Is Jaundice Contagious? I Have A Friend Who Has Developed Jaundice. Kindly Suggest Some Home Remedies.

Jaundice is known to be one of the most commonly observed liver disorders and is characterized by the yellowing of the skin as well as the mucous membranes. This tends to happen because of the increase in the proportion of bilirubin which is one of the pigments of bile that is secreted by the liver.

Some of the symptoms of jaundice are headaches, loss of appetite, extreme weakness, nausea, severe constipation as well as the characteristic discoloration of the tongue, skin, eyes as well as the urine. Individuals suffering from jaundice may also experience a dull pain in the area around the liver. One of the other forms of jaundice which is known as obstructive jaundice may also be associated with symptoms such as intense itching. One of the causes or reasons for jaundice in adults is the obstruction of the bile ducts which normally serve the function of discharging the bile pigments and salts into the intestines.

The excess bile that tends to accumulate on account of the obstruction then enters into the blood stream thereby giving a yellowish tinge to the skin. The obstruction of the bile ducts may be on account of an inflammation of the liver which is known as hepatitis that is usually caused by a virus or even because of the formation of gallstones. Some of the other reasons for jaundice in newborns as well as in adults are yellow fever, malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis and so on which are all diseases that tend to affect the liver adversely. One of the ways to cure jaundice is to prepare and strictly follow a jaundice diet chart wherein in case of a mild form of jaundice a lot of rest and a diet of only juices is required initially which should then be followed by an all fruit diet. The jaundice cure time in such cases is usually longer because one has to wait for the obstruction of the bile ducts to clear itself out and all the excess bile to eventfully get out of the system. However, one of the best ways to cure jaundice is to put the patient on an all juice diet for the initial first week until the acute symptoms of the disease begin to subside. Thereafter the patient may be allowed to move to an all fruit diet for the next five days at least wherein they should be allowed to have three meals a day comprising of fresh juicy fruits every five hours.

Finally as part of the jaundice diet chart, the patient should then be moved to a very light carbohydrate diet that strictly excludes fats and instead is rich in fruits and vegetables. The individual should not consume foods like legumes and pulses that are known to putrefy or ferment in the lower intestine. Many people are keen on knowing if jaundice is contagious or if they can catch jaundice through physical contact or proximity. One needs to keep in mind that jaundice by itself is not a contagious disease because in most cases jaundice is actually a symptom of a disease. Hence if the disease resulting in jaundice is a communicable disease such as viral hepatitis A, then the hepatitis can spread from person to person but not jaundice. More than often, jaundice is simply an indication of a problem related to ones liver; however problem arising with the blood and spleen may also result in jaundice. One of the ways to prevent jaundice or to ensure that the levels of bilirubin in the blood do not increase to an alarming rate is too encourage frequent urination by drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day in the form of fruits and vegetable juices as well as fresh drinking water. This is very useful in getting rid of the excess bile pigments that may be present in the blood. There are also plenty of home remedies that are available to cure jaundice. One of the natural treatments for jaundice is to consume a glass of fresh tomato juice early in the morning along with some salt and pepper. Similarly another home remedy for jaundice is to pound some green radish leaves and extract their juice using a fine cloth. Half a liter of this juice should be consumed by the individual as it helps in the effective evacuation of the bowels and also induces a proper and healthy appetite. One can also protect the damaged liver cells from further damage by drinking some lemon juice and water several times in the day while suffering from jaundice.

Sore throat or swollen glands are usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. There are factors such as smoking, contaminated air, reaction to allergens, overuse of the larynx, climatic conditions and so on that may result in sore throat or swollen glands. One of the herbal swollen glands in throat treatment is the use of the herb known as the slippery Elm. The inner bark of the Slippery elm contains mucilage which is a gel like substance that is known to reduce irritation in the throat and cure the sore throat eventually. Another one of the sore throat and swollen glands treatment is to gargle ones throat with some salt water which is known to be very effective in reducing the swelling in the glands that is associated with a sore throat. While suffering from a sore throat one may also indulge in some steam inhalation which will not only provide relief from the sore throat but will also help in clearing up a blocked nose.

Another one of the home remedies that can be used as part of the swollen glands in throat treatment is to keep some cloves in the corner of ones mouth and allow them to remain in the mouth for a few hours. The juices that tend to get secreted from the cloves are known to help in minimizing the soreness and thereby provide relief. Similarly one may also prepare a mixture of holy basil leaves juice and water and consume the same on a daily basis to gain relief from a sore throat.

answered by G R

You should be aware that jaundice is an infection and is caused by a virus. The liver of the patient is affected by this virus. As a result the liver becomes tender and swollen. The inflammation could also result in destruction of patches of liver tissue.

If your friend is suffering from jaundice, then there are chances of her passing it on to you and other people with whom she is in contact. Jaundice is indeed contagious. A person who has jaundice may pass on the infection unknowingly. For instance, if you visit your friend and she passed you food, then you can get the infection through the food. If your friend does not observe proper hygiene then this can cause her to spread the virus to the people with whom she comes in contact. It is essential that she wash her hands frequently, especially after a visit to the bathroom. In addition, she should try and avoid touching the food that she is giving other people, who are unaffected by the virus. She can either use tongs or other utensils to server the food or else invite her guests to serve themselves. Again, the food that she serves them should have been prepared with great care. If she has cooked the food, or even handled it, then she should try to avoid severing her guests with this food. Other packaged food from her house can be consumed, as long as it is not handled by her.

Jaundice is an illness which manifests itself only two to six weeks after the virus attacks. The initial symptoms of this illness are a loss of appetite, fever and extreme fatigue. However, all of these symptoms are common to several other illnesses and therefore, it is more than likely that the person who has jaundice may not even be aware that she has jaundice for some time at least. It is during such periods of uncertainty that the patient is most likely to pass on the infection to other people. Food that has been handled by a patient and then passed on to others, is the most likely reason for the spread of jaundice.

If your friend does observe the basic rules of hygiene, then the chances of her passing on the infection to are less remote. However, if she is not able to really adhere to the strict rules of hygiene, then you might want to reconsider visiting her. A way out of this problem would be to visit your friend but try to avoid eating anything at her place.

answered by G R