Contents:
- Medical Video: 12 Ways Your Body Tries To Tell You That Your Liver Is Being Damaged
- What causes the itchy body when jaundice?
- Women are more susceptible to itching than men
- How do you deal with itching due to jaundice?
Medical Video: 12 Ways Your Body Tries To Tell You That Your Liver Is Being Damaged
Jaundice or jaundice is a condition of skin color, the white part of the eye, and a layer of mucous tissue that turns yellow due to high levels of bilirubin due to liver damage. People with jaundice also often complain of itching as one of the symptoms. What is the cause, and how to overcome it? Check out more in this article.
What causes the itchy body when jaundice?
Almost most people with jaundice will experience body itching in addition to other symptoms, especially in the afternoon and evening. In fact, this itching is a symptom of jaundice that is most difficult to control and can inhibit daily activities. Itching that appears at night can make it difficult for you to sleep well.
The itching that we feel is actually triggered by stimulation called pruritogen. Examples are insect bites or chemical irritants. The brain then translates it as an itchy sensation. In response to itching, we will scratch or rub the area to remove the irritant.
Well, bilirubin (yellow pigment) is one of the pruritogen substances. Bilirubin is formed when hemoglobin (the part of red blood cells carrying oxygen) is broken down as part of the normal process of recycling old or damaged red blood cells. Bilirubin is carried in the bloodstream to the liver, then binds to bile. Bilirubin is then transferred through the bile duct to the digestive tract, so that it can be removed from the body. Most bilirubin is discharged through the stool, while the rest passes urine.
If bilirubin accumulates too much in the liver, bilirubin will then accumulate continuously in the blood and stored under the skin. The result is an itchy body, which is commonly experienced by people who are jaundiced.
In addition, the itchy body as a symptom of jaundice may also be caused by bile salts. Bile salts are also pruritogenic substances. The difference, itching complaints due to bile salts appear before the skin color becomes yellow. Itchy body due to bile salt also does not produce reddish skin that looks swollen.
Women are more susceptible to itching than men
Itchy body due to jaundice has a more severe impact and has a longer duration in women than men.
In women who experience cholestasis in the third trimester of pregnancy, when the steroid hormone is highest, the symptoms of itching are getting worse. After labor, the symptoms of itching begin to decrease.
How do you deal with itching due to jaundice?
There are many ways to deal with complaints of hives that accompany jaundice (jaundice). Examples are SSRI drugs such as sertraline and paroxetine, or opioids such as naloxone and naltrexone.
Some other treatments that can be done to overcome the itchy body in patients with jaundice include:
- Drain pruritogen from blood circulation and liver with resin or biliary drainage procedures (endoscopy, radiology and operatives)
- Change the metabolism of pruritogen in the liver and intestines
- Modulation of impulse travel in the central nervous system such as using antihistamines, SSRI drugs and antidepressants.
- Eliminate pruritogen from the systemic circulation.
European Association for the Study of Liver Disease (EASL) provides several medication recommendations for the treatment of itching associated with jaundice, including:
- Initial: UDCA 10-15mg / kg / day orally
- First line: cholestyramine 4-16g / day orally
- Second line: Rifampicin 300-600mg / day orally
- Third line: Naltrexone 50 mg / day orally
- Fourth line: Setraline 100 mg / day orally
Patients need to be evaluated to find the cause of yellow. If it is clear that there is evidence of biliary obstruction, a procedure is needed to remove the obstruction by surgery or radiology. If the itching is still felt, the medication can be prescribed above.
