What is jaundice

 

What is jaundice

Jaundice occurs when your skin and your eyes turn yellow. This can be a sign of a serious illness, such as liver disease, so immediate medical help may be required. It is caused by the build-up of a yellow substance called bilirubin in your body. Bilirubin that forms in the body when parts of red blood cells break down.

The liver takes bilirubin as a waste material from the blood and changes its chemical makeup so that most of it is passed through the stool in the form of bile. Swollen liver or obstructed bile ducts can give rise to excessive bilirubin which can lead to jaundice. Symptoms of the disease include yellowing of the skin and whitening of the eyes, deep urination and itching.

There are many possible reasons for this and some of them are serious. They include:

• gallstones

• Alcoholic liver disease

• pancreatitis

• Hepatitis

•          sickle cell disease

Jaundice is more common in the newborn, but can also occur in adults. Bilirubin, a yellow-orange substance, is found in your red blood cells, and when these cells die, the liver filters it with blood. But if something goes wrong and your liver cannot do it, bilirubin builds up and can cause your skin to look pale.

What is black jaundice and jaundice?

Black jaundice is a common liver disease, which can be caused by a number of unusual medical reasons. A person has symptoms like black jaundice, headache, low-grade fever, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, itchy skin, and fatigue. The white part of the skin and eyes turn yellow. In this, the stool becomes yellow and urine becomes thick.

At the same time, a person suffering from jaundice may notice a change in skin color. Skin and eye color vary depending on the level of bilirubin. The middle level turns yellow, while the very high level appears brown. Dark colored urine and itching, yellow stool may also occur.

How do you know if you have jaundice?

A person suffering from jaundice may notice a change in skin color. Skin and eye color vary depending on the level of bilirubin. The middle level leads to a yellow color, while the very high level appears brown. Dark colored urine and itchy, yellow stool may also occur. Symptoms that come together include:

• fatigue

• Liver swelling may cause abdominal pain and some upper abdominal pain.

• weight loss

• Vomiting and nausea

•          fever

• yellow stool

• deep urination

• Itching due to jaundice is sometimes so severe that patients scratch their skin or experience insomnia.

Correct diagnosis requires examination and laboratory tests. Diagnosis includes a history and physical examination and close attention to the abdomen, feeling for the tumor, and examining the firmness of the liver. Firm indicates liver cirrhosis, or liver scars. Rock-hard suggests liver cancer. Several tests can confirm jaundice. The liver function test is the first to find out if the liver is working well or not.

Other ancillary tests required for diagnosis are:

• Bilirubin test: Higher levels of immature bilirubin suggest hemolytic jaundice compared to conjugated bilirubin levels.

• Complete blood count: It measures the level of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

• Hepatitis A, B and C tests: This is a test for a series of liver infections.

If they suspect an obstruction, the doctor examines the structure of the liver. In these cases, they use imaging tests including MRI, CT and ultrasound procedures. They may also perform an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. It is a procedure combining endoscopy and X-ray imaging. Liver biopsy can check for inflammation, cirrhosis, cancer, and fatty liver.