Jaundice Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Yellow eyes and skin. These two very easy-to-recognize signs are the characteristic symptoms of jaundice. This disease occurs due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood and other body tissues.
Bilirubin is formed from the breakdown of red and normal blood cells present in the blood. However, certain conditions can result in the accumulation of these residues. Various things can cause jaundice – ranging from infection, and blood disorders, to malignancy.
Although it can affect anyone, from infants to the elderly, the risk of jaundice is increased in certain people. Some groups at higher risk include those with excess body weight, injecting drug users, and those who are addicted to alcohol.
Jaundice Symptom
Very typical symptoms of jaundice include:
- The skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow
- Pale stools
- Dark yellow urine.
Jaundice Reason
Common causes of jaundice include:
- Infections
include hepatitis and malaria. - Use of certain drugs, such as acetaminophen, penicillin, some types of birth control drugs, or steroid drugs.
- Alcohol abuse
The use of large amounts of alcohol over a long period of time can increase the risk of liver damage. - Blockage of the bile duct
Normally bile is transported from the liver to the intestine through a small duct. Blockage due to stones, cancer or tumors in the surrounding tissue can cause blockages resulting in a buildup of bile and breakdown of excess bilirubin. - Cancer
Jaundice Diagnosis
In the process of determining the diagnosis of jaundice, the doctor will look at the signs. When someone is found with yellow-looking eyes or skin, the doctor will conduct a medical interview and a series of supporting examinations.
Excavation of in-depth medical information was carried out to explore possible diseases that underlie this jaundice. Commonly asked questions include:
- Is there stomach pain, itchy skin, or drastic weight loss?
- Is there a change in the color of urine or urine becomes dark yellow?
- Is there a history of travel to certain disease-endemic areas, for example eastern Indonesia to see the possibility of malaria?
- Is there a history of consuming large amounts of alcohol?
- Is there a history of injecting drug use.
Apart from medical interviews, a series of supporting examinations are also needed to find out the exact cause of the jaundice that occurs. The examination includes:
- Blood tests.
This is done to determine blood bilirubin levels, liver function, and evaluate for infections such as malaria or hepatitis. - Ultrasound, CT Scan or MRI
Various imaging examinations are performed to see directly the shape and structure of the liver. Various abnormalities of liver function and structure, for example liver tumors or cancer can be indicated by symptoms of jaundice. - Liver biopsy
A biopsy is done by taking a small amount of liver tissue and examining it under a microscope. This examination is carried out when there is a suspicion of malignancy. In addition to diagnosis, a liver biopsy is also performed to determine the stage of the cancer.
Jaundice Treatment
Treatment of jaundice is based on the underlying problem. If the jaundice is caused by the hepatitis virus, generally the yellow will gradually disappear as the liver function recovers.
If the cause of jaundice is due to an obstruction of the bile duct, then one of the treatment steps that must be taken is surgery. Therefore, it is important to find out the cause first before determining the right course of treatment.
Jaundice Prevention
A healthy lifestyle is one of the keys to preventing jaundice. Maintain body weight in the ideal category. Also, avoid consuming alcohol. If you really have to, make sure to consume alcohol within safe limits, only occasionally, and not excessively.
Take care of yourself and minimize the risk of transmitting the hepatitis virus from the surrounding environment. Transmission of the hepatitis virus can be avoided by maintaining personal hygiene, avoiding sharing needles and avoiding free sex.