This is a blood disorder in which high numbers of red blood cells are destroyed by the body. Bilirubin backs up and the individual will suffer from jaundice and scleral icterus until the infection of the liver is resolved. Hepatitis can be caused by toxins but the most common cause is a virus that infects the liver, resulting in its dysfunction. People who drink too much alcohol can damage their liver so that it no longer keeps up with the destruction of red blood cells and bilirubin backs up, leading to jaundice and scleral icterus. In conditions such as gallstones and pancreatitis, the bile ducts can be obstructed, leading to a backup of bilirubin and a yellowish coloring of the skin and eyes of the affected individual. The liver contains an intricate system of ducts that eventually drain bilirubin into the gallbladder. Tests can be done to see what cause the liver dysfunction and sometimes a liver biopsy is necessary to see what is going on inside the cells. Any liver condition, such as congenital liver abnormalities or damage to the liver cells can result in the whites of eyes yellow. Jaundice or icterus is not a disease, but more of a sign leading to a medical condition. Jaundice or icterus refers to the yellowish pigmentation of the skin. Jaundice or icterus entails medical attention due to the possible causes (e.g., accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin). If there is an excess of bilirubin, it would leak to surrounding tissues and saturate these tissues with its yellow substance. Bilirubin is a waste product in your body, and it remains in your body after iron has been removed from hemoglobin. Bilirubin is important because you need to be aware that if you have jaundice or icterus, there is a possibility that bilirubin might be culprit. It is a sign of possible underlying problem within your body. It is best to remember that jaundice is not a disease. During these early minutes, the ‘ultra-violet B rays’ of the sun are advantageous, which promotes Vitamin D production. Some say to treat this, babies should be exposed to early sunlight rays, just as soon as the sun would rise, but not more than fifteen minutes, as the rays of the sun would be a bit harsher on the skin of the infant. It would last until the eighth day after birth until the fourteenth, especially in premature births. This is quite common to newly born infants around the second day after birth. There is another type of jaundice that is considered normal, that is, neonatal jaundice. Post-hepatic or Cholestatic = occurring after the conjugation of the bilirubin in the liver Hepatic or Hepatocellular = occurring within the liver Pre-hepatic or Hemolytic = occurring prior to the liver The discoloration of the whites of the eyes can also be called ‘conjuctival icterus’. Another term for this discoloration of the whites of the eyes to yellow is ‘scleral icterus’. The whites of the eyes that turn yellow are the first tissues that change color because of the increase of bilirubin levels. The discoloration on the whites of the eyes and the skin. What makes the yellow discoloration jaundice or icterus? Jaundice, on the other hand, needs medical attention, as this is caused by the accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin. Both carotenemia and jaundice may be attributed by similar characteristics, but only in appearance. Some studies show that this is sometimes caused by excessive consumption of foods rich in carotene, like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, to name a few … and, as mentioned, harmless. Carotenemia is characterized by the yellow pigmentation on the skin called ‘xanthoderma’. This condition, though, should not be assumed and thought of as jaundice. This yellow discoloration is caused by carotenemia, and generally is considered a harmless condition. Jaundice is derived from the French word ‘jaune’, which means yellow. Icteric is a term that describes the yellow pigmentation of the skin, the yellowing of the whites of the eyes, and other mucous membranes in the body. Jaundice is also known as ‘icterus’, which comes from the Greek word ‘icteric’. Yes, jaundice and icterus are one and the same. To properly define and describe what jaundice and icterus are, we shall pose the most asked about question, ‘Are jaundice and icterus one and the same?’ We also hear that icterus is just as similar. Jaundice is a common health problem, sometimes considered disease, even a sickness or an illness. This article aims to shed some light on both terms. Some say it is a common enough occurrence for newly born babies, but what do we really know about jaundice? In fact, we sometimes hear jaundice and icterus used one over the other. One such health problem is the yellowing of the skin. There have been many types of illnesses and health problems that plague the world these days, but sometimes what we hear about and know based on someone else’s experience is, unfortunately, what we tend to believe in.
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