, I had itchy skin and dark-colored urine. I had hepatitis A.”
“When I had hepatitis B, I had stomach and joint pain, and I had fatigue that lasted for months. I had no appetite, and my skin started to look yellow.”
“I started to experience dark urine, yellowing of the skin, and clay-colored poop, and I noticed that I felt tired all the time and had pretty severe stomach pain and nausea. My doctor told me I had hepatitis C.”

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What They Are Saying

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Excellent

Center For Digestive Health, Rochester Hills4.8

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Alex S.

Dr Quallich and his staff are amazing. They are so kind and compassionate. He truly cares about his patients and their wellbeing.

Jon D.

CDH has been the epitome of a professional practice. The nursing staff and doctors are friendly and genuinely caring. They are open to questions, informative regarding every step of the procedure and always follow up the following day to ensure you are doing well.

Rick H.

Great doctor and an excellent staff

Peggy B.

Excellent

MIke B.

I couldn’t have had a better experience. The staff members were kind, polite and professional. I would not hesitate to recommend this office to anyone looking for great care.

Tracey V.

Caring Staff, clean facility, organized and efficient all around. Dr. Bakken was soft spoken, caring and very thorough.

Teresa W.

The staff is amazing and they were very attentive. My doctor was the best!

kim D.

Dr Bakken and the entire staff are fantastic. The facility is really nice and very clean. Highly recommend!

Katherine A.

Dr Bologna has been my GI doctor for over 20 years. He and his staff have always provided excellent care.

Amgg A.

Personal very professional and nice especially the anesthesia boy, he is funny make you feel relaxed with his sense of humor. Results are quick besides bioxia.

Gordon W.

Excellent. Friendly. Outstanding in all aspects of my colonoscopy procedure.

Robert G.

Dr. Q. And staff handle a tough job and make it comfortable for the patients.

sandeemiesch

From check in to checkout it was a positive experience. Everyone was friendly and very professional.

Dave C.

Dr Bakken and the staff did a wonderful job of making my experience a positive one!

Carolyn T.

My appointment was on time everything went along efficiently. My PA was informative and interested in me.

Nancy N.

My entire experience was excellent, from checking in to leaving! Dr. Bakken was again, very caring and working with a staff that were willing to answer all of my questions!! I would certainly recommend the Macomb Endoscopy Center in Macomb, MI for anyone needing a colonoscopy.

I don’t understand negative reviews. Schedule people were very kind, receptionist was kind, my nurse was amazingly kind . Dr. Bewick and her technical assistants were so kind. As a former medical person, I agree that patients need to take some responsibilities for their attitudes and behavior. These people are trying to give us the best possible results. I was given excellent directions (which I followed to the T). My first colonoscopy and very scared, but this staff, was wonderful! Will see them in 3 years.

John J.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Took good care of me.

Mary P.

The staff were so nice and kind. And Dr. Quallich was was nice too. Thank you.

Ami B.

Great, professional staff, great bedside manner! Made me feel very comfortable! 🩷

Lisa B.

The CDH runs like a well oiled machine!

giuseppe S.

Very professional staff

Christine B.

Dr Menhat is a very good doctor as well as his medical staff. I did have a problem that I did not receive the pre op instructions until I placed a call the Thursday before my Monday colonoscopy. I received the instructions immediately after my phone call. I believe I called the office in mid April to schedule the procedure.

Shirley S.

I was so pleased with my experience. Everyone was so kind and made me feel very comfortable. Having a colonoscopy is not what you want to do but they check you in quickly and move the process along. No waiting and before you know it it’s over.

Jeffery R.

Staff was a pure pleasure to work with. Very professional.

The Center for Digestive Health4.8

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Valentin

Very satisfied ! Doctor and staff Very professional !

Daniel S.

Great staff, easy of scheduling, and was prompted every step of the way

Johnny D.

It was how one would want an experience to go. No issues. No confusion. Friendly people. Felt confident with how each interaction went. See you in ten years.

DONG J.

All Staff were excellent Doctor, Nurses (information communication) A++ thank you

Our Doctors

We’re proud of our team here at Digestive Health Institute. Our health care providers include some of the very best colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists and physician assistants. To learn more about our qualified team of specialists, please visit our providers page.

Amir Abadir MD, FRCPC

Anezi E. Bakken MD, MS

Sante D. Bologna MD, FACP

M. Emin Donat MD, FRCPC

Partha S. Nandi

Jack Tocco DO

John R. Weber MD

Richard T. Wille MD

Tusar Desai MD

Aalia Saeed, MD

FAQs

What happens during my first visit?

If you are a new patient, you can expect to have a complete physical exam. You will also be asked detailed questions about your current problems and your past medical history, your current medications, allergies, your family history and other pertinent medical information. If you are taking medications, please bring a completed medical history form with you to your appointment. Once the physician has reviewed your medical information and completed the physical examination, a plan of care will be developed. You may need to be seen again in the office, be referred back to your family physician for follow-up care, or require additional testing. If additional tests are needed, we will assist you in scheduling these tests.

What if I need to schedule an endoscopic procedure?

An endoscopic procedure allows the physician to visualize a part of your gastrointestinal tract with a special instrument called an endoscope. If your family physician has ordered testing, you will be contacted by telephone by one of our staff members. If a physician orders testing and you are in the office, the procedure can generally be scheduled during the course of your visit. You will be given a date, time, and location for the test, as well as written instructions telling you how to prepare for the test. If you have any questions about the procedure, please feel free to ask one of our staff members or the physician.

How do I get test results?

We ask that you wait 10 to 14 days before contacting us for results. Often results come from several different sources. This information needs to be compiled and reviewed by your physician before you can be appropriately advised.

What insurances do you accept?

We accept payment from most insurance companies including Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Physicians Health Plan, Cofinity, Sparrow Professional Health Network, Medicaid, McLaren, Health Plus, and several others. Accepted insurances are subject to change at any time without notice.

If your insurance requires an authorization from your primary care physician, you may be asked to assist us in obtaining this authorization.

All patients are responsible for all copays and deductibles at the time of service.

If you have any questions regarding your benefits or insurance coverage, please contact our Billing Department at 248-844-9710.

What if I need to contact the doctor?

To contact your doctor during business hours please call our main number 248-844-9710. If you have an urgent need to speak with the doctor after hours, you will be rerouted to our after hours answering service, and your doctor will be paged. In the case of a medical emergency please proceed directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.

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