What Level of Jaundice is Dangerous?

When is Jaundice Life-Threatening?

Jaundice is a symptom. It signals underlying liver/bilirubin metabolism disorder. and has become common among newborns as well. When a yellow-orange bile pigment, bilirubin, increases in your body, it causes jaundice. As a result, the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. On this page, we will explore what level of jaundice is dangerous to health, with causes and treatment.

How to Measure Jaundice and What Are the Levels?

High levels of bilirubin lead to jaundice. You can identify jaundice when a healthcare provider tests your bilirubin levels. Bilirubin tests are a common medical procedure that can evaluate your liver health and assess the presence of various liver enzymes in the blood.

If the test reveals a sign that your liver is having problems, whether they are high or low. High levels of bilirubin indicate that you are dealing with jaundice. Your jaundice becomes dangerous when the bilirubin levels continue to rise. If your bilirubin levels exceed 2 mg/dl, it indicates jaundice in adults. However, if the levels go higher than 18 mg/dl, they are considered to be affected by jaundice.

Symptoms of Severe Jaundice

Jaundice itself is a dangerous disease that can affect the liver of infants and adults. These are the common symptoms when jaundice reaches a dangerous stage:

• Increased yellowishness of skin
• Dark-coloured urine
• Itchiness in the skin
• Pale-coloured stools
• Tiredness
• Extreme nausea
• Symptoms of the flu
• Extreme weight loss

Causes of Jaundice

You can identify that you have jaundice by experiencing some symptoms. These are yellowishness of your skin and whites in your eyes, high fever, sudden chills, and pain in your belly. The table below shows the causes of severe jaundice, which are categorised into three stages:

Treatment and Preventive Measures to Cure Severe Jaundice

Since jaundice is caused by the conversion of red blood cells into conjugated bilirubin, it is crucial to treat it. However, treatment is focused on reducing the underlying cause of the disease. Below are some of the treatment and preventive measures for severe jaundice:

• Follow the prescribed medication:
• Liver Transplant
• Changes in Diet
• Vaccination for hepatitis
• Maintaining proper hygiene
• Avoid self-medication.

Jaundice is a disease caused by the excessive breakdown of red blood cells. Jaundice becomes dangerous when the bilirubin levels exceed 2 mg/dl in adults and 15 mg/dl in children. This can result in symptoms like yellowishness in your skin, pale-coloured stool and urine, tiredness, and other symptoms of flu. It is crucial to contact emergency services or visit a gastroenterologist right away if you think you or someone else may be suffering from jaundice.