- Liver damage or a blockage in a bile duct can cause jaundice.
- The skin and whites of the eyes look yellow, the skin may itch, and urine is often dark.
- Laboratory and often imaging tests help identify the cause.
- Often, jaundice disappears as its cause resolves, but surgery or endoscopy is sometimes needed.
Old or damaged red blood cells are constantly being removed from the circulation, mainly by the spleen. During this process, hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen, is broken down into a dark greenish yellow pigment called bilirubin. Bilirubin is then carried in the bloodstream to the liver and is excreted into the intestine as a component of bile (the digestive fluid produced by the liver). If bilirubin cannot be excreted into bile quickly enough, it builds up in the blood. The excess bilirubin is deposited in the skin, resulting in the yellowish discoloration called jaundice.
Jaundice Symptoms
In jaundice, the skin and whites of the eyes appear yellow. Urine is often dark because excess bilirubin is excreted through the kidneys. People may have itching, light-colored stools, or other symptoms, depending on the cause of jaundice. For example, acute inflammation of the liver (acute hepatitis) may cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Blockage of bile may result in abdominal pain and fever.
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