What is neutropenia how is it different from myelosuppression?
Answers
Neutropenia is a drastically decreased presence of neutrophils (neutrophils, in case you’re unsure of what they are, are specialized white blood cells that fight infections) in the body to less than 1,500 cells per micro liter. Anything above this amount should be acceptable, but anything at or below this should be reason for concern.
Neutropenia is very predominantly caused by chemotherapy to prevent cancer, although any process that disrupts the creation of neutrophils in bone marrow, in the middle of bones, can technically be a reason for neutropenia. Alcoholism, leukemia, and vitamin deficiencies can also lead to neutropenia, although this is once again more likely to occur because of chemotherapy.
The biggest fright with neutropenia is the risk of developing an infection. For patients dealing with neutropenia, an infection that most can resolve with basic treatment can be a life-threatening event, and so it is of one’s utmost importance that a person suffering through neutropenia receives treatment swiftly. Some other ailments that neutropenia can cause include trouble breathing, chills and sweating, diarrhea and vomiting, increased urination, and even a change in mental state.
Neutropenia can be avoided using various tactics that neutropenia victims use to prevent danger at all costs as they go about their day. Cooking foods thoroughly, wearing shoes outdoors, avoiding anyone who is sick, washing your hands extremely frequently, and keeping surfaces clean are just some of the tactics you can use to prevent neutropenia from occurring (see more information here). If you already have neutropenia, bone marrow stimulation treatments and prescription antibiotics, as well as an increase in awareness for unsafe surroundings, is what is required to deal with and eliminate neutropenia. Even when neutropenia victims think they are in a safe and sickness-proof environment, they may very well not be, and so it is important either as a victim or as a caretaker to ensure that every last area of your surrounding environment is safe from even the smallest of potential injuries.
Neutropenia is overall an inconvenience and a travesty to those infected while inflicted with this symptom. Precautions must be taken for the simplest of tasks as a person living with neutropenia, and slight mishaps that most do subconsciously could cost the life of a neutropenia patient.