Jaundice is common in children but can be developed in adults as well. It is a disease which makes your skin color yellow and also whites of your eyes. Adults can also experience this disease at any age. A medicine specialist in Lahore says that jaundice could be a sign of a blood issue, liver or gallbladder problem.
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How Jaundice Is Developed In Adults?
Bilirubin is the substance in your blood that is the yellow-orange range in color. When your red blood cells die, your liver works to filter them out from the bloodstream. Liver improper functioning can result in bilirubin building up and turning your skin yellow.
We always hear jaundice in children but it is also common in children. It is developed in adults due to different reasons, like pancreatic cancer, alcohol-related liver disease, etc.
Blocked Bile Ducts:
They are thin tubes that carry bile which is a fluid, transferred from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. Some buildup or substances may block these tubes and lead to jaundice. Gallstones, liver disease, or cancer can block these tubes.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is caused by a virus that can be acute or chronic. People need to be very careful during the treatment as it stays at least six months. Different things can cause hepatitis, such as autoimmune disorders or the use of drugs. Untreated disease can result in liver damage which will come with jaundice.
Pancreatic cancer
It is also a serious condition that brings on many other health complications, such as jaundice. According to WebMD, it is the tenth common cancer type in men and ninth in women. It results in a blocked bile duct that leads to jaundice.
Alcohol-related liver disease
If a person consumes alcohol for a long time, it results in liver damage. Your liver damage disrupts the function due to 2 specific diseases, including alcoholic cirrhosis, and alcoholic hepatitis that harm your liver. You may develop jaundice during adulthood due to alcohol-related liver diseases.
Medications
Some medicines impact your overall body and can affect the function of your liver. These medicines include penicillin, steroids, birth control pills, etc.
How to Diagnose Jaundice?
Your doctor will order the bilirubin test that will help to measure this substantial amount in your blood. The doctor will also ask for a liver test and for a complete blood count (CBC).
You will be asked about your medical history and other symptoms. A physical exam is also performed along with an imaging test to diagnose the cause of jaundice.
How to treat jaundice?
When your doctor finds out about the cause of jaundice, it will help to get better treatment. Viral hepatitis causes jaundice which will go away on its own. Jaundice which is caused by the blocked bile duct needs surgery to open it.
How to Prevent Jaundice?
Liver function failure or any disruption leads to jaundice. All you need is to follow a healthy diet plan to reduce the risk of liver damage. You should avoid alcohol consumption.
Symptoms of jaundice
There are some common symptoms that you may experience:
- Dark urine
- Pale stools
- Itchiness
- Turn your skin in yellow-orange range color
- Turn whites of eyes into yellow
Low bilirubin levels appear through some other symptoms, such as:
- Pale stools
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue
What Are The Other Related Complications?
The itching is a severe symptom that appears with jaundice and gives you a hard time. Severe scratching can leave marks on your skin and also disrupt your sleep pattern or may cause insomnia.
A study says that people with such severe itching issues often consider suicide.
Some other risk factors include pseudojaundice, Crigler-Najjar syndrome, and Dubin-Johnson syndrome.
Some treatments are considered for jaundice, such as:
Steroid medicines are used to deal with hepatitis-induced jaundice. Your doctor will use the other medicines if the jaundice is caused by some drugs.
Final Thought
Your doctor will ask about the symptoms, so you must write down the severity of the symptoms you feel. If there is any cause diagnosed, your doctor will provide the treatment that reduces the jaundice effects. Make sure that you eat healthy foods to keep your lungs healthy.