Jaundice, also called icterus or yellowing, is a symptom that can occur in several different diseases. It describes a yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, as well as the conjunctiva of the eye due to an increased concentration of bilirubin.
What is jaundice?
Diseases of the respective organs liver (red) and gallbladder (yellow) are triggers of jaundice. The symptom popularly known as jaundice is also called icterus by medical professionals. It describes the yellowish discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes and the eyes. Jaundice is accompanied by severe itching, as well as nausea and vomiting of greenish-yellow stomach contents. Not infrequently, jaundice is also accompanied by abdominal pain, usually on the right side, and acid regurgitation. In addition, fever and a general feeling of illness, diarrhea or stool discoloration may occur. In the worst case, confusion and changes in the patient’s character may occur. Jaundice requires immediate medical attention.
Causes
The cause of jaundice is an increase in the concentration of bilirubin, a breakdown product of the blood pigment hemoglobin, in the bloodstream. Jaundice is thus based on a disorder in bilirubin metabolism. The bilirubin, which is normally excreted via the bile ducts, is deposited in the tissue. This is visible on the skin and in the eyes. The clinical picture of jaundice develops. Increased accumulation or reduced excretion of bilirubin causes the serum concentration in the body tissues to rise. Thus, a color change first appears on the white sclera of the eye. With further increasing values, the yellowish changes can eventually be observed on the skin and mucous membranes as well. The body fluids and other organs are also affected. Thus, urine may be dark brown in color, while stool may be light or white in color. The elevation of bilirubin in the blood can have three different types of causes. Pre-hepatic (occurring before the liver) jaundice results from increased breakdown of red blood cells (hemolysis). Here, there is usually an underlying blood disease that causes the breakdown. Intra-hepatic jaundice can result from inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) or from a tumor in the liver. Hepatitis can be caused by viruses, medications, or alcohol abuse, among other things. Post-hepatic jaundice is caused by drainage obstructions in the bile ducts. Bile produced in the liver cannot drain due to obstructions, and bile backs up (cholestasis) into the liver. The reason for cholestasis can be gallstones, narrowing of the bile ducts (stenosis), or tumors.
Diseases with this symptom
- Gallstones
- Cholestasis
- Gallbladder inflammation
- Hepatitis
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Liver failure
- Yellow fever
- Gallbladder cancer and bile duct cancer
- Pancreatitis
Complications
The term complication should include the whole clinical picture. Complication in the medical field means another symptom of a disorder or a side effect of a drug, as far as it was used against the disease in question. Therefore, complications can come due to misdiagnosis as well as in the course of the medical procedure. Jaundice is a common complication of liver or bile diseases, which are diseases of the digestive system. Likewise, jaundice can indicate additional complications. Jaundice is caused by the stagnation of bile in the bile duct, triggered by various diseases. Complications mostly germinate in physically weakened affected persons. In complicated forms, the underlying disease can lead to death. Jaundice may be a sign of it. To avoid such complications, a clinical examination must be ordered at the appearance of the first signs. After that, the person in question should be treated for averting existing complications, such as jaundice in the clinic. Here a plan for the following outpatient therapy against jaundice and the causative disease can be made. Jaundice is only a symptom, for example in liver cirrhosis. A wholesome diet, avoidance of alcohol and overly fatty foods, and cyclic screening can prevent jaundice. Sometimes a calorie-reduced diet is necessary.Some drugs are dangerous for liver and bile, so avoid them in jaundice.
When should you go to the doctor?
In jaundice, always remember that it is a symptom, not a disease in its own right. Most often, jaundice is an expression of liver dysfunction. For this reason, a doctor should always be consulted in the event of jaundice. Liver diseases such as liver inflammation, liver cirrhosis, liver tumors and liver cancer can lead to the destruction of this vital organ. A dangerous feature of liver diseases is that there is often no pain at first. Jaundice can therefore be an important indication of a liver disorder in urgent need of treatment. In addition to the liver, a disorder of bile excretion from the gallbladder can cause jaundice. Gallstones, bile duct inflammations as well as bile duct tumors are responsible for this. These conditions also require medical treatment. The cause of jaundice is sometimes also excessive breakdown of red blood cells, erythrocytes, whereby unprocessed bilirubin is deposited and leads to yellowing. This process also leads to neonatal jaundice, which generally resolves on its own because the liver of newborns cannot yet process bilirubin only during the first few days of life. To be on the safe side, a newborn with jaundice should still be presented to a pediatrician.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment of jaundice depends on the trigger. Thus, therapy for jaundice is closely related to the causes. The goal is to lower the bilirubin level in the blood. To do this, the cause of jaundice must first be identified, as each cause dictates different treatments. Gallstones, for example, can be removed by special endoscopes. In some cases, a diseased gallbladder must also be surgically removed. If medications have damaged the liver, jaundice usually disappears when these are no longer taken. Antiviral agents can help against jaundice caused by viruses. Pre-hepatic jaundice requires treatment of the causative blood disorder. This can be complex depending on the type of disease. In post-hepatic jaundice, the first priority is to eliminate the cause of the biliary obstruction. A gallstone may be removed with endoscopic surgery. A stenosis can also be treated with a stent under endoscopic conditions. This involves dilating the bile duct and inserting a small mesh to keep the bile duct steadily open. Endoscopy of the bile ducts is performed under short-term anesthesia and is uncomplicated if anatomical conditions are good. For the toxic (due to poisons) intra-hepatic cause of jaundice, immediate abstinence from the causative drug or alcohol is advised. While discontinuation of medications is relatively easy under medical supervision, withdrawal from alcohol can prove more difficult. In most cases, controlled withdrawal with psychiatric guidance is necessary. Tumors causing jaundice should be removed as soon as possible, depending on the severity of the disease.
Outlook and prognosis
The prognosis, the further course of the disease, and the prospect of recovery from jaundice are directly dependent on the cause that produces this symptom. The actual symptom is usually not further dangerous. The itching that often accompanies jaundice makes it rather unpleasant. However, some underlying diseases that can cause jaundice are dangerous and in the worst case can have a fatal outcome. A dangerous trigger of jaundice is pancreatic cancer. If it is possible to remove the tumor, the survival rate is about fifteen percent. In the case of inoperable pancreatic tumors, on the other hand, the chance of recovery is very poor. Other triggers of jaundice, such as liver inflammation caused by hepatitis A or B viruses, usually heal on their own in a few weeks and therefore have a good prognosis of 95 percent survival rate. Jaundice, or icterus, is particularly common in newborns. In most cases, however, neonatal jaundice is not due to a serious cause. After about a week, the symptom heals on its own. It becomes problematic when jaundice becomes chronic. In a few cases, jaundice can lead to irreparable organ damage.
Prevention
To prevent jaundice caused by bile congestion, a low-fat diet is recommended. Eating too fatty food will promote the formation of gallstones. Medication should be taken according to the instructions of the attending physician. Some medications attack the liver if taken incorrectly or over a long period of time. To avoid a liver that has been attacked or destroyed by alcohol, alcohol should be taken in moderation or preferably not at all. Everything that promotes possible triggers of jaundice, e.g. gallstones, liver cirrhosis or hepatitis, also promotes the development of jaundice. Thus, a low-fat, high-fiber diet helps prevent gallstones. Moderate consumption or even complete abstention from alcohol protects the liver from damage. In addition, vaccination against hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses can prevent infection and thus liver damage.
Home remedies and herbs for jaundice
- Strawberry leaves help against jaundice.
What you can do yourself
In the case of jaundice, a medical professional rarely prescribes specific medications to counteract the typical symptoms. Due to this, it is recommended to do something against jaundice yourself with home remedies. There are numerous home remedies available that provide relief from the symptoms. These include, in particular, tea made from fresh strawberry leaves. Peppermint tea and dandelion tea are also helpful. Sufferers can counteract jaundice by drinking a glass of tomato juice with salt every day. Drinking tea made from dried oregano has also proven effective. Sufferers should pour hot water over it. The pulp of a mashed banana is also helpful. In order for it to contribute to relief, sufferers should add a little honey. Established home remedies also include the juice of ginger and mint, as well as tea made from lemon leaves. For people who want to treat their jaundice themselves, a freshly squeezed lime juice or beet juice with a dash of lemon is recommended daily. Jaundice doesn’t have to develop in the first place. Those who reduce their excess weight and eat low-fat meals can prevent jaundice. Reducing carbohydrate-rich food and abstaining from alcohol are also worth mentioning. Food should not be too strongly seasoned.