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Jaundice

The skin, mucous membranes, and eye whites turn yellow when someone has jaundice. It is a sign of a liver-related underlying condition or health issue. It happens when the liver becomes damaged or unable to handle the demand for processing blood waste. 

Symptoms

Common signs of jaundice include:

  • The appearance of a yellow tinge to the mucous membranes, the skin and the white part of the eyes.
  • Pale stools
  • Dark urine
  • Itchiness

In newborns, the yellowish trace can begin from the head and spread down all over the body to the toes.

Accompanying signs of jaundice may include:

Causes

The build-up of a yellow substance in your body called bilirubin causes jaundice. There are also multiple reasons for this, some of which are serious.

Some possible reasons include the following:

Jaundice

Prevention

The function of the liver relates to jaundice. Taking care of the liver through several lifestyle modifications can help.

Simple, effective modifications include;

  • Exercising regularly
  • Eating a balanced diet
  • Limiting alcohol consumption
  • Avoiding toxins from chemicals and other sources
  • Managing medications carefully
  • avoiding smoking, alcohol, and intravenous drugs
  • Don’t have more than the recommended dose of prescribed medications
  • Get proper travel vaccination before traveling
  • Practice safer sex 

Treating jaundice

The underlying cause of jaundice determines the course of treatment. 

Jaundice can cause pruritis or itching. For mild pruritis, a person can take antihistamines and warm oatmeal baths. The doctor may recommend colestipol or cholestyramine for people with moderate to severe pruritis. 

Depending on the severity of the injury, a liver transplant might be required because jaundice can sometimes signify liver damage.

Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022