Should i be concerned about elevated bilirubin

This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illegal drugs you may use. Search Encyclopedia. Total Bilirubin Blood Does this test have other names? Total serum bilirubin, TSB What is this test? Why do I need this test? Symptoms include: Yellowish skin or eyes jaundice Stomach pain Dark urine Light colored stool Flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills You may also have your bilirubin level tested regularly if you are being treated for liver disease.

What other tests might I have along with this test? What do my test results mean? How is the test done? Does this test pose any risks? What might affect my test results? Bilirubin passes through the liver and is eventually excreted out of the body. Higher than normal levels of bilirubin may indicate different types of liver or bile duct problems.

Occasionally, higher bilirubin levels may be caused by an increased rate of destruction of red blood cells hemolysis. Bilirubin testing is usually done as part of a group of tests to check the health of your liver. Bilirubin testing may be done to:. Bilirubin testing is done using a blood sample. Usually, the blood is drawn through a small needle inserted into a vein in the bend of your arm. A small tube is attached to the needle to collect the blood.

You may feel a quick pain as the needle is inserted into your arm and experience some short-term discomfort at the site after the needle is removed. Blood for bilirubin testing in newborns is usually obtained using a sharp lancet to break the skin of the heel heel stick. There may be slight bruising at the puncture site afterward.

Your blood will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. You can usually return to normal activities immediately. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition in which fatty deposits build up in the liver. Here, find out what causes it and how to manage it. Pain in the upper abdomen on the right side may be due to a liver problem. Here, find out which problems can affect the liver and what treatment is…. Liver disease is any issue that damages the liver and affects its function.

Learn about the different types of liver disease and their causes…. What causes high bilirubin levels? Written by Markus MacGill on July 24, High bilirubin levels Bilirubin tests What is Gilbert's syndrome?

High bilirubin in newborns Bilirubin is formed by the breakdown of red blood cells in the body. High bilirubin levels. Share on Pinterest High bilirubin can lead to jaundice. What is bilirubin? Bilirubin tests.

Share on Pinterest Blood tests can help identify excessive bilirubin. High bilirubin in newborns. Share on Pinterest Many newborns are born with jaundice. Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Bilirubin is found in bile, a fluid in your liver that helps you digest food.

If your liver is healthy, it will remove most of the bilirubin from your body. If your liver is damaged, bilirubin can leak out of your liver and into your blood.

When too much bilirubin gets into the bloodstream, it can cause jaundice , a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow. Signs of jaundice, along with a bilirubin blood test, can help your health care provider find out if you have liver disease.

A bilirubin blood test is used to check the health of your liver. The test is also commonly used to help diagnose newborn jaundice. Many healthy babies get jaundice because their livers aren't mature enough to get rid of enough bilirubin. Newborn jaundice is usually harmless and clears up within a few weeks. But in some cases, high bilirubin levels can lead to brain damage, so infants are often tested as a precaution.

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out.