Jaundice — Yellow Eyes and Skin, and What It Means
Also described as yellow eyes, yellow skin, icterus.
Yellowing of the eyes or skin always needs prompt medical assessment. It reflects a problem in the liver, the bile ducts or the breakdown of red blood cells. Jaundice with fever and abdominal pain suggests a blocked, infected bile duct, which is an emergency.
🚨 Get emergency care if you have
- •Jaundice with fever and upper abdominal pain — emergency
- •Confusion or excessive drowsiness
- •Vomiting blood, or black stools
- •Jaundice with marked abdominal swelling
- •Jaundice in a newborn, or deepening jaundice in an infant
What causes jaundice?
Gallstone blocking the bile duct
Jaundice with upper-right pain, pale stools and dark urine. May become infected.
Viral hepatitis
Jaundice with fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite, often after a prodromal illness.
Alcohol-related or fatty liver disease
Jaundice as a later feature of established liver injury.
Drug-induced liver injury
Including some antibiotics, anti-tuberculosis drugs and herbal preparations.
Pancreatic or bile duct tumour
Painless progressive jaundice with weight loss, requiring prompt imaging.
How it is investigated
- ✓Liver function tests and coagulation profile
- ✓Abdominal ultrasound
- ✓Hepatitis serology
- ✓MRCP or ERCP where a duct blockage is suspected
Not every patient needs every test. The consultation decides which of these apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is jaundice contagious?▼
Jaundice is a sign, not a disease. Some causes are transmissible — hepatitis A and E spread through contaminated food and water, hepatitis B and C through blood and body fluids — while gallstones, alcohol-related liver disease and drug injury are not. Testing identifies which.
Why are my stools pale and urine dark?▼
That combination indicates bile is not reaching the intestine, usually because a duct is blocked. Bile pigment is excreted in urine instead, darkening it, while stools lose their normal colour. It is a strong reason for urgent ultrasound.
This page is general health information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a consultation. Symptoms overlap between harmless and serious conditions, and only an examination can tell them apart. If you are worried, see a doctor.
Plan your first visit
Not sure which specialist to see? Tell our care team the reason for your visit and we will help you choose.
- Bring previous prescriptions, relevant test reports or scan images, a medication list and photo ID.
- If you plan to use insurance, bring your policy details. OPD, tests and admission benefits depend on your individual plan and approval.
- Your first consultation determines which tests or treatments are needed; not everyone needs every test listed on this page.
Appointments are requests until confirmed. In a medical emergency, call 044 2025 2025 or go to the nearest emergency department.