Jaundice is a disease that is related to the liver. It affects thousands of people across the globe. Due to an increased build-up of bilirubin in the body, the skin, nails, and the eyes becomes yellowish in colour. While the condition is easily treatable, if detected in the early stages, it can be easily avoided if certain precautionary measures are taken.

Food: It should be ensured that food is consumed fresh and hot in order to avoid jaundice. This is more applicable especially, during the monsoons when the chances of food contamination are on the higher side. Vegetables should be thoroughly washed before cooking in order to avoid any liver infection.
Clean water: Consumption of clean water is a pre-requisite in order to avoid jaundice. Drinking filtered water should be an absolute must. If the water is known to be unsafe, it makes sense to boil it before drinking. Bottled or packaged water should be consumed when travelling outside to avoid the risk of jaundice.
Frequent hydration: Drinking at least 3-4 litres of water per day goes a long way in refraining from jaundice. Water has multiple health benefits. Apart from keeping the body hydrated, it ensures good blood circulation and cleanses a lot of unwanted body waste. Even fruit juice can be consumed to stay away from jaundice. Certain beverages such as sweetened water should be eschewed to remain healthy.
Vaccination: A jaundice vaccination goes a long way in ensuring that the disease cannot infiltrate the body. There are separate vaccines available to safeguard against both Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. In most countries jaundice vaccination are injected free of cost for children under 10 years. Jaundice vaccines are available over the counter as well.
Alcohol consumption: Alcohol consumption can kill slowly. They are known to have adverse effects on the liver which can result in jaundice and a host of other complicated diseases. An alcohol addict also takes a lot of time to recover from jaundice. It, therefore, makes sense to refrain from alcohol or limit it to a bare minimum in order to avoid jaundice.
Maintaining weight: Obesity is closely connected with the occurrence of jaundice. Fat cells not only increase the cholesterol level of the body but raise the risk of gallstones as well. It is important to maintain a healthy BMI to ensure that the liver functions well.
Maintaining hygiene: Maintaining good hygiene is a good way to stay away from jaundice. Small yet important things such as washing hands before a meal, regularly taking bath, washing teeth twice a day, wearing clean and washed clothes will ensure that the liver is not infected in any manner what so ever.

Jaundice Precautions -  You Must Take to Avoid It

Jaundice is a disease that is caused by high levels of bilirubin in the human body. It is a serious condition of the liver that needs to be treated on time because it leads to weakness, weight loss, fever, loss of appetite and other disturbing symptoms. It severely affects the functioning of the liver and since the liver is one of the most important organs of the body, its dysfunction can cause a lot of trouble to the patient. So, most of them prefer Ayurvedic treatment to get jaundice cured as allopathic medicines are harsh and not every patient can handle them with weak immunity.



Ayurveda treatment principle in jaundice
In Ayurveda, jaundice is known as  Kamala  and it is believed to be caused by pitta aggravation. When the liver starts producing bile in excess, the liver becomes dysfunctional and it causes jaundice. Therefore, Ayurveda tries to correct this aggravation. It focuses on curing the pitta imbalance and therefore, all of the Ayurvedic medicines that are used to treat jaundice have diuretic, detoxification, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. These medicines work by flushing out the toxins, in this case, excessive pitta from the liver, while also relaxing the liver muscles.

Ayurvedic medicine effects
Medicines have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and it restores the normal functions of the liver. So, Ayurveda aims to correct the root cause of the disease and does not suppress the symptoms of the disease. It cures the disease completely without being harsh on the liver. Also, the diet guidelines prescribed in Ayurvedic treatment increase the efficiency of the medicines, thereby, helping in quicker recovery.

Liver cleansing in jaundice
In the Ayurvedic treatment of jaundice, correction of pitta dosha is the prime goal. Even the therapies help in detoxifying the body so that the liver does not have to work hard to remove the toxins. The idea is to restore the liver to its previous state so that it can perform the normal functions without any trouble. So, all the Ayurvedic remedies work at strengthening the liver and it can be done only when the liver does not have excess pitta in the form of toxins.

Also, excess water and fluid intake are especially emphasized during Ayurvedic treatment and the motive behind this instruction is also the same   to expel the toxins. The liver is badly affected by jaundice. The excessive bile secretion makes it work extra hard to filter the toxins, which puts additional strain on the liver and as a result, it gets inflamed.

Ayurveda is a holistic and permanent curing system that works to provide lasting relief to the patient. It does not harm the body either and the remedies are always in sync with the medical state of the patient. Ayurveda diagnoses the patient before prescribing the medicines as every patient differs from another.

In case you have a concern or query, you can always consult an ayurvedic doctor for a proper line of treatment.

Treatment Of Jaundice - The Ayurvedic Approach!

Jaundice is a disorder marked by yellowness of the skin as well as the eyes. An increased amount of bilirubin in the body triggers this condition. Bilirubin is the product that is left after the break down of red blood cells. The liver excretes bilirubin. But if too much bilirubin is produced because of an underlying illness, or the liver function has been impaired, it will lead to jaundice.

Which Illnesses does Jaundice indicate?
In adults, jaundice could be the symptom of any of the following illnesses or conditions-

  Reaction to a medicine
  Liver cancer
  Infection of the liver
  Liver parasites
  Cirrhosis of the liver
  Gallstones
  Hepatitis
  Haemolytic anaemia
Jaundice may strike both adults as well as children. It is very common among babies who have been born preterm because their livers have not developed completely.

Jaundice in Siddha -
Siddha is a very old branch of medicinal science that cropped up in the southern part of India. According to Siddha, the human body mirrors the world around it. And our bodies too are made of the five elements- earth, fire, air, water and ether and three humours- Vata, pitta and Kapha. Usually, if there are too much of one of the elements in the body it may trigger an imbalance in the humor and this is at the root of all illnesses. So the aim of Siddha is to discover which humour is present in excess and then restore to balance.

Jaundice is mentioned in the ancient texts of Siddha medicine. It is called  manjal kamalai .  Manjal  means yellow and  Kamalai  means losing interest. It refers to a common side effect of jaundice. The person afflicted by it often loses interest in food and his/her everyday duties and activities.

Jaundice, in the Siddha texts, is the result of the distortion of pitta humour and it turns the skin, eyes and tongue yellow. When a person consumes too much spicy and hot food or if the person is too active, pitta levels will rise. This leads to  pitta neer  to mingle with blood, which will stagnate in different parts of the body.

According to Siddha, the symptoms of jaundice are -

  Constant fatigue
  Different parts of the body may turn yellow
  Constipation
  Sleepiness
  Headache
  Fever and shivers
The medicines of Siddha are all derived from herbs. Jaundice medicine is taken in the form of powder or a paste that is applied to the forehead or mixed with milk and consumed.

A person is advised against staying out in the sun for too long. As for diet, meat, poultry, salt and tamarind are prohibited. Rice has to be cooked twice before consuming. Fast food should strictly be avoided. Vegetables should be fried in ghee. Some foods that Siddha recommends are -

  Whole wheat flour
  Bananas
  Mangoes
  Almonds
  Berriesgrapes
  Potatoes
  Spinach
  Tomatoes

Siddha is a safe and secure way to treat jaundice because unlike allopathy, it does not leave a lasting and detrimental effect on the human body.

Can Siddha Help Cure Jaundice?

Jaundice is a medical condition, which is characterized by the yellow coloring of the skin and eyes. It generally occurs when there is an excess of bilirubin in your system. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment formed in the liver by the breakdown of red blood cells. It normally gets discharged by the liver along with other dead red blood cells. So if you are suffering from jaundice, it usually indicates that you have some serious problems regarding the functioning of your liver, pancreas, or gallbladder.

Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms commonly associated with jaundice include:
1.  Yellow-tinted eyes and skin
2.  The whites of your eyes may turn orange or brown in color
3.  Dark urine
4.  Pale stools
5.  High fatigue and vomiting (in severe cases)

Causes
Jaundice, as mentioned above, occurs when there is an excess of bilirubin and the liver is incapable of metabolizing it along with the old red blood cells. It is more common in infants than in adults, because their livers are not fully developed. However, it is also a frequent occurrence in adults and could be a potential sign of any of the following problems:
1.  Liver infection
2.  Scarring of the liver, or cirrhosis
3.  Hepatitis
4.  Alcohol abuse
5.  Liver cancer
6.  Gallstones
7.  Pancreatic cancer
8.  Blood disorders, like hemolytic anemia
9.  Parasites in the liver
10. Abnormal reactions to or overdose of medication

Diagnosis
Diagnostic tests may include:
1. Jaundice is diagnosed primarily by taking blood tests, to help measure the amount of bilirubin as well as to trace the presence of other diseases like Hepatitis.
2. Liver function tests in order to make comparisons between levels of certain proteins and enzymes when the liver is in good shape and when it is damaged.
3. Liver biopsies, where samples of liver tissue are first extracted and later examined under a microscope.
4. Imaging studies, consisting of abdominal ultrasounds, computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance images (MRI) tests.

Signs, Symptoms and Diagnosis of Jaundice

Infants often suffer from certain diseases which need proper care and timely treatment for quick recovery. At times, it can be difficult to communicate with an infant and understand his/her needs and problems but with a close observation you will surely be able to detect any alteration in the baby's behavior and sense it when he/she is ill. Here are some of the most common diseases infants are susceptible to and what you can do about them.

1. Abdominal distension
It is normal for a baby's belly to stick out after he/she has been fed, but if between feedings there is swelling in the abdomen or it feels hard, it can be an indication of a problem. If this symptom is accompanied by vomiting and absence of bowel movements for more than two days, your baby may be suffering from abdominal distention. This condition may have been caused by swallowing of extra air by the baby while crying or feeding. In such a situation, a pediatrician should be consulted for proper diagnosis and treatment.

2. Jaundice
It is common among newborns to develop mild forms of jaundice as the undeveloped liver is often not able to eliminate the chemical bilirubin from the blood. Mostly, this situation proves to be harmless till the level of bilirubin reaches a certain limit. After that, the disease must be properly treated to avoid damage to the baby's brain or nervous system.

3. Rsv infection
Rsv or respiratory syncytial virus is responsible for causing respiratory problems among infants. Rsv infection usually affects the bronchial passage and shows symptoms like cough, runny nose and mild fever which may even lead to bronchitis. Moreover, this infection may also develop into viral pneumonia, which makes it more important to consult a pediatrician if your baby shows any of the above symptoms.

4. Diarrhea
Infants are susceptible to watery bowel movements due to the action of virus, allergens, specific medications or bacteria. If you observe that your baby is passing stools more often than usual and it is watery, then it may be a case of diarrhea. Sometimes, these symptoms are accompanied by high fever, abdominal pain, lethargy, vomiting, dry eyes and mouth etc. In this situation you should consult your pediatrician and focus on replacing the fluids your baby has lost, to prevent dehydration.

4 Common Diseases that Babies are Susceptible To

Biliary stricture or a bile duct stricture is a condition where the bile duct narrows due to the presence of scar tissues in the body. There are many reasons for scar tissue formation   bile duct surgery, stone in the bile duct or exposure of the abdominal area to radiation. 

This condition can be either malignant or benign. In some cases, the presence of a tumour in the gallbladder can narrow the bile ducts. 

Signs of biliary stricture  

Bile ducts are very small. Because their diameter ranges from 4-10 millimetres, they can easily be blocked by scar tissue. The symptoms are similar to other disorders of the bile duct, where the bile duct is blocked. This stops it from releasing bile into the intestine. 

The symptoms may take a while before they become obvious. In fact, they may take several years as scar tissue takes time to develop.

The common signs are  

Stomach pain, especially on the right side

Fever

Itching

Your skin and eyes turn yellow 

The stools are light coloured

Fatigue

No appetite

Besides this, the biliary stricture can also cause organ inflammation. Liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are the most vulnerable ones in this regard. It can also lead to low blood pressure and sepsis (infection of the blood). 

The link between jaundice and biliary stricture

Because biliary stricture blocks bile ducts, the level of bile in the blood can increase. This may happen because the bile won t follow its normal route   from the liver to the intestine. Hence jaundice might occur.

To treat jaundice resulting from biliary stricture, the first line of treatment involves IV fluids, antibiotics, and antiviral medications. If that doesn t work, then surgery may be necessary to get rid of the bile duct obstructions.

Apart from this, you will also need to adopt certain self-care practices such as alcohol avoidance, proper hydration, and adhering to strict dietary guidelines.



Biliary Stricture & Jaundice - Know The Link!

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