Jaundice Symptoms

Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and the sclera or whites of the eyes. It is not a disease but only a sign to many other different diseases. Jaundice is caused by the high level of chemical bilirubin in the blood. Depending on the level of the chemical, the yellow pigmentation of the skin and the sclera may vary. When it is too high, it could appear as brown and not yellow.This condition can occur for many reasons. One of the most common causes is destruction of red blood cells within your cat's body. The cells can be destroyed within the liver, spleen, or blood vessels. Diseases of the liver may also bring about this condition. Another one of the common causes is an obstruction of the bile duct. This can occur anywhere in the bile duct or inside the gall bladder. Certain medications can also cause jaundice.

Jaundice is caused by an increasing amount of bilirubin in the blood. When red blood cells break down, the heme in their hemoglobin is converted to bilirubin. The bilirubin is processed by the liver where it is eliminated in bile. The hemoglobin is in the red cells of the blood that carries oxygen in your cells. As red blood cells die your body builds new cells to replace them and the old ones are processed by the liver. If any reason the red blood cells die rate faster than as usual, bilirubins can collect in the blood and cause jaundice.The blood cells in your baby's body are broken up into a yellow pigment called bilirubin. The level of bilirubin needs to be kept normal by the liver and kidneys by excreting it in the baby's poop. But the liver of a newborn baby is not very mature. So bilirubin levels rise in the blood causing yellow pigmentation of the skin.

In the Asian medicine Jaundice is splitted in two types, the Yin Jaundice and the Yang Jaundice. The first one is mainly characterized by the whole body being colored in a vivid yellow, thirst, coloring of the tongue (yellow). The second, the Yin jaundice turns the face, the eyes, and the skin slightly grey. Yin jaundice produces low fever, nausea, no appetite and palpitations.However, if the serum bilirubin levels rise too excessively, it may be because for due concern. Unconjugated bilirubin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and is neurotoxic (toxic to the brain-neuro). It can cause death in newborns. Infants who survive would have lifelong neurologic sequelae. Increased levels of unconjugated-indirect bilirubin which is free (not bound to albumin) may cause kernicterus damage to the brain centers of those infants.

Jaundice occurs as a result of the breakdown of extra red blood cells associated with the transition form your fetus receiving oxygen from your placenta to supplying her/his own oxygen. Bilirubin is a by-product of this breakdown process, and when it is reabsorbed and circulates it tints the skin and eyes yellow.

By: john alter

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