Treatment of jaundice (jaundice)
introduction
Under one Jaundice one understands an unnatural yellowing of the skin or the conjunctiva of the eyes and the mucous membranes, which is triggered by an increase in the metabolic product bilirubin. If the total bilirubin in the body rises to values above 2 mg / dl, a yellow coloration is triggered.
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Therapy for jaundice
Due to the many different causes of jaundice, numerous therapeutic approaches can help to reduce jaundice. The therapies mentioned are possible treatments for jaundice, but are not suitable for every potential underlying cause. The causal therapy of the causal disease should always be in the foreground.
- Blue light phototherapy
- Blood exchange transfusion
- Diet change to light whole foods
- Avoid harmful foods such as alcohol and fatty foods
- Avoid liver-damaging drugs in consultation with the doctor
- Protection against liver-damaging infectious diseases, e.g. Hepatitis B vaccination
- Regularly breastfeeding an infant to prevent newborn jaundice
For the treatment of jaundice it is first necessary to treat the underlying disease. If it is a bile duct stone that prevents the outflow of bile acid, the passage must be ensured by retrieving the stone.
Since the pancreatic tumor is a very serious disease that is often already in the end stage of pancreatic cancer when the diagnosis is made, the only option is often to insert a so-called stent. This is a small tube that is inserted between the pancreas and the bile duct and is intended to ensure that the acids can flow through again.
Hepatitis either heals on its own or is treated with antiviral therapy. In the case of hemolyticus neonatorum (neonatal icterus), light irradiation is applied to the newborn for a few hours. Unfortunately, no therapies are known to date for the numerous so-called hyperbilirubinemia.
These home remedies can help
In principle, jaundice is a serious symptom that can indicate serious diseases of the blood, liver or other organs. If serious causes have been ruled out by a doctor, home remedies can be used in addition to medical treatment to improve the jaundice.
Some foods stimulate dehydration and can thus accelerate the elimination of bilirubin. These include lemon, cucumber, watermelon, celery or asparagus. If necessary, liver damage can lead to low sugar levels, which can be corrected with fast-acting sugars in food under medical advice.
Other foods that can protect the liver and detoxify the body are almonds, ginger, tomatoes and turmeric.
Diet for jaundice
Some forms of jaundice are due to diseases of the liver or bile. These can be significantly influenced by changing your diet. The main food risk factors for liver disease are alcohol and fatty foods. The healthiest diet for the liver and other internal organs is the so-called "light whole food".
It is a mixed diet of easily digestible foods that contain all essential substances but do not provoke intolerance. For example, more dietary fiber, as found in fruits, vegetables, pulses or cereals, should be consumed. The intake of unsaturated fatty acids should also be increased and the amount of saturated fatty acids reduced.
In addition, small and frequent meals have a gentle effect on numerous digestive organs.
Reduction of alcohol
Alcohol is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in Germany. Already amounts of 10g of pure alcohol per day can damage the liver in the long term. This amount corresponds to about a quarter of a liter of beer. After a while, alcohol can cause fatty liver to develop. With immediate alcohol abstinence, the liver can still recover at this stage.
Fatty liver is characterized by an enlarged structure in the upper abdomen that can often be felt from the outside.Only with continued alcohol consumption can chronic inflammation in the fatty liver lead to a remodeling of the cells and cirrhosis of the liver, which includes the loss of function of vital metabolic processes in the liver.
If the liver is already inflamed, it is also advisable not to use alcohol, even if this is not the cause of the inflammation. Even in moderation, alcohol consumption does not make sense, as every glass of beer attacks the liver cells and can also damage them.
prophylaxis
A prophylaxis or one against jaundice (Jaundice) protective method is unknown. Of course, it is important to avoid letting the causative illness break out.
forecast
The prognosis for jaundice also depends on the underlying disease. The jaundice itself is not dangerous, but rather unpleasant due to possible itching.
However, diseases that cause jaundice can be life threatening. Tumor diseases are the most threatening cause of jaundice.
As mentioned above, the diagnosis is made very late. The tumor is usually so advanced that it is obstructing the outflow of bile acid.
In pancreatic cancer, the 5-year survival rate is 0% if the tumor could not be surgically removed beforehand, otherwise it is 15%. For bile duct cancer, the 5 year survival rate is 40%.
Further information also under our topic: Pancreatic cancer
Liver inflammation (hepatitis) of groups A and B mostly heal by themselves, the success rate of treatment in group C is 95% if the therapy is carried out for 24 weeks.
Further information also under our topic: hepatitis
Hepatitis vaccination
Inflammation of the liver can be caused by food, autoimmune processes, or viruses. The hepatitis viruses have 5 possible triggers that can cause different forms of hepatitis. A dangerous variant that occurs frequently in Germany is hepatitis B. The infection can be chronic and destroy the liver in the long term, causing cirrhosis of the liver.
The standing vaccination commission recommends a hepatitis B vaccination for every infant in Germany, which is administered in 4 doses from the second month of life as a dead vaccine. For trips abroad, for example to the tropics, you can still be vaccinated against hepatitis A, which is very rare in Germany and can mainly be transmitted via contaminated food.
Avoidance of liver-damaging drugs
A great many drugs are broken down in the liver and excreted in the bile and the digestive tract. Some drugs can damage the liver in the process. The extent of the damage depends on the dose and amount of the drug. Most of the common drugs can damage the liver if overdosed, but normal doses are not expected to cause liver damage to a healthy liver.
If you already have liver disease, you should consult your doctor about the effects on the liver before starting a new drug therapy. Numerous antibiotics, antidepressants, pain medication, or hormones can damage the liver. However, even in all other classes of active ingredients, individual active ingredients can be dangerous if liver damage is already present.
Summary
Jaundice is a non-painful yellowing of the skin, the leather or conjunctiva of the eyes and the mucous membranes. It occurs when the bilirubin content in the body increases to values above 2 mg / dl.
The causes can be a disorder of one of the metabolic areas upstream of the liver, e.g. increased destruction of blood components or hyperbilirubinemia syndrome (prehepatic cause of jaundice).
A second possibility is the impaired utilization of the accumulated bilirubin in the liver through:
- Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Congested liver
- (intrahepatic causes) etc.
If the outflow of bile acid is obstructed by a gallstone or a tumorous change, there is also an increase in bilirubin levels. In this case, one speaks of a posthepatic cause.
Blood intolerance syndromes during childbirth or unexplained icterus of pregnancy are rare forms of jaundice.
Jaundice is not an independent clinical picture, but rather a symptom. A visual diagnosis is usually sufficient and can then be confirmed by a blood test.
Once identified, the cause of the jaundice must be found out quickly.
Prehepatic causes of jaundice can be found through blood tests, and intrahepatic and posthepatic causes can be found through ultrasound.
Treatment depends on the triggering cause. Prehepatic causes (causes before the liver), such as disorders of the blood system and hyperbilirubinemia, are relatively difficult to treat.
Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) either heals on its own or has to be treated with antiviral therapy. Treating a malignant tumor that causes jaundice is also difficult.
The diagnoses are made very late and the tumor e.g. the bile duct or pancreas is already well advanced. Often the only thing that helps here is inserting a tube, which ensures the bile acid drainage again.
Regardless of the fact that even harmless diseases can trigger jaundice, any jaundice must be clarified as soon as possible.
