Jaundice - Its Causes and Symptoms

Jaundice is commonly referred as the yellow color of skin, mucus membranes or eyes. This yellowish color is because of the excessive bilirubin in the blood. The color of the eyes and skin vary according to the bilirubin. When the bilirubin amount is bit elevated than the color is yellowish and when the level of bilirubin level high the color tends to brown. Yellow color chemical present in the hemoglobin and the substance that carries out oxygen in your red blood cell is known as bilirubin. Bilirubin originates from red blood cell and when red blood cells get old they are destroyed by the body. A red blood cell is break down is destroyed by the body and the new blood cell is developed. The old blood cells are processed by the liver and if liver is not able to processed new blood cell, bilirubin is build up in the body and makes your skin look yellow. Each day number of red blood cells die and new once is formed. It’s the duty of liver to process the dead blood cell forming bilirubin. Excess formation of bilirubin causes jaundice There are many causes of jaundice: • Blood diseasern• Genetic syndromern• Liver diseasern• Blockage of bile ductsrn• Infections • Medicines Jaundice can happen at any point of age, usually new born baby catch the infection and develop the jaundice within 1st week of birth but it gradually goes away. Jaundice can develop suddenly and disappear gradually. Symptoms of jaundice are: • Yellow skin and eyes are the primary symptoms of the bodyrn• Yellow color mouthrn• Dark color urinern• Pale or clay color stool There are chances that when your eyes are not yellow and your skin may turn yellow to orange if you eat too much of beta carotene, the orange pigment in carrot. If you are found with the symptoms of jaundice, health care takers may suggest for few tests. Your doctor may ask you for bilirubin blood test and few other tests like hepatitis virus panel for the liver infection, to test the functioning of liver- liver function test, complete blood count to know your blood count or anemia and abdominal ultrasound and abdominal CT scan as well. Few other tests which your doctor may ask you are liver biopsy, cholesterol level, prothrombin time. Treatment may vary according to the cause of your jaundice. We all different and our immune system have different demands which a specialist or a doctor can only understand completely and provide us with the health care tips and medications. Therefore, it is mandatory to consult your for any medical treatment or during any medical emergency. Along with the treatment or medication as prescribed by the doctor, person should take precautions by his own. Person should take complete rest as the body might feel weak due to illness. While jaundice, fluid diet should be taken a lot for better recovery. Even after the recovery of the patient, he/ should take care of diet and continue with the process of taking fluid like fruit juices, milk, plenty of water every day. Add 2 teaspoon of lime to lukewarm water and drink it every morning, orange water, 2 slices of wheat bread, a cup of strained vegetables and buttermilk. Along with all diet control, yoga is also as important.