This article will cover the causes and symptoms of hemophilia. We’ll also cover treatment options and prevention. Getting the right medical care for hemophilia is important. Read on to learn more. In this article, we’ll examine the symptoms, causes, and treatments. Hopefully, you’ll be better equipped to manage your bleeding. But before we get started, let’s take a look at some of the things you should know about this condition.
Symptoms
Hemophilia is a condition in which the blood clotting factor is deficient, resulting in excessive bleeding and bruising. The extent of bleeding depends on the severity of the disorder. Children with mild hemophilia may show no symptoms until they experience excessive bleeding, while males with severe hemophilia may bleed profusely after circumcision. Bleeding can occur on the surface of the body, or deep inside. One common place where internal bleeding may occur is in joints.
Severe cases of hemophilia usually manifest during infancy. Infants may suffer bleeding after a bump on the head or during a menstrual period. Even after childbirth, women may experience bleeding abnormalities. Approximately 60 percent of cases of hemophilia are severe. People with severe hemophilia have a factor level of less than one percent. Some severe cases may result in thromboembolism, which is life-threatening and requires medical treatment.
Causes
Although the causes of hemophilia are unknown, the condition is often hereditary. About 30 percent of people with hemophilia have no family history. An acquired form of hemophilia develops when a gene encoding the hemophilia factor mutates. This results in the immune system attacking the clotting factor. The disease has no cure. There is no known cure for hemophilia, and there is no known treatment.
Hemophilia A can cause bleeding into internal organs, causing serious damage and sometimes even death. In severe cases, bleeding can cause low blood circulation throughout the body. Because cells need adequate blood supply to survive, excessive bleeding can lead to blood loss, which can occur rapidly or slowly. Bleeding into the brain can cause blindness or intellectual disability, or even lead to death. The symptoms of hemophilia can be subtle but serious.
Treatment
Although there is no proven cure for hemophilia, there are treatment options available to patients. The main goal of hemophilia treatment is to replace missing clotting factors in the blood, and to prevent bleeding episodes. Patients can take recombinant factor VIII, an artificially-produced form of factor VIII, or frozen plasma. While donor blood has the potential to carry the disease, new screening techniques have significantly decreased this risk.
During the bleeding process, extra blood may pool in the joints or soft tissue, causing swelling and pain. Eventually, this type of bleeding can cause arthritis. Therefore, patients should get treatment early, preferably before symptoms become severe. Those with mild hemophilia can receive episodic treatment. Patients with moderate hemophilia may require more frequent treatment. However, it is worth noting that a patient’s life can be significantly improved with the help of treatment for hemophilia.
Prevention
Although there is no cure for hemophilia, there are many preventative measures that can limit the damage caused by bleeding episodes. One of these is immunization against hepatitis A and B, which are both carried by blood products. Another preventive measure involves avoiding aspirin and other medications that can interfere with blood clotting. Learning about the symptoms of bleeding can help prevent episodes. Children with the condition should be closely supervised when learning to walk, and they should be discouraged from participating in sports and other activities that are high-risk.
The disease is usually inherited from both parents, but it is possible for a child to be affected despite no obvious symptoms. Genetic counseling is available and tests for hemophilia can be performed. If a child has a family history of the disorder, he or she may be genetically tested. Genetic counseling is also offered by OSUCCC – James. If a parent has been diagnosed with hemophilia, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms of the disease.
