My City Wellness Summer 2022

My Wellness

6 Sickle Cell Anemia shape of red blood cells. Normal red blood cells are round and exible and can move easily around the body, but in those with sickle cell disease, some blood cells are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. ese cells can become rigid and sticky, which can block blood ow and inhibit their ability to carry oxygen. e cells die early, leaving a shortage of healthy red blood cells. ere is one known cure for the disease. Cause is is an inherited disease passed down from parents who are carriers of the trait. It is caused by a gene mutation that tells the body to make hemoglobin – the iron-rich compound in red blood cells. Hemoglobin is what enables blood cells to carry ox ygen through the body. e altered hemoglobin associated with sickle cell disease causes the blood cells to be malformed. Symptoms Symptoms vary from person to person and usually begin around six months of age. e primary symptoms are anemia (caused by a shortage of operational red blood cells), episodes Part of a broader group of inherited sickle cell disorders, sickle cell anemia a ects the physical

of extreme pain, frequent infections, delayed growth, swelling of extremities and vision problems. e risk of the disease is much greater for individuals of African, Mediterranean or Middle-Eastern descent. If untreated, sickle cell disease can lead to stroke, pulmonary hypertension, gallstones, leg ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, organ damage, blindness and priapism. Treatment Sickle cell disease can only be cured in one instance; for many a icted, it has to be controlled. Treatment is aimed at avoiding pain episodes and preventing the devastating complications. Medications are numerous and many are used in combination to treat di erent aspects of the disease. For example, some drugs can reduce anemia, while others are used to control pain. Penicillin may need to be taken through out life to reduce the chance of a devastating infection. In adults, frequent blood transfusions must be undergone to reduce the chance of complications. A stem cell transplant is the only known cure for sickle cell anemia but the procedure is very risky and can result in death. For this reason, a stem cell transplant is only recommended for those with signi cant symptoms and complications, usually children.

Knowing what’s out there, potentially in the future, can help a person exchange current habits for new, more healthy ones and plan for a future of wellness. ®

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