Jaundice is not an illness but a medical condition in which too much of bilirubin is circulating in the blood. This excess of bilirubin causes the skin, eyes and the mucus membrane to turn yellowish in color. While in newborns, jaundice is common and gets cured by itself in adults if the condition is left untreated it can lead to liver failure.

Causes of Jaundice

Jaundice can be caused by a lot of factors namely

• An obstruction of the bile duct due to tumour or gallstone
• An inflammation of the liver- Hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Pancreatic cancer
• Inadequate blood flow to the liver
• Congenital disorders involving bilirubin
• Malaria- a fatal disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes

Symptoms of Jaundice

• Yellow discoloring of the skin, mucus membranes and whites of eyes
• Itching
• Nausea
• Light colored stool
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• Dark urine

Diagnosis of Jaundice

Jaundice is diagnosed based on a physical examination and observation by the doctor. But since the condition has a number of possible causes you might be asked to take the following tests:

• Serum Bilirubin- to check the concentration of bilirubin in the blood
• Complete blood count- to know about the components of blood like red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets.
• Prothrombin time- time taken for blood to clot
• Liver biopsy- where a small portion of the liver is removed and then analyzed in a laboratory
• Abdominal ultrasound- a sonogram will show if there is abnormal swelling.

Treatment of Jaundice

Since Jaundice is a symptom and not a specific disorder, treatment depends on its cause. Treatments may range from treatment of infection with antibiotics, removal of gallstones or tumor or liver transplant if the liver is badly damaged. In case of cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, jaundice may be recurring or a permanent problem.

Proper dietary changes must also be incorporated for getting relief from jaundice. He/she has to decrease the protein intake and increase intake of carbohydrates sharply. A well balanced nutritious diet and frequent small meals will help to overcome the problem. Serious cases of jaundice are related to obstruction in bile ducts which will take a long time to heal. You should drink juices and take plenty of rest. Juices of orange, grapes, pear and sugarcane are very useful. There should be regularity in bowel movements. Continue with the juice fast till the acute symptoms subside.

You should avoid all fats like butter or ghee. A light carbohydrate diet with plenty of fruits and vegetable helps in faster recovery. Raw apples and drinking barley water frequently also helps to relieve the symptoms. Abstain from eating legumes or pulses that tend to putrefy in the lower intestine. Drinking a lot of water with lemon juice helps in protecting the liver cells.

Green leaves of radish are another effective remedy for jaundice. You can extract the juice of the leaves through a cloth and take half a litre daily. Fresh tomato juice with a pint of salt and pepper is another good remedy. You should also exercise regularly, go out in the sunshine and get enough rest. All these remedies will help you overcome the problem in a short time.