Information on Jaundice: Is Jaundice Infectious

No, jaundice, one of the most common conditions that affects the liver of a person, is not infectious. It is not a disease by itself but certainly indicates the presence of other underlying conditions. Jaundice results in the yellowing of the skin and mucous membrane. It occurs due to increase in the bile pigments, mainly bilirubin, in the blood. Though the bile is essential for our nutrition, it could result in gases if it is prevented from entering the intestine. Jaundice usually happens when our liver is overworked and can no longer perform its basic functions such as filtering and elimination of toxins from the bloodstream. Jaundice can also be caused to due to blockage of bile ducts, hemolytic anemia, acute hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease etc. Basically, there are three kinds of jaundice; hepatocellular jaundice, hemolytic jaundice and obstructive jaundice. The most common symptoms would be fever, headaches, extreme weakness, slight pain in the liver region, weight loss, nausea and the yellow discoloration. In the early stages, known as the prodromal stage, you can find an increase in the yellow pigment, increase in body temperature and dark colored urine. This would last up to five days. The next stage, known as the clinical stage, shows signs of indigestion, abdominal tenderness and pruritus. This could last for about two weeks. The last stage is known as the posticteral stage or the recovery phase. In this stage there is a reduction in the inflammation of the liver. This phase could last from anywhere from two to twelve weeks. People with hepatitis B, C and E take longer to recover. Jaundice by itself is not contagious as it is a liver disease, but underlying causes such as hepatitis could be contagious in the early stages.

Diet for Jaundice

A supervised diet, moderate exercise and lots of rest are very essential in jaundice. When your body starts showing the initial symptoms, visit the doctor immediately. If diagnosed at an early stage the recovery would be much faster. In the first week of your treatment take only juices and adequate rest. In your juice diet you should also include sugarcane juice with half a lime everyday for a faster recovery. After the first week, you can include an all fruit diet for about three to five days. You should remember that your body resistance during a jaundice attack is very low and any kind of contaminated liquid would only make matters worse. Regular visits to the doctor and timely medication is essential.