Jaundice - Introduction:

Jaundice is generally differentiated by the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes or sclera. This is caused by the increase or of a waste product known as bilirubin in the blood. Jaundice is considered not just an ailment but, a path to many other imparting diseases. The yellow coloration of the skin and the sclera may vary based on the level of the chemical in the blood. In some cases if the chemical level is too high, the color of the skin will become brown and not yellow.

Causes and Symptoms of Jaundice:

Jaundice is caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. It is important that we understand the basic jaundice symptoms and the main factor as to how this material is being sent off into our blood stream. Bilirubin mainly gets along the blood stream with the assistance of the red blood cells. These cells get naturally spoiled when they become old. As the blood cells play the role of a medium for haemoglobin, an iron content which takes oxygen to the blood, is then released from the spoiled cells. Bilirubin is then formed as a result of the removal of iron.

Jaundice symptoms can also be found in the liver. It plays a very imperative role in developing jaundice. The main work of the liver is the removal of waste products from the blood stream. As discussed earlier, bilirubin is a waste product of red blood cells. Similarly, if the functioning of liver is endangered by this bilirubin, it ends up in jaundice. Likewise, the liver must be eradicating bilirubin from the blood stream and excrete it through the faeces. Whenever there is too much of waste products for the liver to remove or when the red blood cells get affected, jaundice occurs. Finally, obstruction in the bile ducts can curtail the flow of bile and bilirubin to decrease.

Some other symptoms of jaundice include itching, which at times can be intense, as well as by nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, dark-colored urine, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, abdominal swelling, and light-colored stools.

Neonatal Jaundice is very usual these days. The yellowing of the skin and other tissues of an infant child is known as neonatal jaundice. Appearance of bilirubin level in infants is 85umol/l (5mg/dL). Similarly, jaundice in adults has been common for a quite long time. In adults , the bilirubin level is about 34umol/l (2mg/dL). Jaundice can be observed in newborns is detected by discoloring of the skin with digital pressure so that it exposes the underlying skin and subcutaneous tissue.

Diagnosis and Treatment methods to be followed:

Ultrasonography:

Ultrasonography is an uncomplicated, secure and easily-accessible test which employs sound waves to analyze the organs within the abdomen. Disclosure of gallstones, tumors in the liver or the pancreas, and dilated bile ducts caused due to obstruction can be found out by the process of ultrasound examination or ultrasonography.

Computerized Tomography (CT or CAT scans):

Computerized Tomography or CT scans are scans that utilize x-rays to analyze the soft tissues of the abdomen. Although they are considered not as effective as ultrasonography in diagnosing gallstones, they do prove efficient in identifying tumors in the liver and the pancreas and dilated bile ducts.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI):

Magnetic resonance imaging scans determines the soft tissues of the abdomen by the employment of magnetization of the body. MRI scans can be altered to find the bile ducts better than CT scan tests. Thus, they are preferred for determining the cause of bile duct obstruction.

Considering all the above-qouted methods, the diagnosis of jaundice usullay requires a diagnosis of the particular cause of the jaundice and the treatment should be aimed at the particular cause.