What is Jaundice?

Jaundice is a medical condition with yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, arising from excess of the pigment bilirubin and typically caused by obstruction of the bile duct, by liver disease, or by excessive breakdown of red blood cells.

The term jaundice is derived from the French word jaune, which means yellow. Jaundice is not a disease per se, but rather a visible sign of an underlying disease process.

Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of eyes that happens when the body does not process bilirubin properly. This may be due to a problem in the liver. Jaundice is typically seen when the level of bilirubin in the blood exceeds 2.5-3 mg/dL.

Causes :

- Jaundice is caused by various medical conditions that affect the normal metabolism or excretion of bilirubin. Bilirubin is mostly formed from the daily breakdown and destruction of red blood cells in the bloodstream, which release hemoglobin as they rupture.

- The heme portion of this hemoglobin molecule is then converted into bilirubin, which is transported in the bloodstream to the liver for further metabolism and excretion.

- In the liver, the bilirubin is conjugated with glucuronic acid (made more water soluble), and is excreted into the gallbladder (where it is stored) and then eventually passed into the intestines. In the intestines, a portion of the bilirubin is excreted in the feces, while some is metabolized by the intestinal bacteria to urobilinogen and excreted in the urine.

- Jaundice occurs if there is a dysfunction of the normal metabolism and/or excretion of bilirubin. This disruption in the metabolism or excretion of bilirubin can occur at various stages, and it is therefore useful to classify the different causes of jaundice based on where the dysfunction occurs.

- The causes of jaundice are generally classified as pre-hepatic (the problem arises before secretion to the liver), hepatic (the problem arises within the liver), and post-hepatic (the problem arises after bilirubin is excreted from the liver).

Some of the common causes of jaundice are given below -

· Malaria- Malaria can cause destruction of the RBCs resulting in increased bilirubin.

· Blood disorders- Sickle cell disease or thalassemia can cause jaundice.

· Hepatitis- Infection of the liver can cause jaundice as happens in various forms of hepatitis like hepatitis A or hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Mostly, these infections are viral in origin. They may be acute or chronic.

· Alcoholic Cirrhosis- Consuming too much alcohol for prolonged periods can cause cirrhosis of the liver. In such cases, the liver is unable to perform its normal functions.

· Blockages of bile ducts- Bile ducts are thin tubes that carry bile from the liver and gall bladder to the intestines. In some cases, they may get blocked. This may be due to gall stones or some cancers.

· Medicines- Certain medicines like steroids, birth control pills or pain killers can also damage the liver and increase bilirubin levels.

SIGN AND SYMPTOMS:

· Yellowish discoloration of the eyes: It is usually the first symptom. Later on, this yellowness spreads to mouth, chest, stomach and skin all over the body. In severe cases, the eyes may even turn brownish.

· Yellowness of the Skin and Eye Whites: The yellowness is caused due to the excessive presence of bilirubin in the bloodstream.

· The urine also becomes dark yellow.

· Stools may become pale yellowish instead of the normal brownish color.

· Itching all over the body.

· Nausea or vomiting.

· fatigue

· fever

· Headache

· Vomiting: It is caused due to the imperfect functioning of the liver obstructing the normal bowel movements and digestion leading to indigestion which often progress to vomiting.

· Discoloration of Stool: As jaundice progresses there might be chances that the liver stops working altogether, in such cases, there will be no excretion of bilirubin happening through stool. This leads to the appearance of a pale stool which is one of the very prominent symptoms of jaundice.

· Stomach Pain: Stomach pain around the region of the liver is yet another symptom of jaundice. This type of pain happens because the liver experiences extreme discomfort due to overworking in the release of bilirubin or due to the blockage of the bile ducts in the case of obstructive jaundice.

· Abnormal Weight Loss: This is mainly caused in hemolytic jaundice wherein the production of bile juice decreases causing inability in the intestines to absorb enough nutrients from the ingested food. This can also occur due to other symptoms of jaundice including vomiting and loss of appetite

TYPES OF JAUNDICE:

- Types of jaundice are categorized by where they happen within the liver’s process of taking in and filtering out bilirubin:

A. PRE - HEPATIC: BEFORE THE LIVER

B. HEPATIC: IN THE LIVER

C. POST – HEPATIC: AFTER THE LIVER

DIET AND MANAGEMENT:

Foods that are recommended are:

- At least eight glasses of water: Water helps to flush out the harmful waste-products of the liver which is Bilirubin and helps keep it level in the blood under check.

- Fresh fruits and vegetables should be consumed: Citrus fruits, especially lemon, limes, papayas and melons tomatoes, pumpkin, olives, carrots, ginger, garlic etc.

- Milk thistle, it is known to boost the recovery process by protecting the liver from harmful toxins.

- Honey, Pineapple and Mango: It has natural digestive enzymes.

- Fiber-rich vegetables and nuts: Fiber are known to absorb Bilirubin.

- Lean proteins including, legumes fish, put less stress on the liver

AVOID:

Alcohol: It causes tremendous pressure on the liver to break down the by-product of digestion of alcohol.

Saturated Fats: Found in animal fats, they are the hardest to digest.

Refined sugar and Sodium

Food items to limit

Salt

Meat

Dairy Products

Eggs

Caffeine

Junk Foods

Beans

Butter and Clarified Butter

Banana

Homeopathic Treatment For Jaundice

Homeopathy is the science of healing which is very effective in treating both acute and chronic liver problems. Homeopathy takes a holistic approach to healing.

Homeopathy has a good treatment available for jaundice. There are a number of homeopathic medicines that can revive the normal functioning of liver. These homeopathic medicines are very effective and restore the liver function quickly. The bilirubin levels start reducing soon after starting treatment. The choice of the right homeopathic medicine rests on the symptoms of the patient.

1.Arnica Montana:

- It is generally recommended for jaundice that is caused by a difficult or traumatic birth. If the baby is bruised or swollen, take this remedy.

- Arnica Montana is considered as the best remedy to cure the jaundice symptoms in children.

2.Bryonia:

- One of the best homeopathic medicines for jaundice with increased thirst. There is increased dryness of mucous membranes. This dryness is reflected in increased thirst. The patient seems to be always thirsty. He or she takes large quantities of water.

This dryness also causes constipation. The stool is dry and hard.

3.Carduus Marianus:

- This remedy is effective in treating jaundice fever, dull headache, bitter taste, white tongue with red edges, nausea and vomiting of a greenish fluid. There is uncomfortable fullness feeling in the area of the liver, the stools are bilious and urine will be golden yellow.

- There is pain in the liver region. The liver is enlarged.

4.Chelidonium:

- Chelidonium is one of the best homeopathic medicines for jaundice with pain just below the right shoulder blade. This pain is constant and does not change with change of posture.

- There is a sense of constriction across the abdomen and around the liver region. This sense of constriction is as if a string is tied across the abdomen.

- There is desire to eat and drink warm or hot things. The taste of the mouth is bitter. Pain in the abdomen is temporarily relieved by eating.

5.China:

- China is one of the most prescribed among Homeopathic medicines for jaundice with great weakness and exhaustion. Liver weakness due to alcohol or poor diet is also treated well with China.

6.Digitalis:

- When jaundice develops from the cardiac diseases, digitalis may be the effective remedy. In this there is no retention of bile, obstruction of the ducts. But jaundice can be due to the fact that liver does not receive from the blood the elements which will make bile.

7.Lycopodium:

- Lycopodium acts powerfully on the liver. The region of the liver is sensitive to the touch, and there is a feeling of tension in it, a feeling as if a cord were tied about the waist. Cirrhosis.

- The pains are dull and aching instead of sharp and lancinating, as under Chelidonium.

- Fulness in the stomach after eating a small quantity.

8.Nux Vomica:

- Jaundice due to abuse of alcohol. The liver becomes deranged due to this chronic alcoholism. There is regular use of other stimulants or rich food too.

- The patient is usually short tempered. There is intolerance to cold and feels chilly all the time. There is pain in the stomach which is usually aggravated after eating.

9.Phosphorus:

- It is effective homeopathic remedy for jaundice which help in curing the symptoms of feeling tightness in the chest and pain in the abdomen.

- Patient who is suffering from jaundice requires this remedy oftenly to cure the symptoms of feeling thirst for cold water and feel weakness after bowel movement.

- Fatty degeneration of the liver, with well-marked soreness and jaundice. The stools are grayish white. Cirrhosis and atrophy may also call for Phosphorus. The jaundice is indicative of organic diseases, and the remedy is a useful one in malignant diseases of the liver.

10.Sulphur:

- Sulphur is suitable to chronic affections of the liver; it increases the flow of bile and there is much pain and soreness in the liver.

- Sulphur often completes the cure commenced by Nux.

- Liver complaints from abuse of mercury will oftentimes call for Sulphur. If the stools are colorless and if much jaundice or ascites be present Sulphur is contra-indicated.