Jaundice is a medical condition in which excess bilirubin in the blood results in yellow appearance of the skin and the eyes. Bilirubin is a pigment which is produced from the breakdown of red blood cells in the body. Normally, bilirubin is carried by bile and is excreted in the stool. However, in certain conditions, the bilirubin is not excreted, resulting in excess bilirubin in the blood.
Jaundice Symptoms:
The symptoms of jaundice are:
- Yellow appearance of the skin and eyes
- Anemia and tiredness
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Dark colored urine and pale stools
- Intense itching
Jaundice Causes:
To understand how jaundice is caused, it is important to know how bilirubin is formed and excreted from the body.
Red blood cells have a lifespan of 120 days and after their lifespan they are broken down by the body. The breakdown of red blood cells produces bilirubin, which has to be removed from the body. Bilirubin passes from the blood to the liver, where it is processed. After this bilirubin is passed out in the form of bile from the bile duct coming out of the liver.
The bile duct joints the small intestine, from which bilirubin is passed from small intestine to large intestine and finally it is excreted in the stools. The characteristic brown color of the stools is due to the presence of bilirubin.
The failure of removal of bilirubin can cause its build-up and can result in jaundice. Hence, jaundice (or high levels of bilirubin in blood) can be caused due to:
- Excessive breakdown of red blood cells results in accumulation of bilirubin
- Improper functioning of the liver due to organ damage or hepatitis
- Alcohol abuse can cause liver damage resulting in jaundice
- Obstruction of bile ducts which prevents the removal of bilirubin
- Gall stones
- Cancer
- Swelling of an organ near the bile duct
Treatment of Jaundice:
Treatment of jaundice is based on the source of the problem. It is important to find out if the jaundice liver is caused due to excessive breakdown of red blood cells, liver damage, infection, obstruction of bile ducts etc. To know the problem, blood tests, scans or liver biopsy can be peformed.
Treatment options include medical interventions such as surgery to remove gall stones, anti-viral medication for hepatitis, antibiotics to treat infection etc.
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