Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms and Complications
- Pain is the most common symptom of sickle cell disease (SCD).
- Because there are many types of SCD, symptoms may vary from person to person. Be sure to ask your doctor which complications are common with your type and how to monitor for these issues.
- Some other common complications of SCD include anemia (low red blood count), acute chest syndrome (oxygen is blocked from the lungs), blood clots, infection and organ damage.
- Treatment options are available to help reduce the number of sickle cells in your blood, relieve pain and reduce complications.
“The most common symptoms for all of them are painful episodes,” Dr. Sophie Lanzkron, Director of the Sickle Cell Center for Adults at Johns Hopkins, tells SurvivorNet.
Sickle Cell Disease, Explained
Read MoreAnd this is what leads to symptoms and complications.
Symptoms of Sickle Cell Disease
SCD can cause debilitating symptoms that patients should be aware of.
“These acute, unexpected excruciating episodes of pain that happen when cells get stuck and areas beyond where the cells get stuck do not get oxygenated,” Dr. Lanskron says.
These episodes of pain are known as pain crises. They can occur in various parts of the body, such as the chest, abdomen, bones, and joints.
She stresses that while some SCD complications are more common in specific types of the disease, it’s possible to have any of the below complications with any type. Some patients may have very mild disease, while others have to deal with more severe symptoms and complications.
Symptoms of the disease typically begin to present when a child is around six months old.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other common complications from the disease include:
- Acute chest syndrome (a condition where sickle cells stick together and block the flow of oxygen from vessels in the lungs)
- Anemia (a condition where the body does not have enough red blood cells, leading to weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath)
- Blood clots
- Fever
- Infection, particularly pneumonia
- Kidney issues
- Liver issues
- Organ damage
- Vision loss
- Swelling in the hands and feet, due to blocked blood flow
“Sickle cell disease can affect every organ of the body,” Dr. Lanzkron explains.
“You [can] get eye disease. You can get retinopathy and you can loose your vision … You can get leg ulcers, which are open wounds in the leg that are often difficult to get to heal.”
Because the disease can affect organs throughout the body, it’s very important that it is monitored.
Talk with your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms, as there are treatments to help. Medications can help reduce the number of sickle cells in the blood, and pain relief drugs and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms.
MORE: Treating Sickle Cell Disease: Reducing Pain and Organ Damage
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with sickle cell disease and are wondering about the symptoms associated with your disease, here are some questions you may consider asking your doctor:
- What are the most common complications for my type of SCD?
- How should I be monitoring for these complications?
- What symptoms warrant a visit to the doctor or hospital?
- How often will I have to be monitored?
- Are there any lifestyle changes I can make to reduce the likelihood of complications?
- What options are available to relieved my pain?
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