World Sickle Cell Day is observed each year on June 19th to raise the public awareness regarding this disease and its treatment methods. Sickle Cell disease is an inherited transmitted deformity/abnormality of haemoglobin. It is an inherited form of anaemia. This abnormality generates changes in the shape of red blood cells from round to crescent, which reduces the oxygen carrying capacity and slows down the flow of blood to various parts of the body. 

Generally, red blood vessels are round and flexible, passing easily through the blood vessels. The red blood cells become sticky and rigid in sickle cell anaemia. Sickle cells last 10 to 20 days, which causes anaemia because of the disorder of red blood cells, while healthy red blood cells could live up to 120 days.

Millions of people around the world are affected by Sickle Cell Anemia. There is no specific cure for this disease as Sickle cell anaemia is not contagious, it is hereditary. Sickle cell anaemia is named so for the reason that red blood cells are crescent-shaped or sickle-shaped, and anaemia signifies lack of blood. There is a difference between iron-deficiency anaemia and sickle cell anaemia.

Symptoms

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has many symptoms which includes: serious anemia, episodes of suffering, additionally a range of complications, heart failure, dizziness, chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute chest syndrome (ACS), chest pain, gallstones, pulmonary hypertension, immune deficiency, paralysis or stroke, splenomegaly, joint damage mainly in the hip joint, foot ulcers, delayed puberty, retinopathy, and endocrine disorders.

Diagnosis

Sickle Cell Disease is diagnosed by blood tests.

Treatment

Bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant in patients usually below the age of sixteen is the only available cure for the disease.

Aim of the World Sickle Cell Day

The aim of the World Sickle Cell Day is to support and promote research for the patients in order to help them upgrade their overall quality of life to the maximum possible extent. It also aspires to increase awareness for sickle cell disease disorder in the general public so that they know how to deal with patients suffering from the disease. Moreover, the World Sickle Cell Day has the objective of raising awareness of the importance among generations of pre-marital screening to lessen the transmission of Sickle Cell Disease.

Target Groups for Awareness Programs

Though it is desirable that everybody knows about Sickle Cell Disease, the target groups for the awareness programs include health decision-makers, sickle cell anaemia sufferers and their families, health organizations and associations, people who are planning to get married, and the health workers including health educators, physicians, and nurses.

On the World Sickle Cell Day, different societies provide advocacy, information, and advice for raising awareness. They also provide educational and welfare grants, support services, annual children s holiday, home help, hospital visits, mentoring and befriending through holding talks, assisting into research and training, lobbying for better service provision, patient education seminars, and campaigning.

World Sickle Cell Day - What Should You Know?

Anemia (or anaemia) is a medical condition which generally occurs in a human body because of the lack of required healthy red blood cells (RBCs) or hemoglobin in the blood. Diagnosis of anemia is done through a blood test, a man is anemic when his hemoglobin level is less than 13.5 gram/100 ml and a woman is anemic when her hemoglobin level is less than 12.0 gram/100 ml.

Risk factors: People suffering from long-term or chronic diseases such as cancer are more susceptible of developing anemia. Hemoglobin is the salient constituent of red blood cells and is an iron rich protein. It provides the red color to the blood and binds oxygen. Red blood cells carry this oxygen to all the vital tissues and organs of the body. Due to lack of appropriate amount of red blood cells, the amount of blood required in a body to function normally is also low. One of the most prominent causes of occurrence of anemia is the deficiency of required amount of nutritional iron, vitamin B-12, and folate in the body. This iron is needed for the formation of hemoglobin. Apart from these causes, the other causes of anemia comprise of the following:

Loss of blood
Insufficient production of red blood cells (inadequate intake of iron, vitamin B-12)
Fast rate of destruction of red blood cells (disorders of liver and hemorrhage)
Diagnosis: It is relatively easy to detect an anemic person. The symptoms of anemia include pale appearance, complaint of cold, giddiness, unsteadiness, laziness, particularly when the person is in action or is standing up. Sometimes people suffering from anemia crave for eating clay, ice, or even dirt. Also, there are complains of exhaustion along with issues of constipation and concentration. Other indications of anemia are brittle nails, gasps for breath even in mild activities, and pain in the chest. Since the level of oxygen in the blood is low, there could be even scope of a heart attack.

A person suffering from anemia is usually diagnosed on the basis of a complete blood count. The blood test brings out if serum folate levels are quite low. In case the anemia is severe, sometimes doctors take the help of erythropoietin injections so as to foster the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. In case there is bleeding or if the level of hemoglobin is low, it might become essential to carry out blood transfusion.

Treatment: Anemia is straightforward to diagnose and treat, but at the same time could prove to be deadly if it is left undiagnosed. Proper heed should be paid to the intake of adequate and required food which is rich in vitamins and minerals, dietary iron, folic acid, including other vitamins and minerals.

Anemia- How Does It Affect a Person's Health?

Anemia is a medical condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than normal. Haemoglobin is the main part of red blood cells and it binds oxygen. If you have few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. Anemia can last temporarily or for a long-term, and it can range from mild to severe. If you suspect you have anemia, see your doctor immediately because it can be a warning sign of a serious illness. A person who has anemia is called anemic.

Sign and symptoms of anemia: Because a low blood cell count decreases oxygen delivery to every tissue in the body, anemia can cause a variety of signs and symptoms. It can also worsen the state of any other underlying medical condition. If anemia is mild, it may not cause any symptoms. If anemia is chronic, the body may adapt and compensate for the change. In this case, there may not be any symptoms until anemia becomes more severe. Anemia signs and symptoms may vary depending on the cause of the condition. These may include fatigue, weakness, pale or yellowish skin, irregular heartbeats, breathlessness, dizziness, chest pain, cold hands and feet, and headache.

Causes of anemia: Anemia occurs when your body doesn t have enough red blood cells. This can happen if: 

Your body doesn t make enough red blood cells: The bone marrow is essential for the creation of red blood cells. A number of diseases can affect the bone marrow, including leukemia, where too many abnormal white blood cells are produced. This disrupts normal production of red blood cells.
Bleeding causes you to lose red blood cells more quickly than they can be replaced: Iron deficient anemia is the most common type of anemia which often falls into this category. It is caused by a shortage of iron, which most often results due to blood loss. Blood loss can be acute and rapid or chronic. Rapid blood loss can happen at the time of surgery, childbirth, trauma, or a ruptured blood vessel. 
Your body destroys red blood cells: Red blood cells have a lifespan of 120 days in the bloodstream but they can be destroyed or removed beforehand. In one type of anemia, the body s immune system mistakenly identifies its own red blood cells as a foreign substance and attacks them. Excessive red blood cell breakdown can also occur due to infections, the use of certain drugs, snake or spider venom, severe hypertension, and in the case of clotting disorders.
Treatment of anemia: The treatment of anemia varies greatly. First, the underlying cause of anemia needs to be identified and corrected. Most of the times, iron supplements will be needed to correct iron deficiency. In severe anemia, blood transfusions may be necessary. Vitamin B12 injections are necessary in some cases who are suffering from a specific type of anemia.

Prevention of anemia: Many types of anemia can t be prevented. But iron deficient anemia and vitamin deficient anemia can be avoided by having a diet that includes a variety of vitamins and nutrients, including iron, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin C.

Anemia - What Causes It?

Anemia, as known to many, is a medical condition triggered by low hemoglobin levels. More than often, iron deficiency acts as a catalyst giving rise to anemia. While fatigue, headache, palpitations, skin pallor, and dizziness are characteristic of anemia, many people also suffer from hair loss. Here too, the iron deficiency acts as contributing factor interfering with the healthy growth cycle of the hair. In some cases, the hair loss may mimic the male and female pattern baldness as observed in the case of Alopecia. While anemia and the related hair loss can affect anyone irrespective of their age and sex, women of reproductive age, as well as teenagers, are more susceptible to this. In this article, we will discuss the anemia and iron deficiency induced hair loss in brief and the preventive measures to deal with the situation.

Anemia-related Hair Loss
In anemia, there is a significant fall in the hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin acts as an oxygen carrier to different body cells and tissues, including those of the hair follicles to ensure healthy cell growth and repairment. Low hemoglobin levels result in inadequate oxygen supply, one of the prime factors responsible for hair loss.

Ferritin, a storage protein (cellular protein) for iron contributes significantly towards a healthy growth cycle of the hair (stimulates the anagen or the growth phase). In the case of anemia, to meet the iron requirements of the vital organs such as the heart, the body starts utilizing the ferritin stored in hair bulb and other non-essential tissues. This dip in the ferritin level affects the hair growth. A ferritin blood test often helps in the diagnosis of iron deficiency and anemia.

Preventive measures to deal with anemia related hair loss
With the iron deficiency and the associated symptoms being taken care of, the anemia triggered hair loss can be controlled and reversed. In addition to the medications and treatment, one also needs to take care of their general health and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Never go for self-medication. It will only worsen the situation. Two individuals can have the same medical problem but triggered by different factors. Always consult a doctor before trying any medicines.
Follow a healthy diet: People dealing with anemia and iron deficiency should enrich their diet with foods rich in iron such as lean meat, liver, spinach, beetroot, nuts and dry fruits (walnuts, almonds), prunes, parsley, broccoli (the florets), to name a few. Foods rich in vitamin C, almonds, are known to promote hair growth.
Avoid drinking tea between meals as this unhealthy practice is known to interfere with the absorption of iron.
Maintain a healthy hair care routine
Oil massage your hair at least twice a week.
Be gentle while combing the hair.
Try and use a mild shampoo (or as the doctor recommended).
Avoid excessive use of hair styling products and chemicals.

Anaemia And Hair Loss - What Should You Do?

Thalassemia is a genetic (which is passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder. People with Thalassemia disease are not able to make enough hemoglobin, which causes severe anemia. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When there is not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells, oxygen cannot get to all parts of the body. Organs then become starved for oxygen and are unable to function properly.

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the type of thalassemia:

Thalassemia Minor: Thalassemia minor usually doesn t cause any symptoms. If it does, it causes minor anemia.
Beta-thalassemia: Beta-thalassemia comes in two serious types, which are thalassemia major, or Cooley s anemia, and thalassemia intermedia. The symptoms of thalassemia major generally appear before a child s second birthday. The severe anemia related to this condition can be life-threatening. Other signs and symptoms include:
fussiness
paleness
frequent infections
a poor appetite
failure to thrive
jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
enlarged organs
This form of thalassemia is usually so severe that it requires regular blood transfusions.

Alpha-thalassemia: Alpha-thalassemia also has two serious types, which are hemoglobin H disease and hydrops fetalis. Hemoglobin H disease can cause bone issues. The cheeks, forehead, and jaw may all overgrow. Hemoglobin H disease can cause:
jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
an extremely enlarged spleen
malnourishment
Hydrops fetalis is an extremely severe form of thalassemia. It occurs before birth. Most individuals with this condition are either stillborn or die shortly after being born.

Thalassemia - Symptoms Based on Types of Thalassemia 

The lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood is termed as anemia. You may also be diagnosed as anemic is your red blood cells do not have a high enough hemoglobin count. Since hemoglobin is responsible for the amount of oxygen in our blood, being anemic results in a decreased flow of oxygen in the blood. 

There are 5 different types of anemia. These are:
1. Iron deficiency anemia: when the iron levels of the blood are lower than normal. 
2. Sickle cell anemia: when the red blood cells are shaped like a'sickle' and hence more fragile. This is an inherited condition. 
3. Thalassemia - when the body does not produce enough red blood cells or hemoglobin. This is also an inherited condition.
4. Megaloblastic anemia - when the blood does not have enough vitamin b12 and hence cannot transport hemoglobin through the body. 
5. Hemolytic anemia - when the red blood cells are rapidly removed from the blood due to an infection, medication or disease. 

Lack of oxygen can have a serious effect on the organs of the body. Hence the symptoms of anemia are also the effects of the disease. 
Some of these are: 
Lack of energy
Fatigue
Dizziness
Chest pain
Difficulty breathing
Abnormal heartbeat
Reduced attention span
Numbness of the hands and feet. 

Anemia can also lead to a number of major health problems such as:
1. Heart disease: anemia is directly linked to heart disease. When the blood carries less oxygen, the heart needs to work harder to pump it to the rest of the body. Thus, people who are anemic are at a higher risk of having a heart attack than a non anemic person. Anemia can also lead to arrhythmia or a condition where the person suffers from an irregular heartbeat. 

2. Pregnancy complications: one of the first and most vital supplements prescribed to a pregnant woman is iron. Iron is essential not only for a healthy baby, but also for your own body. Anemia caused by a lack of iron can result in premature birth and a number of other complications at the time of pregnancy. 

3. Increased risk of infections: lack of oxygen in the blood can affect your immune system by lowering its ability to fight infections. This makes the body vulnerable to diseases. 

4. Cognitive damage: anemia in children can result in a greatly reduced attention span and weaken their memory. Sometimes, even when treated, this can result in permanent scarring and reduced iq levels. 

Fighting anemia is not hard. Consult your doctor instantly if you recognize any of its symptoms and start eating food rich in iron to fight this disease.

Anaemia and How It Can Affect Your Health

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