How Is Jaundice Caused And Information On Jaundice Prevention?

HOW IS JAUNDISE CAUSED?

Jaundice, or the disease of yellow skin and eyes is a serious disease that cannot be neglected. If you wish to understand how jaundice is caused, you will have to go to the root of the problem and start your understanding process from there. At the core of jaundice lies the liver. So the first thing to understand is that the liver is the organ that has to be checked in order to get a handle on jaundice.

Symptoms Of Jaundice And Liver Disease Treatment

The discoloration, or yellowing caused in jaundice is totally due to a high level of bile pigments that are released in the blood, generally as a result of liver disease of some kind. Basically, the process works this way. The liver produces bile, a fluid that is essential in aiding the liver in its most important function – that of processing waste. The liver is generally the first place that all chemicals in the body pass through – this would include all nutrients and drugs.

After processing them, the liver sends out whatever chemicals that are required for further body function into the body as a fluid called bile. One of the essential chemicals passed into the body in this procedure is called bilirubin, and it is bright yellow in color. Due to a malfunction of the liver, in certain cases bilirubin tends to get stuck inside the body instead of being released out. When this process continues for a long time, then this yellow discoloration starts to show up in the skin and the whites of the eyes as well. Basically, this is an indicator that the amount of unprocessed bilirubin in the blood has risen to unacceptable heights and is now showing up as a discoloration. This is what we commonly call jaundice.

It is also good to know that the normal amount of bilirubin in the blood can be measured quite accurately. Up to 0.2 mg/dL and 1.2 mg/dL is what the normal bilirubin count should look like. Only when this count begins to exceed 3 mg/dL or higher, does it start showing up in outward signs. It is also at this point only that this disease can be detected as well. Since you are now aware that the liver is at the root of jaundice, you should also make it a point to take good care of this organ. Once afflicted, there is no guarantee that the jaundice will not return, just as there is no guarantee that your liver will recover fully.