Jaundice is a term used to describe a yellowish tinge to the skin and the whites of the eye. Body fluids may also be yellow. The color of the skin and whites of the eyes will vary depending on levels of bilirubin.
Bilirubin is a waste material found in the blood. Moderate levels lead to a yellow color, while very high levels will appear brown. About 60 percent of all infants born in the United States have jaundice.
However, jaundice can happen to people of all ages and is normally the result of an underlying condition. Jaundice normally indicates a problem with the liver or bile duct. In this article, Medical News Today will discuss what jaundice is, why it happens, and how it is diagnosed and treated.
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of eyes that happens when the body does not process bilirubin properly. This may be due to a problem in the liver. Bilirubin is a yellow-colored waste material that remains in the bloodstream after iron is removed from the blood.
The liver filters waste out from the blood. When bilirubin reaches the liver, other chemicals attach to it. A substance called conjugated bilirubin results. The liver produces bile, a digestive juice. Conjugated bilirubin enters the bile, then it leaves the body.
It is this type of bilirubin that gives feces its brown color. If there is too much bilirubin, it can leak into the surrounding tissues. This is known as hyperbilirubinemia, and it causes the yellow color in the skin and eyes. Jaundice most often happens as a result of an underlying disorder that either causes the production of too much bilirubin or prevents the liver from getting rid of it. Both of these result in bilirubin being deposited in tissues. For example, for hepatitis A plenty of rest, drinking a lot of fluid and avoiding alcohol and medicines impacting the liver help relieve symptoms, while there are effective medications for hepatitis B and C.
For other causes, such as gallstones, a blocked bile duct or pancreatic cancer, your doctor might suggest surgery. If you need to know more about jaundice in adults, or to get advice on what to do next, talk to your doctor or call healthdirect on to speak with a registered nurse, 24 hours, 7 days a week known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website. Gilbert syndrome is a mild condition in which there is an excess of bilirubin in the blood. You may at times develop mild jaundice, with slight yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Read more on myDr website. Read more on Better Health Channel website.
Yellow fever is a viral disease which causes bleeding, jaundice, kidney and liver failure and which is primarily spread by mosquitoes. Read more on WA Health website. Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver, with symptoms like fever, nausea, diarrhoea and jaundice.
Travel immunisation for hepatitis A is recommended. Read more on raisingchildren. The gall bladder is a bag, like the bladder, which stores bile from the liver before it is passed into the small bowel for digestion. Read more on Cancer Council Victoria website. Read more on Hepatitis NSW website. This pathway provides guidance on imaging patients with clinically and biochemically suspected cholestatic jaundice. Already a member? Login ». As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
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Recent Blog Articles. Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? According to MedlinePlus, certain conditions an cause jaundice, including:. Cleveland Clinic Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center, is one of the largest and most respected hospitals in the United States and a leader in research, education, and health information. March of Dimes The nonprofit organization focusing on mothers and babies has information about the causes of jaundice, along with diagnosis and treatment.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. November 26, Jaundice in Adults. Merck Manual Consumer Version. January Jaundice in the Newborn. May Adult Jaundice. July 23, CDC Breastfeeding. November 13, Jaundice in Newborns. Kids Health from Nemours. April G6PD Deficiency. July Infant Jaundice Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. March 17, Newborn Jaundice. March 27, January 1, American Family Physician.
February 1, June 19, Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products. January 8,
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