Jaundice is a condition in which the skin and the sclera (the white part of the eye) assume a yellowish color. Often affects infants in the first week of life, but it can appear at any age and with different problems, from blood diseases to those of the liver, through certain infections and taking certain medicines.
The base problem is the accumulation of bilirubin, a yellow molecule present in the hemoglobin of red blood cells. At the end of their life cycle they should be disposed of by the liver, when it does not you can check the accumulation of bilirubin that gives the skin a yellowish color typical of jaundice.
What kind of diseases can be associated with jaundice?
The following diseases may be associated with jaundice:
- AIDS
- Anemia
- Calculations gallbladder
- Primary biliary cirrhosis
- Liver cirrhosis
- Cholecystitis
- Ebola
- Hepatitis
- Favismo
- Malaria
- Wilson disease
- Mononucleosis
- Septic shock
- Toxoplasmosis
- Liver cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
Remember that this is not an exhaustive list and it is highly recommended to consult your doctor, in case of symptom’s persistence
What is the therapy for jaundice?
In case of infants, the mild jaundice disappears on its own in 2 or 3 weeks. In such cases, your doctor may recommend to breastfeed the infant more often to help reduce the levels of bilirubin. More severe cases may instead require hospitalization.
In adults, however, treatment of jaundice depends exclusively on its cause and can be chosen only after an appropriate diagnosis. In some cases you may need hospitalization and sometimes you just need a treatment associated with regular medical check.
The therapy can predict the intake of drugs, other times may be needed transfusions or operations surgical, e.g. for the removal of the calculations.
When jaundice is caused by drugs you may have to stop taking them, or at least change the dosage. In several cases also it becomes mandatory to avoid alcohol consumption.
When is most likely to contact your doctor in case of jaundice?
In the case of adults, you should always consult your doctor – or, if not available, go to the emergency room – because it is usually a signal of a presence of a serious health problem.
