Jaundice in adults is a condition that causes the skin or the white portion of the eyes to turn yellow due to high levels of bilirubin in the body.
Causes
Jaundice is caused when there is a problem with the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.
Problems with liver, gallbladder or pancreas is caused by:
- Gallstones blocking the bile duct.
- Infections.
- Heavy alcohol consumption.
- Cancer.
- Damage from illegal drugs, herbal medicines and certain drugs.
- Gilbert syndrome:- it is a condition that is hereditary and causes the person to have jaundice when they are under stress, take certain medications or due to some infection. Females with this syndrome get jaundice during the time around their menstruation phase.
Diagnostic Tests
After learning about the symptoms, the doctor will advise for certain tests such as a blood test to measure the levels of bilirubin in the blood.
Other tests include:
- Ultrasound.
- CT scan.
- MRCP.
- Tissue biopsy from the liver.
Treatment
Includes:
- Get plenty of rest.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Avoid certain medications that may worsen the situation or trigger the cause.
- Surgical removal of the gallbladder stones.
People having Gilbert syndrome do not require any special treatment and it does not cause any life-long problems.