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Jaundice is the most common of all liver
disorders. It refers to the accumulation and retention of
bilirubin in the skin and other tissues and it results
from an obstruction in the bile duct, or the loss of
function of the bile -producing liver cells. The disease
frequently affects children, even during their tender
age.
Bile is a vital digestive fluid which is essential for
proper nutrition. In exercises a most favourable
influence on the general process of digestion. It also
prevents decaying changes in food. If the bile is
prevented from entering the intestines, there is an
increase in gases and other products. Normally the
production of the bile and its flow is constant.Symptoms
The symnptoms of
ojaundice are extreme weakness, headache, fever, loss of
appetite, undue fatigue, severe constipation, nausea and
yellow coloration of the eyes, tongue, skin and urine. As
the bile is bitter, all food stuff the patient receives
into his mouth tastes bitter to him. He may also feel a
dull pain in the liver region. In case of severe
jaundice, the saliva will also become yellow and thick.
Causes
Jaundice is
indicative of the malfunctioning of the liver. It may be
caused by an obstruction of the bile ducts which
discharge bile salts and pigment into the intestine. The
bile duct obsutrction may result from conditions like
viral hepatitis, amoebic hepatitis, worms obstruction,
falciparum malariae and liver abscess. The bile then gets
mixed with blood and this gives a yellow pigmentation to
the skin.
Children may also be affected by jaundice in case of
severe vomiting or use of strong purgatives or in case of
severe formentation and gripping by worms. In all these
cases, jaundice will occur, when the pain spreads further
in the stomach and bowels. Intermittent fevers of long
duration, and malarial fevers can also result in
persistent jaundice, especially if the child has had
several relapses of malaria attendant with much vomiting
or if his intestine has become extremely weak due to
violent and long continuance of the disease.
Treatment
The simple form of
jaundice can be cured rapidly by following proper diet.
Recovery will, however, be slow in serious cases caused
by obstruction or pressure in the bile ducts. The
child-patient should rest in bed till the acute symptoms
subside. He should not be given any solid fods for the
first few days of the treatment. He may be given plenty
of fresh fruits and vegetable juices. Fruits and
vegetables which can be used for juices are lemon,
grapes, pear, tomato, carrot, beet and sugarcane. If
possible, a small warm-water enema should be administered
daily during this period to ensure regular bowel
elimination so as to prevent the absorption of decomposed
material into the bloodstream.
After the severity of the decease is over, the child may
be given a simple and well-balanced diet according to his
age. The emphasis should be on fresh juicy fruits such as
orange, apple,pinapple, grapes, papaya and mango, and
vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek and carrots. He
should avoid all fats like ghee, butter, cream and oils
for atelast two weeks and thereater their consumption
should be kept down to the minimum. Digestive
disturbances must be avoided. No food with a tendency to
ferment or putrefy in the lower intestines like pulses
and legumes should be included inthe diet.
Several home remedies have been found beneficial in the
treatment of jaundice. One of the most effective of these
is the use of green leaves or raddish (muli). The leaves
should be pounded and their juice extracted . It should
be strained through a clean piece of muslin before use.
About 60 to 80 ml. of this juice, depending on the age,
should be given to the child-patient three times daily.
It induces healthy appetite and proper evacuation of
bowels and this results in gradual decrease of the
trouble.
Use of tomatoes is a good remedy for jaundice. Half a
glass of fresh tomato juice, mixed with a pinch of salt
and pepper, taken early in the morning, is effective.
A mixture of almonds (badam), dried dates (chhuhara)
and cardamom (chotti ilachi) is regarded as an
effective remedy for jaundice. Four kernels of almond,
one dried date and two small cardamoms should be soaked
overnight in water. The outer coating of the almond
kernels and the inner seeds of dried dates should be
removed the next morning and the whole material should be
rubbed into a fine paste. Then 25 grams of sugar should
be mixed in it and the patient should lick this mixture.
Sugarcane juice , mixed with lime juice , can hasten
recovery from jaundice. Half a glass of this juice, mixed
with half a lime, may be given tothe child twice daily.
It is, however, very essential that the juice must be
purepreferably prepared at home. Resistance is low in
jaundice and any infected beverage could make matters
worse.
Lemon (bara nimbu) is also beneficial in the
treatment of jaundice. The patient should be given 50 ml
of lemon juice, mixed with water several times a day. It
will protect the damaged liver cells.
Barley (jau) water consumed several times during
the day is another good remedy for this disease. Half a
cup of barlye should be boiled in one and a half litre of
water and simmered for three hours.
Other measures found beneficial in the treatment of
jaundice include hot fomentation or alternate hot and
cold compresses over liver area for 15 minutes every
three to six hours and heating compress at 600F renewed
every 30 minutes during interval. Older children may also
be encouraged to take prolonged neutral ; immersion bath
once daily and steam for 15 minutes daily. The procedure
for these treatments have been outlined in the Appendix.
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