Jaundice can also be caused by other diseases, like malaria, hepatitis, or gallstones. Jaundice is the most common of all liver problems. The yellow color of the skin and mucous membranes happens because of an increase in the bile pigment, bilirubin, in the blood.

Types of Jaundice

There are three types of jaundice:

• Hemolytic jaundice – caused by the destruction of red blood cells. This causes increased bilirubin formation and anemia
• Obstructive jaundice – caused by a blockage in the pathway where bilirubin is made in the liver cells and where bile goes into the duodenum
• Hepatocellular jaundice – caused by damage to liver cells. The damage could be from a viral infection or toxic drugs

Yellow discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes happens in all types of jaundice.

Jaundice symptoms

• Extreme weakness
• A headache
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Tiredness
• Severe constipation
• Nausea
• Yellow coloration of the eyes, tongue, skin, and urine
• Dull pain in the liver region
• Obstructive jaundice may also cause intense itching

Jaundice causes

Jaundice is a sign that the liver is not working. It may be caused by a blockage of the bile ducts which release bile salts and pigment into the intestines. The bile then gets mixed with blood and this gives a yellow color to the skin. The blockage of the bile ducts could be caused by:

• Gallstones
• Inflammation (swelling) of the liver, called hepatitis. This is caused by a virus. The virus can spread and may lead to epidemics caused by:
  • Overcrowding
  • Dirty surroundings
  • Unsanitary conditions
  • Contamination of food and water

Other causes of jaundice are pernicious anemia and diseases affecting the liver such as typhoid, malaria, yellow fever, and tuberculosis.

Jaundice diagnosis

A blood test is usually performed to confirm the diagnosis of jaundice, which includes:

• Bilirubin tests
• A full blood count of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets
• Hepatitis A, B, and C tests

The doctinquire enquire about your personal medical history, and do a physical exam to feel for tumors in your abdomen, or check the firmness of your liver. A firm liver indicates liver cirrhosis and a hard liver indicates liver cancer.

Other tests that you may be asked to undergo to find out the cause of the jaundice is:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Abdominal ultrasonography (ultrasound)
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan, or computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Liver Biopsy

Treatment for jaundice

The medical treatment of jaundice targets the specific cause, rather than jaundice itself. For example:

• Anti-viral medications and steroids are the treatment for Hepatocellular jaundice
• Iron supplements are the best treatment for Hemolytic jaundice
• Obstructive jaundice is treated with surgery to remove the obstruction followed by medication
• There is also medication induced jaundice, in other words, jaundice which occurs as a side effect of consuming certain medicines. In such cases, the medicines are discontinued and alternative medicines are prescribed.

For infants with jaundice the treatments include:

• Phototherapy
• Blood transfusion

Treatment for jaundice – Ayurveda

Apart from Ayurvedic medicines for treating the condition, certain diet precautions and recommendations are also given. Avoidable foods are chocolate, cakes, ice cream, spicy food, alcohol, non-vegetarian food and in general any kind of heavy food. Recommended foods as an aid in the curative process are:

• Vegetables such as tomatoes and radish, and
• Dry fruits such as dried date, almond, and cardamom

Ayurvedic remedies for Jaundice

Following are some of the remedies besides Ayurvedic medicines, which should be used in consultation with Ayurvedic Doctor:

• Ghritkumari (Aloe Vera)
• Jaundice Berry
• Kakmachi (Solanum Nigrum)
• Bhumiamla
• Use of Gokulkanta plant root is very effective in liver diseases including jaundice.
• One of the best Ayurvedic remedies for jaundice is Turpeth.
• A very effective Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of jaundice is Kamalahar.
• Take bitter gourd juice every morning.
• Make a cup of juice with equal proportions of beetroot and lemon. Have this juice for a few days to cure jaundice.
• Extract juice from Amalaki, the Indian gooseberry (Emblica Officinalis) and drink it thrice every day in teaspoonful quantity.

Ayurveda for jaundice and other liver conditions has some very potent medicines as well as diet recommendations which are very helpful. The Ayurvedic treatment for jaundice is almost free from any kind of side-effects.

Treatment for jaundice – Homeopathy

When jaundice develops from the cardiac diseases, digitalis may be an effective remedy. In this, there is no retention of bile, obstruction of the ducts. But jaundice can be due to the fact that the liver does not receive from the blood the elements which will make bile. There is drowsiness, bitter taste, soreness, enlargement, and feel of bruised in the area of the liver.

Treatment for jaundice – Naturopathy

The process of application and its outcomes are extremely relaxing which casts a very positive therapeutic impact on the minds of the receivers of the treatment. This goes a long way in accelerating recovery. After the initial stage is crossed, relaxing exercises in the form of Yoga asanas are introduced. Our natural cure for jaundice is topped with our serene and tranquil surroundings that tend to relax minds like never before, making the road to recovery a happy journey that is rich in experience.

Yoga for jaundice

Kunjal

Technique

• Sit in Kagasana and Consume 4 glasses of lukewarm saline water or as per one’s capacity.
• Now, the person should stand up and bend forward.
• Put your left hand on the stomach. Place the index and the middle fingers of the right hand in the throat. Make some movement in your stomach, and water to start to come out automatically.
• Remove your fingers from the mouth when water starts coming out. Put the same fingers when water stop to release and repeat the same process.

Home remedies for jaundice and hepatitis