Jaundice Home Treatment for Adults, Babies, Newborns with Causes, Symptoms and Diet Tips

What is Jaundice?

Jaundice is liver disorder. Jaundice is indicative of the malfunctioning of the liver. The liver, located under the diaphragm just above the stomach and performs many important functions. It inactivates hormones no longer needed, synthesizes many amino acids used in building tissues, and breaks proteins into sugar and far when required for energy, produces lecithin, cholesterol, bile and blood albumin, vital to the removal of tissue wastes and stores vitamins and minerals. Jaundice is not a disease in itself, but is an indication of an underlying disorder such as hepatitis, gallstones, hemolytic anemia, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, or pancreatic cancer. Jaundice is also known as piliya (Hindi/Urdu), kavil (Marathi), Mancal kamalai (Tamil), Dan (Chinese), Ictericia (Spanish), ictericia (Portuguese), Nyaba (Bengali), zheltukha (Russian).

What Are Common Symptoms of Jaundice

Extreme weakness, headache, fever, loss of appetite, undue fatigue, severe constipation, pain in liver region, nausea and yellow coloration of the eyes, tongue, skin and urine. In older adults jaundice may signal cancer of the liver or the bile ducts. It is often the first symptom of liver damage in heavy drinkers.

What Causes Jaundice?

It causes due to an obstruction in the bile duct which discharge bile salts and pigment into the intestine, or the loss of function of the bile-producing liver cells. Bile gets mixed with blood and this gives a yellow pigmentation to the skin. Bile is a vital digestive fluid which is essential for proper nutrition and general processes of digestion. It also prevents decaying changes in food. The main cause of jaundice can be hepatitis that is inflammation of the liver. Pernicious anemia and certain disease affecting the liver such as typhoid, malaria, yellow fever and tuberculosis can result into jaundice. Adolescents and young adults who have a viral inflammation of the liver often develop jaundice; jaundice in middle-aged adults is commonly due to gallstones.

Types and Levels of Jaundice

There are several forms of jaundice but all of them are marked by yellow discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by bilirubin – a natural coloring substance. Under normal circumstances, bilirubin is released by red blood cells and passed to the intestine in bile, via the liver. If the liver is diseased, however, or if there is bile duct blockage, it accumulates in the blood, causing the characteristic yellow staining of tissue.

13 Home Remedies for Jaundice

Barley Water: Barley water is effective for jaundice. To make barley water boil 1 cup of barley with 3 liter water. Boil on slow flame for 3 hours. Drink this barley water 6 times a day.
Pigeon Pea: Pigeon pea tree leaves can be used for jaundice. Grind some pigeon pea and take out extract. Take sufficient leaves, we need 1/2 cup extract. Drink 1/2 cup juice everyday.
Pointed Gourd: It is also known as parwal in Hindi and tondali in Marathi. Take 15 gm dried leaves of pointed gourd tree. Add 1 and half cup boiled water on it. In another pot take 500 ml water, add 1 tablespoon coriander seeds and boil it for few minutes. Now strain coriander seeds water and pointed gourd leaves water and mix together. Take 1/2 cup thrice a day.
Bitter Luffa: The juice of bitter luffa (karvi torai) is regarded as an effective home remedy for jaundice. It is obtained by pounding and squeezing through cloth. The juice should be placed on the palm of the hand and drawn up through the nostrils. This will cause a profuse overflow of the yellow colored fluid through the nostrils. The toxic matter having been evacuated in a considerable quantity, the patient will feel relieved. It is, however, a strong medicine and may cause in the patients will delicate nature, side effects like giddiness, migraine and at times high fever for a short duration. Its use, therefore should be watch under medical practitioner.
Radish Leaves: Pound green leaves of radish and get juice extracted through a muslin cloth. One pound of this juice daily is sufficient for an adult patient. It induces a healthy appetite and proper evacuation of bowels, and this results in gradual decrease of the trouble. In most cases a complete cure can be ensured within eight or ten days.
Turmeric: Strengthen the liver. Try turmeric tea. Mix together 1/3 cup of honey and 2 1/2 teaspoons of dried, powdered turmeric. Add 1 cup of warm water, few drops of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of black pepper powder. Enjoy hot. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory effect and improves digestion and immunity. It stimulates the gallbladder helps to prevent indigestion.
Globe Artichoke: Globe artichoke is a traditional treatment for jaundice and kidney stones. You may use artichoke in different forms such as tasty vegetable recipe, herbal tea or capsules And tinctures.
Nuts: Soak 8 almonds, 2 seedless dates and 5 cardamom seeds overnight. Peel the almonds and grind with dates and cardamom seeds. In this paste add 50 gm sugar and 50 gm butter. Eat this mixture with some intervals.
Strawberry Leaves: Strawberry leaves are effective against jaundice and diarrhea. Add 1 teaspoon of strawberry leaves to 1 cup of almost boiling water, cover and leaves to infuse for 10 minutes. Drink 2 – 3 unsweetened cups a day.
Lemon: Mix fresh lemon juice with a cup of water and drink several times a day.
Chinese Herbalism: Treatment would be aimed at Dampness in the Gall Bladder and Liver, and useful herbs may include gardenia fruit, oriental wormwood, and the bark of the cork tree.
Sugar Cane Juice: Take one cup of sugar cane juice and add juice of 1/2 lemon into it. Drink twice a day. Try to get fresh home made sugar cane juice if possible.
Tomato: Drink 1 cup of tomato juice everyday with pinch of salt and black pepper powder.

Jaundice in Babies and Newborns

Newborn infants frequently develop mild jaundice, which lasts several days until a normal excess of red blood cells is destroyed. This condition is not normally considered to be serious. Blue color has a calming effect on the body and mind and helps to correct liver disorders. When a baby has jaundice, placing the baby under a blue light will help it heal faster. But erythroblastosis fetalis, a serious form of jaundice in infants, generally is due to a Rh factor incompatibility.

Tips to Prevent Jaundice

Drink fresh carrot and lemon juice daily.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains and cereals.