The colour yellow represents the sunshine, joy and everything light, all that is good and well but even if it’s your favourite colour, I’m sure you wouldn’t want it to be on your skin, or any part of your body.
If that were to happen though, you start noticing yellow in your eyes and skin, it is an indication of a much bigger problem and you need to get yourself checked. What could cause this you may wonder. According to the Cleveland Clinic, there’s an illness called jaundice also known as hyperbilirubinemia, which is a condition where the skin, sclera (white area in your eyes), and mucous membranes turn yellow due to the liver’s inability to process bilirubin, a yellow substance produced by red blood cell breakdown.
The above clinic explains how this condition develops: “Normally, your liver processes bilirubin, making it a part of bile (a bitter, greenish-brown fluid that helps digest food). Your liver then releases the bile into your digestive system. Jaundice happens when your liver can’t process all the bilirubin your body makes, or if your liver has a problem releasing bilirubin.
“When there’s too much bilirubin in your blood, it starts to leak into tissues around your blood vessels. This leaking bilirubin makes your skin and the whites of your eyes yellow. This yellow colour is a common sign of jaundice.”
Symptoms
The WebMD mentions the symptoms of this condition, stating that they involve:
- Fever
- Stomach pain
- Chills
- Dark urine
- Tar- or clay-coloured stools
- Flu-like symptoms
- Itchy skin
- Weight loss
- Confusion
- Abnormal drowsiness
- Bruising or bleeding easily
- Bloody vomit
Causes
According to Medline Plus, what causes jaundice include liver infections, drug use, birth defects, chronic liver disease, gallstones, gallbladder disorders, blood disorders, pancreatic cancer, pregnancy gallbladder pressure, and liver cirrhosis. “Jaundice can occur when too much bilirubin builds up in the body. This may happen when there are too many red blood cells dying or breaking down (hemolysis) and going to the liver. The liver is overloaded or damaged or the bilirubin from the liver is not able to properly move into the digestive tract.”
Treatment
Jaundice in adults requires treatment for the underlying cause, which includes rest, increased fluid intake, alcohol avoidance, and avoiding liver-affecting medicines, states Health Direct. Treatment options are said to vary based on the cause. and that surgery may be suggested for other causes like gallstones, blocked bile ducts, or pancreatic cancer.
Also see: Tips on whitening naturally yellow teeth
