About Jaundice its symptoms, causes, and cure.
Jaundice is a very common disease that affects adults, elderly, children, and infants all around the world. Jaundice is a medical condition in which the volume of bilirubin, a bile juice pigment increases beyond permissible limits. The color of this fluid is yellowish and thus the skin becomes pale, white fluid in the eyes turns yellow and the mucous membrane also becomes yellow. The symptoms of jaundice are quite clearly visible. The treatment of jaundice isn’t very complex.
Bilirubin is a waste product produced in three stages beginning with the breakdown of cells. In any of these three stages, jaundice can be incurred i.e. before, after, or during the production of bilirubin. Jaundice can also be caused because of problems in the liver. These are some of the general jaundice causes:
· Re-absorption of large blood clots into the skin
· Destruction of RBC’s before their normal lifespan
· Virus infection like hepatitis A, B, and C.
· A genetic mutation in metabolism
· Due to medicines like penicillin, oral contraceptive, estrogenic/ anabolic steroids
· Stones in the gall bladder
· Inflammation or swelling in gall bladder
Jaundice symptoms sometimes occur and sometimes they don’t. They don’t occur when the disease is developing for a long period of time but at a slow pace. On the other hand, if jaundice is caused by infections from viruses then the symptoms are observed quickly and clearly.
Some of the common symptoms and signs of jaundice caused by infection are:
· Change in skin color and eye fluid
· Urine color is too dark
· Stools are also dark-colored
Symptoms of jaundice if it is not caused by infection are:
· Abdominal pain (especially in case of pancreatic or bile duct cancer)
Jaundice can also be caused along with liver problems because of the following reasons:
· A type of skin disease called pyoderma gangrenous.
Treatment of jaundice depends upon the specific underlying causes that can be related to a genetic mutation, problems in the liver, bile duct, or any other syndrome that might lead to it. The treatment focuses on the cause rather than focusing on the symptoms.
There are different types of jaundice and their respective treatments like:
· Jaundice induced by anemia is treated by boosting iron levels in blood with the help of taking iron supplements or eating iron-rich foods and supplements.
· jaundice induced by hepatitis requires some antiviral or steroid medications.
· Obstruction induced jaundice can be treated surgically getting rid of the obstruction.
· If jaundice is caused because of some side effects of an ongoing treatment, then the doctor changes the medications.
Jaundice needs to be diagnosed on time to take appropriate measures. There are 3-4 types of jaundice test suggested by doctors if they have a doubt about it in the patient. Jaundice is not very dangerous if the right cause is identified and treated in the nick of time.
