Jaundice is a symptom of many medical problems but it is most often associated with conditions of the liver or the gallbladder. Jaundice causes yellow skin and eyes because of an excess amount of the bile pigment bilirubin (a yellow pigment) in the blood. Either the body is producing too much, or it’s not getting rid of it fast enough.
In addition to being caused by liver or gallbladder disease, jaundice can also occur among newborns, particularly premature babies. Jaundice that occurs at the time of birth generally disappears within days, but some babies require phototherapy treatment (special lights that help break down bilirubin).
The birth parent’s liver removes bilirubin for the baby during pregnancy, but the baby’s liver must remove the bilirubin after birth. In premature babies, the liver might not be developed enough to efficiently get rid of bilirubin. With time, the liver cells mature and are able to rid the body of excess bilirubin, and the jaundice will disappear.
Normally, large amounts of blood flow each minute through the liver, which may be thought of as the body’s chemical processing plant. The liver breaks down old, inefficient red blood cells in a process called hemolysis. This releases large amounts of bilirubin. The liver also manufactures the other components of bile.
Bile is a greenish-yellow fluid secreted by the liver that contains cholesterol, bile salts, and waste products such as bilirubin. The bilirubin leaves the liver via the bile ducts to be stored in the gallbladder directly underneath. It’s then slowly released into the intestine from the gallbladder. It helps digest food in the intestine and exits the body in the stool.
Too much bilirubin can be toxic and can cause jaundice. Therefore, it’s important to eliminate it from the body as fast as it’s produced. There are three basic ways this process can go wrong:
Some causes of jaundice due to poor liver function include:
Some causes of jaundice due to obstruction (blockage) include:
Some causes due to excessive red blood cell destruction (hemolysis):
There’s no treatment for jaundice, since it’s not a disease but a sign of a medical problem. The approach is to treat the underlying cause, if possible. Some of the medical problems that cause jaundice are curable, like malaria. Others, like thalassemia, are treatable. Many, like hepatitis A, newborn jaundice, or cholestasis of pregnancy, aren’t curable but go away on their own. Usually treatment is unnecessary. Conditions like cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis are lifelong problems that may cause permanent or recurring jaundice. Some types of cancer can cause jaundice and should be investigated by a physician as early as possible, since early detection and treatment can improve survival. Treatment may involve surgery to remove the tumour.
Many of these diseases are inherited or autoimmune conditions that we don’t know how to prevent. People can, however, do something about the 2 most common causes of jaundice–viral hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease. There are vaccines against hepatitis A and B (although, unfortunately, not against type C). The hepatitis B vaccine can protect you against lifelong complications of this disease. People suffering from alcoholism can help reduce their risk of alcoholic liver disease by seeking treatment for their condition.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2025. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Jaundice
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