All About Jaundice

Symptoms

The most common sign of jaundice is yellowing of the skin and eyes. Other signs and symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain

• Fever and chills

• Dark urine or pale-coloured stool

• Weight loss

• Flu-like symptoms

• Itching

Causes

Jaundice is a symptom of an underlying clinical condition. Some of its causes are —

• Obstruction of Bile Ducts:

Bile ducts/tubes carry bile to the small intestine from the liver and gall bladder. When the bile duct is blocked due to cancer, gallstones, or any rare liver disease, it causes jaundice.

• Hepatitis:

Chronic inflammation of the liver due to viral infections like hepatitis A, B, & C can damage the liver, causing jaundice.

• Alcohol Use:

If you drink excessive alcohol for many years, say 8 to 10 years, it can damage your liver, resulting in jaundice.

• Liver Cirrhosis:

In this condition, the liver gets damaged due to viral infections, fatty liver disease, or excessive consumption of alcohol.

• Medications:

Some medications can damage the liver, resulting in jaundice.

• Pancreatic Cancer:

When the bile ducts get blocked due to pancreatic cancer, it can lead to jaundice.

• Haemolytic Anaemia:

This condition leads to excess bilirubin production, putting you at risk of jaundice.

Risk Factors

• Excessive consumption of alcohol

• Liver diseases like cirrhosis, liver cancer or inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)

• Haemolytic anaemia

• Side effects of certain medications, such as NSAIDs (i.e., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), can damage the liver, leading to jaundice

• Infections like viral hepatitis, malaria, and sepsis

• Blood disorders like thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia

• Autoimmune disorders in which our immunity mistakenly attacks the liver

Diagnosis

To start with, your doctor will ask about your medical history and do a physical examination of your abdomen, liver, and skin. Once it’s confirmed that you have jaundice, your doctor will recommend diagnostic tests to ascertain the cause. These tests include —

• Blood Tests:

These lab tests measure bilirubin, liver enzymes, and other parameters related to liver function.

• Hepatitis Test:

This will show whether a viral infection is the cause of jaundice.

• Complete Blood Count (CBC):

The CBC measures the levels of WBCs, platelets, and RBCs and helps identify whether haemolytic anaemia is the cause of jaundice.

• Imaging Tests:

If the doctor suspects abnormalities, he/she will recommend imaging tests such as ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, etc.

• Liver Biopsy:

This will assess the extent of damage to the liver, that is, if you have cirrhosis, cancer, inflammation of the liver, or fatty liver disease.

Prevention

Here are some preventive measures:

• Eat a well-balanced diet comprising fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins.

• Maintain a healthy weight with regular physical activity.

• Drink adequate water to flush out toxins from the body and improve liver function.

• Limit or avoid alcohol consumption.

• Avoid overuse of over-the-counter medications and take only what you are prescribed.

• Do not take herbal supplements without consulting a doctor.

• Get inoculated with hepatitis A and B vaccines, as viral infections can damage your liver.

• If you have diabetes or other chronic ailments, make sure the conditions are managed with medications.

• Avoid hepatitis infections.