Jaundice: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Homoeopathic Treatment of Jaundice

What is Jaundice?

The word jaundice is derived from the French word “jaundice”, which means "yellow disease". 

Jaundice, also known as icterus ('Kamla rog' or 'Peeliya' in Hindi), is a term used to describe a yellowish pigmentation of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclera) which is caused by an excess of bilirubin in the blood (hyperbilirubinemia). The feces may be pale and the urine dark.

The color of the skin and sclera varies depending on levels of bilirubin; mildly elevated levels display yellow skin and sclera, while highly elevated levels display brown.

Jaundice itself isn't a sickness, but instead an indication of one of the numerous underlying pathological processes that happen eventually along the ordinary physiological pathway of the metabolism of bilirubin in the blood.

What is Bilirubin:-

It is a yellow-colored substance and a waste product that formed due to the breakdown of RBC when the iron is removed from hemoglobin in red blood cells. Excess bilirubin leaks out into surrounding tissues causing yellowness of the skin and tissues. 

The Two forms of bilirubin can be measured by laboratory tests:

• Unconjugated bilirubin - when heme is discharged from hemoglobin, it is changed over to unconjugated bilirubin. It is conveyed by proteins to the liver. Little sums might be available in the blood.

• Conjugated bilirubin - framed in the liver when sugars are connected (conjugated) to bilirubin. It enters the bile and goes from the liver to the small intestine and is in the end disposed of in the stool. Ordinarily, no conjugated bilirubin is available in the blood.

Normal Levels of Bilirubin:

Total 0.2 – 1.2 mg/dL in adults (It is a combination of direct and indirect bilirubin.)

Direct bilirubin is 0.1-0.4 mg/dL.

Types of jaundice

There are three main types of jaundice:

• Pre-Hepatic Jaundice (Hemolytic Jaundice) – when there is an excessive breakdown of red blood cells (hemolysis) occurs, it leads to an increase in the production of bilirubin. It can be caused by some conditions like sickle cell anemia and hemolytic anemia.

• Intra-hepatic jaundice (hepatocellular jaundice) – occurs as a result of liver disease or injury. It can be caused by some diseases such as Gilbert's syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver, or other liver damage.

• Post-hepatic jaundice (obstructive jaundice) – occurs as a result of an obstruction in the bile duct (a system of tubes that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine), which prevents bilirubin from leaving the liver. it's caused by conditions such as gallstones or tumors.

Causes of jaundice

Jaundice regularly happens because of a fundamental issue that either causes overproduction of bilirubin or prevents the liver from disposing of it, both of which result in bilirubin being kept in tissues.

• Acute inflammation of the liver
• Inflammation of the bile duct - may prevent the discharge of bile and expulsion of bilirubin, causing jaundice.
• Blockage of the bile duct – This obstruction prevents the liver from disposing of bilirubin.
• Hemolytic anemia - production of bilirubin increases when large quantities of red blood cells are broken down.
• Gilbert's syndrome - an acquired condition that disables the ability of enzymes to process the excretion of bile.
• Cholestasis - a condition where the stream of bile from the liver has interfered. The bile containing conjugated bilirubin stays in the liver as opposed to being discharged.

Some rare conditions also can cause jaundice are:

• Crigler-Najjar syndrome - an inherited condition that impairs the specific enzyme responsible for processing bilirubin
• Dubin-Johnson syndrome - an acquired type of chronic jaundice that prevents conjugated bilirubin from being discharged out of the liver's cells.
• Pseudojaundice - a relatively harmless type of jaundice in which the yellowing of the skin occurs due to an excess amount of beta-carotene, not from an excess amount of bilirubin. This condition results from eating lots of carrots, pumpkins, or melons.

Symptoms of jaundice

•    Yellowness of the skin and the whites of the eyes can be examined

•    Pruritis (itchiness)

•    Fatigue

•    Abdominal pain – Due to the obstruction of the bile duct

•    Weight loss

•    Vomiting

•    Fever

•    Paler than usual stools

•    Dark urine

Diagnosis of jaundice

Normally Physicians diagnose jaundice by asking about the patient's history and by examining the patient physically, paying close attention to the abdomen. Doctors will check the hardness of the liver; a firm liver suggests cirrhosis, while a stony hard liver indicates cancer.

The severity of jaundice is determined by several tests, such as liver function tests and other blood tests. Some of these tests include:

• Bilirubin tests - a high level of unconjugated bilirubin relative to levels of conjugated bilirubin indicates hemolysis (accelerated breakdown of red blood cells)
• Complete blood count (CBC) - measures levels of red blood cells (RBC), leukocytes (WBC), and thrombocytes (platelets)
• Hepatitis A, B, and C tests
• If an obstruction of the liver is suspected, the liver's structure will be looked at with the help of imaging tests. Some of these tests include:
• MRI scan - uses magnetic signals to create image "slices" of the soft tissues of the human body.
• Abdominal ultrasonography (ultrasound) - uses high-frequency sound waves to create a two-dimensional image of the soft tissues of the human body
• CT or CAT scan - uses a thin X-ray beam to create image "slices" of soft tissues in the body
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - a procedure that combines an endoscopy and X-ray imaging
• A liver biopsy may be required for checking the inflammation, Liver cirrhosis, cancer, and fatty liver.

Treatments for jaundice

Treatment of jaundice depends on the actual cause which results to jaundice.

• Jaundice caused by Anemia may be treated by providing iron in the blood externally; either by taking iron supplements or eating more iron-rich nourishment.
• Hepatitis-induced jaundice may be treated with anti-viral or steroid medications.
• Obstruction-induced jaundice may be treated via surgery to remove the obstruction.
• Drug-induced jaundice is dealt with by choosing an option prescription and by ceasing medicines that caused jaundice.

Complications from jaundice

There may be severe itching that occurs which can lead to scratching of the skin raw. Most of the complications that arise are due to the underlying cause of jaundice, not from jaundice itself.

Prevention of jaundice

Jaundice is related to the function of the liver, so it is necessary that people keep up this crucial organ's well-being by eating an adjusted eating regimen, practicing consistently, and ceasing from surpassing suggested measures of liquor.

Neonatal jaundice

Usually, Neonatal jaundice is harmless: this condition arises in infants around the second day after birth, lasting until day 8 in normal births, or to around day 14 in premature births. 

Serum bilirubin generally decreases to a low level without any intervention required. If bilirubin levels in babies are very high for too long, a type of brain damage, known as kernicterus, may occur, leading to significant disability

Typical causes for neonatal jaundice are Physiological jaundice, jaundice due to ready-made food supplements, and hemolytic blood disorders including, hereditary spherocytosis, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, pyruvate kinase deficiency, ABO/Rh blood type auto-antibodies, or infantile pyknocytosis.

A Bili light or 'Jaundice light for newborn baby', is used for early treatment, in which the baby is exposed to intensive photo-therapy. Sunbathing is also an effective treatment and has the advantage of ultra-violet-B, which promotes Vitamin D production. Bilirubin count is lowered through bowel movements and urination, so frequent and effective feedings are especially important.

Homeopathic treatment of Jaundice

Jaundice can be easily cured by Homeopathic medicines. Homeopathic medicines for jaundice are natural and safe to use. As mentioned above jaundice is a symptom, not a disease, so homeopathic medicine also cured jaundice by treating the underlying cause. 

Homeopathy is a holistic science that takes the natural path to heal diseases. Homeopathic medicines are deep acting and have no side effects on the body. They attack the disorder at the root and completely eradicate the disease. Once the body’s own immune system is strengthened, it prevents further recurrence of the disease.

There are many Homeopathic medicines available to treat jaundice including Carduus, Chelidonium, Chionanthus, Bryonia, Kalmegh, Lycopodium, Mercurius, podophyllum, and Phosphorus etc. Their selection is based on the symptoms of the patients and the underlying cause of jaundice.

Few cases of jaundice treated with Homoeopathic medicines

At, Care 'N' Cure Homoeopathic Health Center, Delhi, we have seen hundreds of cases of jaundice since 2005. Out of them, around 90% have shown very good results. Well-selected homeopathic medicine, strict diet restrictions, and proper counseling lead to the complete cure of jaundice. 

Duration of treatment varied from case to case depending on the severity and chronicity of the case. Here we are presenting some recent cases of jaundice treated by us.

Case 1:

A young girl 11 years old comes with the symptoms of fever, nausea, dark urine, pale eyes with loose stools. Weakness was marked with a dull look.

On physical examination, she was diagnosed with jaundice. For confirmation, we suggest her for Liver Function Test (LFT) and Complete Blood Count (CBC). Following are the findings (Reports are attached):

Before Treatment	After Treatment
Se. Bilirubin: total- 2.88 mg/dl Direct – 2.15 mg/dl Indirect – 0.73 mg/dl	Se. Bilirubin: total- 0.90 mg/dl Direct – 0.36 mg/dl Indirect – 0.54 mg/dl
S.G.O.T: 501.1 IU/L	S.G.O.T: 28.29 IU/L
S.G.P.T : 818.9 IU/L	S.G.P.T : 30.73 IU/L
Alkaline Phosphatase: 520.4	Alkaline Phosphatase: 276.5
Gamma G.T. – 208	Gamma G.T. – 12.36

Before Treatment ⇒

After Treatment ⇒

After well-selected homeopathic medicines and clear diet instructions, she has been cured.

Case 2:

A young boy of age 11 was suffering from high fever with chills, vertigo, and greenish watery stool.

Before treatment	After treatment
Total Bilirubin: 4.84 mg/dl	1.31 mg/dl
SGPT – 3746 IU/L	SGPT – 227 IU/L
SGOT – 2524 IU/L	SGOT – 140 IU/L

Before Treatment ⇒

⇐ After Treatment

Now, this boy is perfectly fine.

About the Author: Dr. Rahul Singh

Dr. Rahul Singh is a registered Homeopath and Certified Nutritionist with over 16 years of experience and recipient of multiple awards, helps busy people in this fast life, re-energize with tips on a healthy diet, yoga, beauty, health, and wellness strategies that have an impact on their life.