Jaundice can cause both adults and children to have yellowishness in skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes.
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Dr. Abhishek YadavJaundice can cause both adults and children to have yellowishness in skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes. It typically denotes a problem with the liver or bile ducts and can occur as a symptom of a variety of medical conditions. It happens when the liver becomes damaged or is unable to meet the demands of processing blood waste. Bilirubin, a waste product, can accumulate in the blood when the liver is not functioning properly.
A person may experience yellowing of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes at moderate bilirubin levels. Additionally, the color may shift from yellow to green when severity of the condition increases. The green pigment called biliverdin, which is found in bile, is the cause of the green hue. People of all ages can develop jaundice, which typically results from an underlying medical condition. Elderly people and newborns are most likely to develop jaundice.
Jaundice is a symptom of a more serious underlying illness or condition rather than a dangerous condition in itself. It is important to look into the underlying cause of jaundice. You will require medical care from a medical professional if you are experiencing jaundice. Jaundice is a symptom of a condition that requires treatment because it won't go away on its own.
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JaundiceJaundice is a symptom of certain liver conditions that is characterized by yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera (the whites of the eyes). The liver secretes a fluid known as bile. A high concentration of bilirubin (a yellow-orange pigment found in bile) is the reason for this yellow hue. The breakdown of red blood cells produces bilirubin. Normally, this bilirubin gets excreted out of the body. Its abnormal accumulation in the blood is the cause of jaundice.
Your liver is where old red blood cells break down. The yellow pigment produced by the decomposition of these aged cells is called bilirubin. When your liver doesn't metabolize bilirubin as it should, jaundice results. It's possible that your liver is damaged and unable to carry out this process. There are situations when the bilirubin just cannot pass through to the digestive tract, where it would normally be eliminated through stools. In other cases, there might be an excessive amount of red blood cells dying at once or an excessive amount of bilirubin attempting to enter the liver at once.
Jaundice may indicate following diseases:
CONTACT USFollowing are the types of jaundice
Prehepatic jaundice is the term for when bilirubin accumulates before blood reaches the liver. This indicates that more bilirubin is being produced than your liver can handle as a result of the breakdown of red blood cells.
Inability of liver to metabolize bilirubin results in hepatic jaundice.
When bilirubin accumulates after going through the liver and your body is unable to eliminate it effectively, it can cause posthepatic jaundice.
This is a condition where a narrowed or blocked pancreatic duct prevents bile from draining into your intestines. The high mortality rate associated with this type of jaundice, early detection and treatment are crucial.
Jaundice in infants is a common condition, especially in preterm babies (those born before 38 weeks of pregnancy) and some breastfed babies. The most common cause of infant jaundice is an immature liver that is unable to eliminate bilirubin from the blood. Jaundice in infants can be caused by an underlying disease in certain cases. The majority of newborns born between 35 weeks gestation and full term do not require jaundice treatment. Rarely, a newborn may be at risk for brain damage due to an abnormally high blood level of bilirubin, especially if there are risk factors for severe jaundice present.
There could be no symptoms of jaundice. Depending on how quickly the condition is deteriorating, you may experience different signs. The most well-known signs are jaundice eyes (also known as scleral icterus) and yellowing of the skin. However, there are still more to be aware of, such as:
Following signs of liver disease indicate jaundice:
A bilirubin-positive urine test (urinalysis) indicates conjugated jaundice in the patient. It is recommended to confirm the results of the urinalysis with serum testing. Bilirubin levels and a complete blood count (CBC) will be part of the serum testing.
Your normal liver size and level of tenderness will be assessed by your doctor during an examination. To further confirm the diagnosis, he or she may employ imaging techniques like liver biopsy (taking a sample of the liver) and computer tomography (CT) scanning.
Following are the other tests that can be done:
The underlying cause of the jaundice will determine how it is treated. Jaundice can cause pruritus, or itching. For mild cases of pruritus, a person can take antihistamine medications and take warm baths with oatmeal. For patients with moderate to severe pruritus, a medical practitioner may recommend drugs like colestipol or cholestyramine. Depending on the extent of the injury, jaundice may occasionally be a sign of liver damage, necessitating a liver transplant.
Also, read: Diet Chart for Jaundice Patient
When the underlying cause is addressed, jaundice typically goes away. Treatment outlook is dependent on your general health. Consult your doctor straight away since jaundice could indicate a serious medical condition. Infants with mild jaundice typically recover without medical intervention and don't develop any long-term liver problems.
A: Jaundice in adults is generally left untreated. However, the underlying medical condition will be treated by your doctor. Jaundice caused by acute viral hepatitis will go away on its own as your liver recovers. A liver specialist doctor might advise surgery to open the bile duct if it is the cause of the problem.
A: Jaundice may be lessened and liver health may be supported by a balanced diet. It entails consuming adequate amounts of water, eating vegetables and lean protein, abstaining from alcohol and a few foods, such as those heavy in sugar.
A: The recuperation period could take 15–25 days. Nevertheless, each person is different. You must ensure that your surroundings are hygienic. Consume more nutritious, home-cooked food.
A: Although it is not recommended to consume milk products in jaundice, you may consider using low-fat milk in place of whole milk. You can reduce your intake of salt and sodium.
A: After one or two weeks, mild jaundice goes away because the baby's body naturally eliminates the excess bilirubin. Mothers should breastfeed their newborns more frequently if they are experiencing breastfeeding jaundice.
