Jaundice (पीलिया )

The color of the skin and whites of the eyes will vary depending on levels of bilirubin. Bilirubin is a waste material found in the blood. Moderate levels lead to a yellow color, while very high levels will appear brown.

Fast facts on jaundice

Jaundice is caused by a buildup of bilirubin, a waste material, in the blood.

An inflamed liver or obstructed bile duct can lead to jaundice, as well as other underlying conditions.

Symptoms include a yellow tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes, dark urine, and itchiness.

Diagnosis of jaundice can involve a range of tests.

Jaundice is treated by managing the underlying cause.

Causes

Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of eyes that happens when the body does not process bilirubin properly. This may be due to a problem in the liver. It is also known as icterus.

Bilirubin is a yellow-colored waste material that remains in the bloodstream after iron is removed from the blood.

The liver filters waste out from the blood. When bilirubin reaches the liver, other chemicals attach to it. A substance called conjugated bilirubin results.

The liver produces bile, a digestive juice. Conjugated bilirubin enters the bile, then it leaves the body. It is this type of bilirubin that gives feces its brown color.

If there is too much bilirubin, it can leak into the surrounding tissues. This is known as hyperbilirubinemia, and it causes the yellow color in the skin and eyes.

Symptoms

a yellow tinge to the skin and the whites of the eyes, normally starting at the head and spreading down the body