Jaundice - Symptoms & Treatment
Jaundice is yellowing of the skin, sclera (eyes) and mucous membranes caused by increased points of bilirubin in the system. Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment which is produced from the smashup of heme, mostly from hemoglobin and red blood cells (RBCs). It is transported by the blood to the liver, where it is excreted in bile, ultimately reaching the small intestine. As bilirubin has a pigment, or coloring, it causes a yellowing of the baby's skin and tissues. Babies become jaundiced when they have excessive bilirubin in their blood. Bilirubin is a pigment produced as red blood cells break down. It is usually processed by the liver and excreted in the baby's stool. When a baby has jaundice, either too much bilirubin is being produced or the liver does not get rid of it rapidly enough. A newborn baby's liver is not fully grown-up, so jaundice is common during a baby's first few days of life. Another type of jaundice results from hindrance in or about the liver; usually a stone or stricture of the bile duct blocks the passage of bile from the liver into the intestines. A third type of jaundice happens when the liver cells are damaged by diseases such as hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver; the damaged liver is unskilled to remove bilirubin from the blood. Treatment of jaundice is directed to the radical cause. Many insistences of obstructive jaundice may require surgery.
Jaundice is a yellow discolouration of the skin and the white part (the sclera) of the eyes. It results from having too much of a matter called bilirubin in the blood. Old or damaged red blood cells are uniformly being removed from the circulation, mainly by the spleen. During this process, hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells which transfers oxygen, is broken down into a dark greenish yellow pigment called bilirubin. Bilirubin is then carried in the bloodstream to the liver and is excreted into the intestine as a constituent of bile (the digestive fluid produced by the liver). If bilirubin cannot be excreted into bile prontoly enough, it builds up in the blood. The excess bilirubin is accumulated in the skin, resulting in the yellowish discoloration called jaundice.
Causes of Jaundice
Common Causes of Jaundice :
- Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
- Hepatitis B.
- Gallstones.
- Viral Hepatitis.
- Pancreatic Cancer.
- Hepatitis C.
- Cirrhosis Of The Liver.
- Kernicterus.
- Liver Cancer.
- Sickle Cell Disease (Sickle Cell Anemia).
- Gilbert Syndrome.
- Pancreatitis.
Symptoms of Jaundice
Some common Symptoms of Jaundice :
- Lethargy.
- Yellow color of the skin.
- Fever.
- Poor feeding.
- Headache.
- Severe constipation.
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea.
- Undue fatigue.
Treatment of Jaundice
- Treatment of breast milk jaundice usually needs stopping the breastfeeding for one to two days. Giving the baby formula often helps lower the bilirubin levels. Breastfeeding can then be repossessed .
- Another form of phototherapy is a fiberoptic blanket placed under the baby. This may be used alone or in combination with regular phototherapy.
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