Sickle cell anemia affects the normal shape of red blood cells, which affects their basic function of carrying oxygen effectively and causes many health problems. If you are one of those suffering from it and are looking for ways to treat and live with it, follow this article with us.
What are the symptoms of sickle cell anemia in adults?
The severity and frequency of sickle cell anemia symptoms in adults differs from those in children, but in general they include:
- Acute pain: This is the most common symptom, as the patient feels severe pain in the bones, joints, chest, and abdomen.
- General fatigue and constant exhaustion: due to the lack of oxygen carried by the blood to the body.
- Repeated infections: Due to a weak immune system, which makes the patient with sickle cell anemia more susceptible to infection.
- Jaundice: yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes;
- Swelling in the hands and feet: due to blockage of blood vessels.
- Lung and kidney problems: These problems develop over time due to damage to the blood vessels in these organs.
- Vision disorders: due to damage to the blood vessels in the eye.
- Pulmonary obstructive crises: This is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention.
- stroke: As a result of blockage of blood vessels in the brain.
Causes of sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell disease is essentially a genetic disease, resulting from a defect in the hemoglobin gene responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood, which changes the natural circular shape of red blood cells, and they take a sickle-like shape, affecting the functions of the cells.
The reason for this genetic defect is the transmission of the disease from parents to children. If a child inherits one affected gene from each parent, he does not show symptoms of the disease and is only a carrier of it. However, if he inherits two affected genes, he develops sickle cell anemia and exhibits symptoms.
It is worth noting that when the sickle cell gene is transmitted from only one parent to the child, the child acquires the sickle cell trait. This means that there is a normal hemoglobin gene with the sickle cell gene, and the child’s blood contains some sickle cells, without feeling any symptoms, but the child is considered a carrier of the disease, and this means that he can pass the gene on to his children.
Complications and risk factors associated with sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is associated with some common complications, including the following:
- Sickle crises: acute episodes of pain resulting from blockage of blood vessels by sickle cells.
- Pneumonia: It is a common complication of the disease due to the weak immune system of the infected person
- Growth disorders: In some cases, children with sickle cell anemia suffer from developmental delays.
- GallstonesDue to the breakdown of red blood cells, bilirubin is produced, the high level of which in the body leads to gallstones.
- Jaundice: yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, as a result of the rapid breakdown of red blood cells.
- Kidney infection: may lead to Kidney failure chronic.
- Splenomegaly: This leads to an increased risk of infection.
- Organ damage: such as the heart, liver, and spleen.
- Tumors: Tumors grow in tissues due to sickle cell death.
- Vision loss: due to the blockage of the tiny blood vessels that supply the eyes with blood by sickle cells, and as the condition worsens, this may lead to blindness.
- Ulcers in the legs.
- Pregnancy complications: The disease may increase the risk of high blood pressure and blood clots during pregnancy. It also increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight in children.
- stroke: As a result of blockage of small blood vessels in the brain.
There are some risk factors that increase the chances of developing sickle cell anemia or increase the severity of symptoms, and they are as follows:
- Genetic factor: It is the main factor, as the individual inherits two genes affected by the disease from his parents.
- Infection: Infection increases the risk of sickle cell crisis and worsens the severity of pain.
- Dehydration: leads to increased blood viscosity, which increases the risk of blood vessel blockage.
- Extreme cold: It may cause blood vessels to constrict and increase the risk of crises and pain.
- Extreme physical stress: triggers sickle cell crisis.
Forbidden food for sickle cell anemia patients
In general, there is no specific list of foods prohibited for a patient with sickle cell anemia, but a balanced diet full of nutrients improves the patient’s general health and reduces the severity of the symptoms of the disease.
The goal of following a healthy and varied diet for patients with sickle cell anemia is:
- Enhancing red blood cell production: by eating foods rich in iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
- Reducing inflammation: by eating anti-inflammatory foods such as omega-3.
- Maintain a healthy weight: Obesity increases the risk of complications.
Therefore, general nutritional advice that may help manage sickle cell anemia includes the following:
- Drink sufficient amounts of water: to keep the body hydrated and reduce blood viscosity.
- Avoid foods rich in saturated fats and cholesterol: they increase the risk of clogged blood vessels.
- Avoid foods that cause dehydration, such as soft drinks and caffeine.
- Focus on eating foods rich in iron, folic acid and vitamin B12.
The most important thing is to consult a doctor or nutritionist to develop a suitable diet for each individual based on his health condition and special needs.
Can sickle cell anemia be completely cured?
In fact, at the present time there is no treatment that completely cures sickle cell anemia, as it is a chronic hereditary disease, but many treatments are available that help manage symptoms and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Sickle cell patients can live on the use of penicillin since childhood, and there is a difference in the extent to which those affected by the disease are affected, and it is not possible to predict the extent of the affected child’s influence, but there are factors that may determine the extent of the influence:
- Sickle cell type.
- Quality home care.
- The behavior of the patient and those around him with the disease.
What foods help alleviate the symptoms of sickle cell anemia?
The diet for patients with sickle cell anemia aims to provide the body with the necessary nutrients, which helps in managing the disease and alleviating the symptoms.
The list of recommended foods for sickle cell patients includes the following:
- Iron-rich foods: such as red meat, chicken, eggs, fish, dark leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, and nuts and seeds.
- Foods rich in vitamin C: because it helps in better absorption of iron, such as oranges, lemons, strawberries, tomatoes, and colored peppers.
- Foods rich in vitamin B12: such as red meat, chicken, fish, and eggs.
- Foods rich in folic acid: such as dark leafy vegetables, whole grains, dried fruits, and bananas.
- Foods rich in calcium: such as dairy and dairy products, dark leafy vegetables, and canned salmon.
Does sickle cell anemia affect the ability to reproduce?
There are different types of sickle cell anemia patients, and the effect of the disease varies on each individual. There are:
- Patient who is a carrier of the disease: He is a patient who has sickle cell anemia but does not show symptoms of the disease. This patient can marry and have children naturally on the condition that he does not marry a person who is also a carrier of the disease so that their children are not susceptible to inheriting it.
- Patient infected with the disease: This patient clearly shows symptoms of the disease, and it is considered dangerous for him to marry another infected person or even a patient who carries the disease. In this case, children are at severe risk of sickle cell anemia, and there are risk factors for the patient himself, especially women during pregnancy and childbirth.
Book your consultation now at Sickle cell anemia programme At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.
How to live with sickle cell anemia?
Sickle cell anemia is a complex genetic disease, and living with the disease requires adopting different lifestyle habits, including eating, sleeping, and daily activities.
It is also necessary to follow up with a periodic and regular examination with the doctor. Things that contribute to living with sickle cell anemia include the following:
- Maintain drinking an appropriate amount of fluids daily, including at least 8 cups, to avoid dehydration and expose the body to the risk of sickle cell syndrome.
- Get enough sleep every night, as this helps restore balance to the body and reduces some of the annoying symptoms of the disease.
- Follow a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals important to the body.
- Exercise moderately and regularly, which suits your condition.
- Adherence to medications prescribed by the doctor in terms of doses and timings.
While the things that a sickle cell anemia patient should avoid include the following:
- High heat or cold are among the triggers for serious sickle cell syndrome.
- Being in very high places;
- smoking;
- Drinking alcohol is one of the causes of dehydration.
- Avoid recurring infections by following basic prevention methods, as infections increase the risk of sickle cell anemia complications.
- Extreme exercise because it makes the patient unable to breathe normally, which threatens his life.
Can children get sickle cell anemia?
Yes, it is a hereditary disease that is transmitted from parents to children, which means that a child can be born with it, as the child inherits two mutated genes from his parents, one from the mother and the other from the father, which leads to the red blood cells changing their circular shape and becoming sickle-shaped.
Is sickle cell anemia inherited?
Yes, sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease, meaning it is transmitted from parents to children through genes. If a child inherits two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent, he or she will develop sickle cell anemia.
Methods of preventing disease transmission include:
- Conduct pre-marital tests to identify people who carry the sickle cell anemia gene, which helps avoid having children with the disease.
- Genetic counseling: Couples with a family history of the disease can consult a geneticist to obtain information about the risks of passing the disease to their children.
What is the difference between sickle cell anemia and normal anemia?
Sickle cell anemia and normal anemia are two different types of anemia, and each has its own causes, symptoms, and complications. The comparison between them is summarized in the following points:
- the reason
- Sickle blood anemiaIt is a hereditary disease, the result of a defect in the hemoglobin gene responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood, which changes the natural circular shape of red blood cells, and they take on a sickle-like shape.
- Normal anemiaThe causes vary from a deficiency in iron in the blood, a deficiency in vitamins, an increase in the breakdown of red blood cells, or the presence of some chronic diseases.
- Shape of red blood cells
- Sickle blood anemia: Red blood cells are sickle-shaped.
- Normal anemiaIn most cases, their shape is natural, circular, but there is a problem with their number or size.
- Symptoms
- Sickle blood anemia: Severe pain, jaundice, joint swelling, and recurrent infections
- Normal anemia: Fatigue, dizziness, pale face, and shortness of breath.
How is sickle cell anemia diagnosed?
Sickle cell anemia is usually diagnosed through a group of tests, as these tests confirm the change in the shape of the red blood cells to the sickle shape, which are as follows:
- Routine blood test: reveals a low number of red blood cells and the presence of sickle-shaped cells.
- Hemoglobin electrophoresis: It is a test that determines the type of abnormal hemoglobin present in red blood cells, which is the hallmark of sickle blood anemia.
- Blood smear examination: A blood sample is examined under a microscope to examine the shape of red blood cells and confirm the presence of sickle cells.
- DNA test: This test confirms the presence of the genetic mutation responsible for sickle cell anemia.
In conclusion, although sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease that cannot be cured, of course, regular follow-up and continuous examination reduces the severity of the disease and its symptoms and avoids any complications that affect the patient’s life.
And he knows Al Moosa Specialist Hospital Providing distinguished medical services, as it includes a team of specialized doctors and uses the latest technologies in the field of blood research and treatment of sickle cell anemia.
If you or one of your children suffer from sickle cell anemia, you can contact us immediately for reservations and inquiries.
Medical references
World Health Organization – WHO
