Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder where the body creates red blood cells that are sickle-shaped instead of round. Because of their shape, sickle cells have trouble moving through the bloodstream smoothly. This can lead to clogged blood vessels which prevent oxygen from being carried to the organs and tissues. The most common symptoms of sickle cell anemia are pain and anemia, but individuals can experience other symptoms.
Pain
One characteristic of sickle cell anemia is sudden, severe pain. This is called "sickle cell crisis" or "pain crisis" and each episode can vary in intensity, frequency and duration. The pain can often be felt in the chest, arms, legs, abdomen, joints or lungs. The pain is caused by clogged blood vessels and can be acute or chronic. Acute pain lasts from several hours to several days, and chronic pain can linger for weeks or even months.
Anemia
Sickle cells only remain in the bloodstream for 10 to 20 days, whereas normal red blood cells remain in the bloodstream for about 4 months. Therefore, a person with sickle cell anemia loses red blood cells faster than someone without the disorder. When the red blood cell count in a person's blood decreases dramatically, the result is anemia. Symptoms of anemia include weariness, fatigue, pale skin, chest pain, dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath, and cold hands and feet.
Infection
Infections can be difficult to fight off by those who have sickle cell anemia. The spleen is an organ that helps to fight off infections; if the spleen becomes damaged, infections are harder to fight off. If the sickle cells clog the spleen, it will shrink and not work properly. Common infections in those who have sickle cell anemia are hepatitis, meningitis, influenza and pneumonia, which is the number one killer of children who have sickle cell anemia.
Lungs
Acute chest syndrome occurs when sickle cells become trapped in the lungs. Symptoms include severe chest pain and fever. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can result from acute chest syndrome. PAH is caused when blood vessels in the lungs become damaged and the heart has difficulty pumping blood through the lungs, which in turn raises blood pressure. Symptoms include difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
Other
Sickle cell anemia has other affects on the body such as leg ulcers, hand-foot syndrome, jaundice, gallstones, stroke, eye problems, delayed growth and puberty, and multiple organ failure.
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