About this symptom
Jaundice is a yellow colour of the whites of the eyes and the skin. It is caused by bilirubin, a yellow pigment made when old red blood cells break down. The liver normally clears bilirubin so that it leaves the body in the stool. Jaundice appears when too much is made, when the liver is damaged or overloaded, or when bile cannot drain away.
Other signs are dark urine, pale or clay-coloured stools and itching. Yellow eyes are the surest sign. Yellowing can be harder to see on brown or black skin, but it can still show in the whites of the eyes. Yellow-orange skin with normal white eyes may not be jaundice: eating a lot of orange foods such as carrots can do this.
Jaundice is a sign, not a disease. It can point to a problem with the liver, gallbladder or pancreas, such as hepatitis (infection of the liver), alcohol-related liver disease, gallstones or pancreatitis, or to a blood condition such as sickle cell disease. Jaundice in a newborn baby is common and usually harmless, and has its own page, Newborn jaundice.
Possible causes
This is not a diagnosis. These are the causes doctors think about, with the ones that are most urgent to rule out first.
- GallstonesA stone blocking the bile duct: severe pain in the middle of the tummy or under the right ribs, itchy skin, darker urine and paler stools. With a fever or shivering it is an emergency.Read about it
- Hepatitis A and EA viral liver infection that can follow unclean food or water: fever, feeling sick, upper tummy pain, then jaundice. Hepatitis A usually clears on its own within 3 to 6 months.Read about it
- Medicines or poisonsBegan after a new medicine, too much of a medicine, or a poison. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own: ask the doctor.
- Alcohol-related liver diseaseLiver damage after drinking a lot of alcohol for a long time. Tell the doctor honestly how much you drink, so the right tests can be chosen.
- CirrhosisScarring of the liver after long-term damage. Jaundice comes with tiredness, itchy skin, easy bruising, and swelling of the tummy, legs or ankles.Read about it
- Cancer of the liver, bile duct or pancreasCan block the flow of bile or damage the liver. There may be no other symptoms, or only tiredness and weight loss.
- Sickle cell diseaseAn inherited blood condition in which red blood cells break down faster than normal, so bilirubin builds up.Read about it
When to get help
Yellow eyes or skin always need a doctor, ideally within a day, even if you feel well. Tell the doctor at once if you also have:
- Dark urine, or pale or clay-coloured stools
- Itching all over the body
- Tiredness, feeling sick or loss of appetite
- Swelling of the tummy, legs or ankles
If only your skin looks yellow-orange, your eyes are white and you have eaten a lot of orange foods such as carrots, food may be the cause, but have a doctor look to be sure.
What you can do at home
Jaundice is not something to treat at home. The first step is to see a doctor. While you arrange that:
Do
- Note when the yellow colour began, and whether your urine is dark and your stools pale
- List every medicine, tablet and herbal or other product you take
- Tell the doctor about recent travel, unclean food or water, and anyone near you who has had jaundice
- Wash your hands well with soap and water after the toilet and before touching food, because some causes spread this way
Do not
- Do not take extra painkillers or other tablets to treat it, because some medicines can harm the liver
- Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own: ask the doctor
What the doctor will do
The doctor will ask when the yellowing began and about dark urine, pale stools, itching, pain, fever, weight loss, alcohol, medicines, travel, and anyone around you with jaundice or hepatitis. They will look at your eyes and skin and feel your tummy, which may show an enlarged liver.
A blood test for bilirubin is the usual first test. Other tests may include:
- Liver function tests, a blood count and a clotting test
- Blood tests for hepatitis viruses
- An or of the tummy, or an of the bile ducts
- Sometimes a camera test of the bile ducts (ERCP) or a liver
Treatment depends on the cause.
Myths and facts
Things people often say about this. Open each one to see what is true.
Myth“Jaundice can be cured at home with a remedy, and there is no need to see a doctor.”What is true?
Fact
Jaundice is a sign of another problem, not a disease on its own, so treatment depends on the cause, which tests have to find. Waiting for a home remedy only delays the diagnosis, and some causes, such as a blocked bile duct, are emergencies.
Myth“Jaundice always comes from dirty water, so it is always mild.”What is true?
Fact
Hepatitis A, caught from unclean food or water, is one cause, and it usually clears on its own within 3 to 6 months. But medicines, gallstones, liver damage, cancer and blood conditions also cause jaundice, and some need urgent treatment.
Myth“Yellow skin always means jaundice.”What is true?
Fact
Eating a lot of orange foods such as carrots can turn the skin yellow-orange. Jaundice also shows in the whites of the eyes, so yellow skin with normal white eyes may not be jaundice. Have a doctor look if you are unsure.
Questions to ask your doctor
Tick the ones you want answered and take them with you.
Common questions
How is jaundice treated?
Treatment depends on the cause, which the doctor finds with blood tests and scans. Hepatitis A usually clears up on its own within 3 to 6 months, while a blocked bile duct or liver damage needs other treatment. Do not try to treat jaundice yourself.
Can jaundice spread to other people?
Jaundice itself does not spread, but some causes do. Hepatitis A spreads through poo, from unclean food or water or close contact, and a person with it is usually infectious for about 7 days after symptoms start. Wash hands well with soap and water.
When is jaundice an emergency?
Get emergency care if yellow eyes or skin come with severe tummy pain, a high temperature or shivering, vomiting blood, black stools, or sudden confusion or slurred speech. Do not drive yourself: call for an ambulance or ask someone to take you.