Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Causes Fatigue, Jaundice, Itching Symptoms

Primary sclerosing cholangitis, aka sclerosing cholangitis, is a bile duct disease causing inflammation of your bile ducts. Over time, this inflammation causes scarring, narrowing and eventual blockage of the ducts.

Blocked bile ducts result in bile backing up into your liver, causing liver cell damage and liver problems. Which might eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.

The initial symptoms of primary sclerosing cholangitis are typically fatigue, jaundice and itching. If an infection is present you’ll likely experience chills and fever as well.

Other symptoms besides fatigue, jaundice and itching of sclerosing cholangitis may involve:

• weight loss
• appetite loss
• enlarged liver
• enlarged spleen

Primary sclerosing cholangitis usually progresses slowly, so you could have this bile duct disease for years without it causing fatigue, jaundice and itching symptoms.

Sclerosing cholangitis can lead to various complications, like:

• cirrhosis
• live disease
• liver failure
• cholangitis
• cholangiocarcinoma
• deficiencies of vitamins A, D,E, and K

The cause of primary sclerosing cholangitis is often not known. However, the belief is that genes, immune system issues, gallstones, certain toxins, bacteria and viruses may have something to do with its development.

Also, primary sclerosing cholangitis has some sort of association with these other health conditions:

• sarcoidosis
• chronic pancreatitis
• many autoimmune disorders
• IBD ~ Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis

Sclerosing cholangitis fatigue occurs more often in men and is rare in children.

No treatment is available to cure nor slow primary sclerosing cholangitis progression. For now, there are treatments to relieve your symptoms and control further health complications.

For instance, medications may be prescribed to relieve your itching, antibiotics to treat infections and vitamin supplements for fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies. Furthermore, bile ducts can be unblocked to relieve jaundice by surgically inserting a long, thin tube with a balloon on the end.

Ultimately, a liver transplant may be necessary should it start to fail.