Patient education: Jaundice in adults (The Basics)

What is jaundice? — 

This is when there is too much of a substance called "bilirubin" in the blood. It causes the skin or the whites of the eyes to turn yellow.

What causes jaundice? — 

It is usually caused by problems with the liver, which is a big organ in the upper right side of the belly. It can also be caused by problems with the gallbladder or pancreas (figure 1).

Normally, the liver stores bile, a fluid that helps the body break down fat. When you eat a meal that has fat in it, your gallbladder empties the bile into a tube called the "bile duct." The bile duct carries the bile into the small intestine to help with digestion.

Problems with the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas can be caused by:

●Gallstones – There are small stones that form inside the gallbladder and can block the bile duct.

●Infection

●Heavy alcohol use

●Damage from medicines, herbal supplements, or illegal drugs

●Cancer

You can also get jaundice after surgery, if you have certain blood disorders, or if you have a condition called Gilbert syndrome. Gilbert syndrome is a common, harmless condition that can run in families. People with this syndrome sometimes get jaundice when they are stressed, take certain medicines, have an infection, or have their period.

Is there a test for jaundice? — 

Yes. Your doctor will give you a blood test to measure the level of bilirubin in your blood. They might also give you tests to figure out what's causing your jaundice.

Will I need tests? — 

Your doctor or nurse will decide which tests you should have based on your age, other symptoms, and individual situation.

Tests doctors can use to find the cause of jaundice include:

●Blood tests

●Ultrasound – This uses sound waves to take pictures of the organs inside the belly.

●CT scan – This is a special kind of X-ray.

●MRCP – This is a special kind of scan that lets the doctor look at the bile duct.

●Liver biopsy – A doctor takes a small sample of tissue from the liver. Then, another doctor looks at the sample under a microscope.

How is jaundice treated? — 

Treatments depend on what's causing the jaundice. Your doctor or nurse might recommend you:

●Get plenty of rest – Ask your doctor or nurse when it is OK to go back to work or school.

●Avoid alcohol.

●Take medicines – Your doctor or nurse will talk with you about your medicines and whether you need others. They will also tell you which medicines to avoid.

If your jaundice was caused by gallstones, you might also need surgery to remove your gallbladder.

Sometimes, gallstones in the bile duct can be removed during a procedure called "ERCP." For an ERCP, the doctor puts a flexible tube down your throat and takes X-rays to see and remove gallstones.

If you have Gilbert syndrome, you do not need to do anything extra to treat your jaundice. Gilbert syndrome does not cause long-term problems on its own.

More on this topic

Patient education: Bilirubin test (The Basics)
Patient education: Gallstones (The Basics)
Patient education: Choosing surgery to treat gallstones (The Basics)
Patient education: Gilbert syndrome (The Basics)
Patient education: Liver biopsy (The Basics)
Patient education: Cholecystectomy (The Basics)
Patient education: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (The Basics)
Patient education: Hepatitis A (The Basics)
Patient education: Hepatitis B (The Basics)
Patient education: Hepatitis C (The Basics)
Patient education: Cirrhosis (The Basics)
Patient education: Liver cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Chronic pancreatitis (The Basics)
Patient education: Jaundice in babies (The Basics)

Patient education: Gallstones (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Gilbert syndrome (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Liver biopsy (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Jaundice in newborn infants (Beyond the Basics)