Sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited, chronic blood disorder in the United States.
It is found that one out of every four hundred women is suffering from this disease.
Sickle cell anemia is a most common type of sickle cell disease.
The carrying of potassium and chloride ions in and out of red blood cells is a major cause for the increase in the volume and density of the cells. With sickle cell anemia, you may not have continual symptoms but notice painful attacks periodically.
A sickle cell anemia weakens your immune system and causes complications such as strokes. Also, the life span will be very short with sickle cell anemia. However, you have no cure for this anemia type but treatment options are available.
It is very essential to consult your doctor if you experience any symptoms of this disease. A continual treatment is essential though you experience no pain or symptoms currently.
Sickle cell anemia treatment helps reduce the occurrence of experiences and maintains a gap in the occurrence by delaying the time in between them.
The treatment of sickle cell anemia for children often includes intravenous antibiotics, which help prevent bacterial infections that usually appear in children.
With the advancement in science and technology, newer drugs are introduced to help fight against the symptoms of sickle cell anemia. However, the most commonly prescribed drug is hydroxyurea.
There are some indications that hydroxyurea may increase the risk of having leukemia (cancer of blood) but no evidence currently is present to this effect. However, there are some common side effects with this drug such as painful urination and back pain.
It is necessary for you to take treatment for the pain that occurs with this disease. A variety of non-narcotic pain medications may be prescribed if you have mild, short-lived episodes of sickle cell anemia.
However, narcotic drugs will be prescribed for acute pain to help control it. Although these drugs are effective in reducing symptoms and providing a more comfortable life, they can be addictive.
Maintaining your health with proper diet and exercise is an essential factor in combating sickle cell anemia. It is very important for you to implement a regular exercise routine along with a well balanced diet.
Even relaxation techniques: meditation techniques, yoga and breathing exercises help reduce stress and also provide pain relief. Sufficient bed rest and a good night’s sleep also help reduce your pain [Healthy sleep habits].
For the treatment of sickle cell anemia, blood transfusions are often used to increase the amount of standard red blood cells. However, it is usually performed with low risk.
Bone marrow transplantation is recommended in more extreme cases. It is used rarely because of the high risk and low probability of getting an appropriate donor.
To keep the complications at bay, it is very important to have continual treatment and screening of sickle cell anemia. Although the life expectancy of sickle cell anemia is short, with proper treatment it is possible to lead full lives.
