Jaundice
Jaundice is the most
common of al liver disorders resulting from an obstruction in the bile
duct, or the loss of function of the bile-producing liver cells. There
are several forms of jaundice but all of them are marked by yellow
discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes.
The liver,
located under the diaphragm just above the stomach, is a vast chemical
laboratory which performs many important functions. It inactivates
hormones no longer needed, synthesizes many amino acids used in
building tissues, and breaks proteins into sugar and far when required
for energy. It produces lecithin, cholesterol, bile and blood albumin,
vital to the removal of tissue wastes. It also stores vitamins and
minerals.
Bile is a vital
digestive fluid which is essential for proper nutrition. It exercises a
most favorable influence on the general processes of digestion. It also
prevents decaying changes in food. If the bile is prevented from
entering the intestines there is an increase in gases and other
products. Normally the production of bile and its flow is constant.
Symptoms
The symptoms of
jaundice are extreme weakness, headache, fever, loss of appetite, undue
fatigue, severe constipation, nausea and yellow coloration of the eyes,
tongue, skin and urine.
Causes
Jaundice is
indicative of the malfunctioning of the liver. It may be caused by an
obstruction of the bile ducts which discharge bile salts and pigment
into the intestine. The bile then gets mixed with blood and this gives
a yellow pigmentation to the skin. The obstruction of the bile ducts
could be due to gal stones or inflammation of the liver, known as
hepatitis, caused by a virus. In the later case, the virus spreads and
may lead to epidemics owing to over-crowding, dirty surroundings, in
sanitary conditions and contamination of food and water. Other causes
of jaundice are pernicious anemia and certain disease affecting the
liver such as typhoid, malaria, yellow fever and tuberculosis.
Treatment
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