What are the symptoms of sickle cell anemia disease?

Question

i want to know more about sicle cell anaemia which is quite dangerous to our health.

Answer 1

(m)

Symptoms

The clinical course of sickle cell anemia does not follow a single pattern; some patients have mild symptoms, and some have very severe symptoms. The basic problem, however, is the same: the sickle-shaped red blood cells tend to get stuck in narrow blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood. This results in the following conditions:

Hand-foot syndrome. When small blood vessels in hands or feet are blocked, pain and swelling can result, along with fever. This may be the first symptom of sickle cell anemia in infants.

Fatigue, paleness, and shortness of breath. These are all symptoms of anemia or a shortage of red blood cells.

Pain that occurs unpredictably in any body organ or joint. A patient may experience pain wherever sickled blood cells block oxygen flow to tissues. The frequency and amount of pain vary. Some patients have painful episodes (also called crises) less than once a year, and some have as many as 15 or more episodes in a year. Sometimes pain lasts only a few hours; sometimes it lasts several weeks. For especially severe ongoing pain, the patient may be hospitalized and treated with painkillers and intravenous fluids. Pain is the principal symptom of sickle cell anemia in both children and adults.

Eye problems. The retina, the "film" at the back of the eye that receives and processes visual images, can deteriorate when it does not get enough nourishment from circulating red blood cells. Damage to the retina can be serious enough to cause blindness.

Yellowing of skin and eyes. These are signs of jaundice, resulting from rapid breakdown of red blood cells.

Delayed growth and puberty in children and often a slight build in adults. The slow rate of growth is caused by a shortage of red blood cells.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease in which the red blood cells, normally disc-shaped, become crescent shaped. As a result, they function abnormally and cause small blood clots. These clots give rise to recurrent painful episodes called "sickle cell pain crises."

Common symptoms include:
paleness
yellow eyes/skin
fatigue
breathlessness
rapid heart rate
delayed growth and puberty
susceptibility to infections
ulcers on the lower legs (in adolescents and adults)
jaundice
bone pain
attacks of abdominal pain
fever .

The patient may also have:

bloody urine (hematuria )
frequent urination
excessive thirst
painful erection (priapism; this occurs in 10-40% of men with the disease)
chest pain
poor eyesight/blindness

for more information pl. visit:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000527.htm#Symptoms

Answer 4

Symptoms
Sickle cell anemia can cause many symptoms and life-threatening complications, including blocked blood vessels, worsening anemia, and serious infections [Table 1]. Patients with sickle cell anemia often have episodes of pain. Sickle-shaped cells stick to the walls of small blood vessels and have difficulty passing through them. The misshapen cells can clog the blood vessels, keeping needed oxygen from reaching the surrounding tissues. The blockages and resulting lack of blood supply can damage vital organs, such as the lungs, bones, liver, and kidneys. Clogging of the small vessels in the eye can deprive the part of the eye that receives and processes light (the retina) of needed nutrients, and can lead to blindness. In men, the penis may become painfully erect, a condition called priapism. Leg ulcers may occur when small vessels become blocked. Patients with sickle cell anemia are prone to gallbladder disease, and may develop bone complications when bone cells don't receive needed oxygen and nourishment. Children with sickle cell anemia are prone to strokes, which can cause permanent disabilities. Strokes occur when the sickled cells block or narrow the diameter of blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen. Hand/foot syndrome occurs when small blood vessels in the hands or feet become blocked, resulting in pain, swelling, and sometimes fever.


http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/about_scd/index.phtml

Answer 5

I highly doubt your grandsons pain and dark circles are a result of his SC trait. I have sickle cell disease and both of my parents have the trait. Persons with the trait have no symptoms and because of the small amount of sickled shaped cells he protected from malaria.(just thought I throw that in there). His dark circles could be a result from his lack of sleep or as you said "not resting well". One IMPORTANT thing my Doctor tells me is to drink PLENTY of water. It may seem insignificant to others but when your blood cells are sickled shaped its the most important thing to do. If I were to become dehydrated my blood would get "sticky" increasing the risk of pain crisis. I doubt your grandsons symptoms are from the trait. I hope I helped some good luck

Answer 6

this can be easily be diagnosed with tests your doctor can order. People in a sickle cell crises have body pain, possibly fever, a tender belly, headache, and yellowed eyes. It is very uncomfortable. The blood cells curve causing them to have difficulty passing thru the blood vessels.

Answer 7

Well im not sure but I have sickle cell trait.

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

I have just see a friend of mine with these sign

Answer 10

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/sca.shtml