Jaundice, also called icterus, refers to the yellowing of the skin and the sclerae (part of the eye) and it may indicate presence of a gastrointestinal problem. With the change in skin color, some people may feel anxious or conscious, which may interfere with their activities of daily living and affect their health. The following are the causes, signs and symptoms, and home remedies for jaundice.
Causes
Jaundice is related to the production of bile and bilirubin. As per Medical News Today, the condition is due to an underlying disorder that causes excessive bilirubin production or prevents its elimination. As a result, it is deposited in the body tissues, which cause the yellowing. According to the publication, some conditions that may lead to bilirubin build-up and jaundice, include acute liver inflammation, bile duct inflammation or obstruction, hemolytic anemia, cholestasis, Gilbert’s syndrome (a hereditary condition that involves impaired bile excretion), Crigler-Najjar syndrome (a hereditary condition that involves impaired bilirubin processing, and Dubin-Johnson syndrome (a hereditary condition that involves impaired secretion of conjugated bilirubin out of the liver cells).
Signs and Symptoms
Jaundice presents several symptoms. According to Medicine Net, these include headache, abdominal pain, pale-colored stools, skin itching, dark-colored urine, nausea, rectal bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, fever, weight loss, confusion, loss of appetite, swelling of the legs, and ascites and distension related to fluid accumulation.
Home Remedies
Jaundice treatment may vary, depending on the cause. Iron supplements and iron-rich foods are the treatment for anemia-injuced jaundice while the selection of alternative medication is done for medication-induced jaundice. Then, anti-viral or steroids are the treatment for hepatitis-induced jaundice while surgery is an option for obstruction-induced jaundice. However, home remedies can also be done to supplement the medical regimen.
Sugarcane
One remedy for jaundice is sugar cane. According to Home Cure, sugarcane has properties that improve digestion and liver function, which helps handle jaundice symptoms. As per the publication, the person just has to take a glass of sugarcane juice, with some added lime juice, twice day for more favorable results. To prevention infection, it is a good practice to clean the sugarcane properly priot to extracting its juice.
Tomato
Another jaundice remedy is tomato juice. According to Home Remedy Hacks, tomatoes contain lycopene, which reduces liver damage. To prepare, as per the publication, the person takes 500 ml of water and allows it boil. Next, four to five tomatoes are added in the boiling water and they are allowed to stand for 15 minutes. Then, the skin of the tomato is peeled and they are crushed. Their juice is extracted by pressing them on a sieve. Once done, the juice is consumed on an empty stomach every morning. Salt and pepper can be added to the juice to speed up recovery.
Frequent Feedings
For infants, increasing feeding frequency is recommended, as per Mayo Clinic. According to the publication, doing so allows the baby to get more milk, which stimulates bowel movements. As a result, the amount of bilirubin eliminated in the stools is increased. As per the publication, breast-fed newborns should have eight to 12 feedings per day for the first several days of life. On the other hand, formula-fed babies should have an ounce or two or 30 to 60 ml of formula every two to three hours for the first week.
Jaundice reflects a yellowish skin color, which is associated to physiological body changes. It may also affect a person psychologically, which may also lead to interference in his daily activities. For persistence jaundice, it is vital to seek medical consult from a doctor for medical assistance, which covers assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation.
