What causes jaundice?
Jul 18, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Shen Yonghua
Introduction
A large number of red blood cells are destroyed for various reasons, leading to excessive bilirubin production that exceeds the liver's processing capacity, resulting in jaundice. This condition is often accompanied by symptoms such as anemia, dizziness, fatigue, and darkened urine. Treatment may include medications such as prednisone acetate tablets, cyclophosphamide tablets, and azathioprine tablets, as directed by a physician. In severe cases, blood transfusion or exchange transfusion may be required.
Under normal circumstances, jaundice may be caused by dietary factors, strenuous exercise, hemolytic anemia, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other conditions. If abnormalities occur, timely medical consultation is recommended. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Dietary factors: Consuming large amounts of carotene-rich foods such as carrots and pumpkins within a short period may cause yellowing of the skin, resulting in pseudojaundice. It is recommended to adjust the diet, reduce intake of these foods, and the skin color will gradually return to normal after some time.
2. Strenuous exercise: Increased red blood cell destruction due to mechanical injury after intense physical activity can lead to elevated bilirubin release, possibly causing transient jaundice. Vigorous exercise should be stopped, adequate rest taken, and hydration maintained to promote bilirubin metabolism and excretion.
3. Hemolytic anemia: Excessive red blood cell destruction for various reasons leads to overproduction of bilirubin, exceeding the liver's processing capacity, resulting in jaundice. It is often accompanied by symptoms such as anemia, dizziness, fatigue, and darkened urine color. Treatment may follow medical advice to use medications such as prednisone tablets, cyclophosphamide tablets, and azathioprine tablets. Blood transfusion or exchange transfusion may be required in severe cases.
4. Viral hepatitis: Viral infection引发 liver inflammation, damages hepatocytes, causes bilirubin metabolism disorders, and leads to jaundice. Common symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the liver area. Doctors generally recommend treatment with medications such as lamivudine tablets, entecavir dispersible tablets, and reduced glutathione injections.
5. Cirrhosis: Long-term liver damage leads to fibrosis, severely impaired liver function, and obstruction of bilirubin metabolism and excretion, causing jaundice. Symptoms often include ascites, abdominal distension, weight loss, and bleeding tendencies. It is recommended to use medications such as compound glycyrrhizin tablets, silymarin capsules, and spironolactone tablets under medical guidance, along with adequate rest and nutritional support.
In daily life, maintaining regular作息, avoiding excessive fatigue, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, protecting liver function, and undergoing regular physical examinations are important to enable early disease detection and treatment, thereby reducing the occurrence of jaundice.
