Jaundice - a yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes associated with excess pigment bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin - a natural substance that is produced by the decay of red blood cells and excreted in the bile. Most often the result of jaundice disorders of the liver, but it can also cause a variety of conditions associated with blood and spleen. It requires a thorough examination to identify the underlying disease and prescribe effective treatment.

What is jaundice?

Red blood cells, which transport oxygen to all tissues and organs, live about 120 days. At the end of their life cycle they decompose, and special cells, phagocytic cells are present in bone marrow, spleen and liver remove them from the circulation.

The bone marrow constantly produce new red blood cells (erythrocytes).

After the decay of erythrocytes body can reuse some of their components such as amino acids and iron. Their other components, such as bilirubin, are subject to removal.

Most of the body's waste excreted in the urine by the kidneys; liver and biliary system are also important ways through which the waste is derived. Under the Waste Management refers to a variety of substances formed during metabolism of the body.

When bilirubin is separated from the other components of red blood cells, he, along with the bloodstream to the liver, which is processed by the liver cells. These cells have a whole range of chemical functions, in particular, they produce bile fluid that serves as a "vehicle" through which liver cells are getting the product of its activity in the biliary system. There is a network consisting of a plurality of thin channels that pass through the liver.

Manifestations

Because the liver leaves one main bile duct, which connects to the duodenum. Bile (and bilirubin) into the intestine and excreted as feces.

Bile is green, but the bacteria in the large intestine is processed in bilirubin brown substance that imparts characteristic color of the chair.

Bilirubin is partially absorbed in the intestinal wall, again it enters the body, and finally appears in the urine as a substance that is called urobilinogen (but urine owes its color to another material - Urochrome).

Any violation in the process of withdrawal of bilirubin leads to increased levels of bilirubin in the blood. When this occurs, the skin and the whites of the eyes of man take on a yellowish tint - jaundice. Which disorders can cause it?

Excessive destruction of red blood cells

Normally, between production and decay of red blood cells to maintain balance, but in some cases the disintegration of red blood cells can increase disproportionately. If thus releasing more bilirubin Bilirubin - a great tool for the diagnosis Than can process and display the liver, jaundice.

Excessive destruction of red blood cells is called a pathological hemolysis and in the developed countries is a violation of very rare. In tropical countries the main cause of malaria is a pathological hemolysis Malaria - these dangerous mosquitoes Because malaria parasites inside red blood cells settle, reducing their lifespan.

Hemolysis and, as a consequence, also jaundice develops in children with Rh-conflict, but now the problem is extremely rare, as with special medication violations that may occur due to Rh-conflict, are easily eliminated in the early stages of pregnancy.

However, temporary neonatal jaundice occurs quite often. This is due to the relative immaturity of the hepatic cells in infants and that the destruction of cells in the first weeks of life is faster than usual.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia Hemolytic anemia - when we did not have enough blood   - A rare disease in which the immune system The immune system - how it works?   It attacks its own red blood cells, causing jaundice. The most common is a violation occurs in adults.

The pathological hemolysis can be a side effect of certain drugs, such as dapsone.

Yellow tongue can be a symptom of many diseases and if this phenomenon are concerned for a long time, you need to seek medical advice and to conduct a comprehensive examination, after which will be given treatment. If this is not done, serious illness will progress and join other discomfort, and later complications.

Causes yellow patches on the tongue

Most often, the yellow coating on the tongue is a sign of gallbladder disease and biliary tract. But this phenomenon can occur with any other disease of the digestive system.

In addition, yellow tongue can be caused by diseases of the mouth, tongue, dentures, various endocrine diseases. The yellow coating on the tongue may occur as a result of the treatment of certain medications, such as antibiotics. Yellow tongue after antibiotics may be a sign of a dysbacteriosis Signs of dysbiosis - depend on the localization process .

Finally, the language of the yellow may be the result of frequent smoking, excessive use of strong tea and coffee.

Yellow tongue as a sign of digestive diseases

The yellow coating on the tongue may be one of the first signs of liver disease and biliary tract. In the liver, the blood is cleansed of all toxins coming from outside and produced by the body during metabolism Metabolism: The basis of life of all living things . Purified blood flows in the circulatory system, and metabolic products with the bile, which is produced by the liver, enter first into the bile duct, and then into the gallbladder. From gallbladder bile enters the duodenum 12 and participates in the digestion of food. The flow of bile in 12 duodenal ulcer associated with eating: in response to food intake begins peristaltic movement of smooth muscles of biliary tract and gall bladder, which contributes to its evacuation.

In inflammatory or metabolic and degenerative processes in the liver breaks down the process of formation of bile. Lack of bile affects the digestion, poor digestion leads to the phenomenon of yellow tongue.

If physical activity (motility) Biliary violated, or bile stagnates in biliary tract at low motility or stagnation is due to a sharp muscle spasm biliary tract at high motility, followed by a sharp discharge of bile into the duodenum 12. This condition is called biliary dyskinesia leads to an irregular release of bile, and thus to a violation of the digestive system, with the result that there is a yellow coating on the tongue.

Biliary dyskinesia often accompanies various diseases of the digestive system, so the yellow tongue coating can appear in gastritis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa), cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), duodenitis (inflammation of the duodenum 12), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Yellow tongue in pregnancy may also be due to biliary dyskinesia, which develops under the influence of the female sex hormone progesterone Progesterone - norm and pathology   - It inhibits motor activity of smooth muscle of the uterus, and all of the abdominal organs.

Often yellow tongue of an adult is the first sign of cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) and cholelithiasis, where in the biliary tract and gall bladder stones are formed. These diseases are characterized as pain in the right upper quadrant, worse after a fatty, fried foods, alcohol, physical activity.

Symptoms of yellow plaque in the child - what do they say?

In children older preschool and school-aged yellow coating on the tongue can speak of the same diseases as adults. Yellow tongue at the junior and middle school age often speaks about trouble from the upper respiratory tract. Thus, the presence of chronic tonsillitis Chronic tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils   or sinusitis in a child often appears yellowish coating on the tongue.

Yellow tongue coating in combination with abdominal pain may also be a sign of giardiasis - a disease caused by protozoa (Giardia) that live in the 12-duodenum.

Yellow tongue coating can appear in infants after an intestinal infection or after an infectious-inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, especially if it gets treated with antibiotics.

Treatment of yellow plaque

The appearance of a permanent yellow coating on the tongue adult or child is always alarming. But this should not be an occasion for self-solve. Should see a doctor, get tested and designated by its outcome.

Galina Romanenko