write short note on sickle cell anaemia:symptoms and treatment.
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Sickle cell disease is present at birth, but most infants don't show any signs until they are more than 4 months old.
Symptoms of sickle cell disease vary. In some people, they are mild, in others severe and requiring hospitalization.
The most common signs and symptoms are linked to anemia. Anemia is a condition in which blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. People with anemia do not have enough red blood cells, which deliver oxygen. As a result, they may feel tired or weak. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of sickle cell anemia.
Severe or long-lasting anemia can damage the heart, brain, lungs, kidney, spleen, and other organs of the body. Very severe anemia may even cause death.
Many people with sickle cell disease live with chronic pain, especially in their bones. However, sudden pain that can occur anywhere in the body is also a common symptom of sickle cell disease. This pain is called a"sickle cell crisis." Sickle cell crises often affect the bones, lungs, abdomen, and joints. Other symptoms of sickle cell disease include:
Shortness of breath and/or dizzinessHeadacheColdness in the hands and feetPale skin due to anemiaJaundice, or yellow eyes and skinChest painLeg ulcers that do not heal
Treatment
The goals of treating sickle cell disease are to prevent or relieve pain; prevent infections, organ damage, and strokes; treat anemia; and control complications.
Some doctors and clinics specialize in treating people who have sickle cell disease. Hematologists specialize in treating adults and children who have blood diseases and disorders.
Treating Pain
Mild pain is often treated with over-the-counter medicine and heating pads. Severe pain may need to be treated in a hospital. The usual treatments for acute (short-term) pain crises are fluids and pain-controlling medicines. Fluids help prevent dehydration, a condition in which the body doesn't have enough fluids. Fluids are given either by mouth or through a vein.
Common medicines used to treat pain crises include acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and narcotics. Treatment for mild to moderate pain usually begins with NSAIDs or acetaminophen. If pain continues, a narcotic may be needed. Moderate to severe pain is often treated with narcotics. The narcotic may be used alone or with NSAIDs or acetaminophen.
Preventing Pain
Those with more severe sickle cell anemia may benefit from daily administration of a medicine called hydroxyurea. This medicine may help reduce the number of painful crises. Hydroxyurea is used to prevent painful crises, not to treat them when they occur.
Preventing Infection
Bacterial infections can be a major complication of sickle cell disease, but often they can be prevented or treated. If a child who has sickle cell disease shows early signs of an infection, such as a fever, difficulty breathing, or localized bone pain, treatment should be given right away.
To prevent infections in babies and young children, treatments include:
Daily doses of penicillin. Treatment may begin as early as 2 months of age and continue until the child is at least 5 years old.All routine vaccinations (including a yearly flu shot), plus vaccination(s) against streptococcus pneumonia.
Adults who have sickle cell disease should also receive flu shots every year and get vaccinated against pneumococcal infections. Both adults and children are at risk for a variety of infections, such as pneumonia and bone infections. They should be examined whenever they experience fevers, since early diagnosis and treatment result in better outcomes.
Preventing Complications
Complications from sickle cell disease can include gallstones, lung crises (acute chest syndrome), pulmonary hypertension, stroke, leg ulcers that don't heal, and eye damage.
Blood transfusions are commonly used to treat worsening anemia and sickle cell complications. Most patients with sickle cell disease have at least occasional blood transfusions. Patients with severe complications–such as stroke and acute chest syndrome–may require months or years of regular transfusions every three to four weeks to prevent ongoing damage.
Hydroxyurea treatment may be helpful in reducing crises and the need for transfusions.
People with sickle cell disease should have regular checkups to detect eye damage. And a simple ultrasound test of the head can identify children at high risk for strokes.
You can shorten or summarize it
Symptoms of sickle cell disease vary. In some people, they are mild, in others severe and requiring hospitalization.
The most common signs and symptoms are linked to anemia. Anemia is a condition in which blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. People with anemia do not have enough red blood cells, which deliver oxygen. As a result, they may feel tired or weak. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of sickle cell anemia.
Severe or long-lasting anemia can damage the heart, brain, lungs, kidney, spleen, and other organs of the body. Very severe anemia may even cause death.
Many people with sickle cell disease live with chronic pain, especially in their bones. However, sudden pain that can occur anywhere in the body is also a common symptom of sickle cell disease. This pain is called a"sickle cell crisis." Sickle cell crises often affect the bones, lungs, abdomen, and joints. Other symptoms of sickle cell disease include:
Shortness of breath and/or dizzinessHeadacheColdness in the hands and feetPale skin due to anemiaJaundice, or yellow eyes and skinChest painLeg ulcers that do not heal
Treatment
The goals of treating sickle cell disease are to prevent or relieve pain; prevent infections, organ damage, and strokes; treat anemia; and control complications.
Some doctors and clinics specialize in treating people who have sickle cell disease. Hematologists specialize in treating adults and children who have blood diseases and disorders.
Treating Pain
Mild pain is often treated with over-the-counter medicine and heating pads. Severe pain may need to be treated in a hospital. The usual treatments for acute (short-term) pain crises are fluids and pain-controlling medicines. Fluids help prevent dehydration, a condition in which the body doesn't have enough fluids. Fluids are given either by mouth or through a vein.
Common medicines used to treat pain crises include acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and narcotics. Treatment for mild to moderate pain usually begins with NSAIDs or acetaminophen. If pain continues, a narcotic may be needed. Moderate to severe pain is often treated with narcotics. The narcotic may be used alone or with NSAIDs or acetaminophen.
Preventing Pain
Those with more severe sickle cell anemia may benefit from daily administration of a medicine called hydroxyurea. This medicine may help reduce the number of painful crises. Hydroxyurea is used to prevent painful crises, not to treat them when they occur.
Preventing Infection
Bacterial infections can be a major complication of sickle cell disease, but often they can be prevented or treated. If a child who has sickle cell disease shows early signs of an infection, such as a fever, difficulty breathing, or localized bone pain, treatment should be given right away.
To prevent infections in babies and young children, treatments include:
Daily doses of penicillin. Treatment may begin as early as 2 months of age and continue until the child is at least 5 years old.All routine vaccinations (including a yearly flu shot), plus vaccination(s) against streptococcus pneumonia.
Adults who have sickle cell disease should also receive flu shots every year and get vaccinated against pneumococcal infections. Both adults and children are at risk for a variety of infections, such as pneumonia and bone infections. They should be examined whenever they experience fevers, since early diagnosis and treatment result in better outcomes.
Preventing Complications
Complications from sickle cell disease can include gallstones, lung crises (acute chest syndrome), pulmonary hypertension, stroke, leg ulcers that don't heal, and eye damage.
Blood transfusions are commonly used to treat worsening anemia and sickle cell complications. Most patients with sickle cell disease have at least occasional blood transfusions. Patients with severe complications–such as stroke and acute chest syndrome–may require months or years of regular transfusions every three to four weeks to prevent ongoing damage.
Hydroxyurea treatment may be helpful in reducing crises and the need for transfusions.
People with sickle cell disease should have regular checkups to detect eye damage. And a simple ultrasound test of the head can identify children at high risk for strokes.
You can shorten or summarize it
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Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia — a condition in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout your body.
Normally, your red blood cells are flexible and round, moving easily through your blood vessels. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These irregularly shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body.
Symptoms of sickle cell anemia usually show up at a young age. They may appear in babies as early as 4 months old, but generally occur around the 6-month mark. While there are multiple types of SCD, they all have similar symptoms, which vary in severity. These include: excessive fatigue or irritability, from anemiafussiness, in babiesbedwetting, from associated kidney problemsjaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skinswelling and pain in hands and feetfrequent infectionspain in the chest, back, arms, or legs
Prevention
If you carry the sickle cell trait, seeing a genetic counselor before trying to conceive can help you understand your risk of having a child with sickle cell anemia. He or she can also explain possible treatments, preventive measures and reproductive options.
Normally, your red blood cells are flexible and round, moving easily through your blood vessels. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These irregularly shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body.
Symptoms of sickle cell anemia usually show up at a young age. They may appear in babies as early as 4 months old, but generally occur around the 6-month mark. While there are multiple types of SCD, they all have similar symptoms, which vary in severity. These include: excessive fatigue or irritability, from anemiafussiness, in babiesbedwetting, from associated kidney problemsjaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skinswelling and pain in hands and feetfrequent infectionspain in the chest, back, arms, or legs
Prevention
If you carry the sickle cell trait, seeing a genetic counselor before trying to conceive can help you understand your risk of having a child with sickle cell anemia. He or she can also explain possible treatments, preventive measures and reproductive options.
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