What is HEMOPHILIA?
Bruising and internal bleeding.
Hemophilia is a blood clotting disorder. People with hemophilia lack certain blood clotting proteins. This means, when they get a wound or bruise, bleeding will not stop or will take an extremely long time to stop. This leads to blood loss and in some cases, death.
There are 13 blood clotting proteins (coagulation factor) found in the blood. They are called Factors I (one) through XIII (13). When a blood vessel is damaged, these clotting factors go to the damaged area in a certain order (Blood Clotting Cascade) and work to form a clot. Specifically, these 13 factors normally combine to form a clot. If one factor is missing or present at low levels, this causes hemophilia and other blood clotting problems and a proper clot will not form.
There are three types of Hemophilia. Hemophilia A is Factor 8 deficient (deficient means lacking or missing), Hemophilia B is Factor 9 deficient, and Hemophilia C is Factor 11 deficient. Hemophilia A is the most common, affecting 80% of the hemophilia population. Hemophilia B affects about 12% to 15% of the hemophiliac population. Hemophilia C is not inherited in the X chromosome. This means both males and females can be carriers and show symptoms of hemophilia.
There are 13 blood clotting proteins (coagulation factor) found in the blood. They are called Factors I (one) through XIII (13). When a blood vessel is damaged, these clotting factors go to the damaged area in a certain order (Blood Clotting Cascade) and work to form a clot. Specifically, these 13 factors normally combine to form a clot. If one factor is missing or present at low levels, this causes hemophilia and other blood clotting problems and a proper clot will not form.
There are three types of Hemophilia. Hemophilia A is Factor 8 deficient (deficient means lacking or missing), Hemophilia B is Factor 9 deficient, and Hemophilia C is Factor 11 deficient. Hemophilia A is the most common, affecting 80% of the hemophilia population. Hemophilia B affects about 12% to 15% of the hemophiliac population. Hemophilia C is not inherited in the X chromosome. This means both males and females can be carriers and show symptoms of hemophilia.
What does "hemophilia" mean?
"HEMOPHILIA" is a combination of two Greek words. "HEMO" from the Greek word "haima" meaning blood and "PHILIA" which means love. So, the literal translation of hemophilia could be "blood love" or "love of blood"... sounds like something Edward, Stefan, Damon, and Katherine should have (if you know what I mean!)
What is the defective genetic code and where is it located?
As was mentioned, hemophilia is caused by a blood clotting factor deficiency -- Factors 8, 9, and 11 specifically. These genes (Factors 8, 9, and 11) are located in the X chromosome.
What does hemophilia do to a person?
Even tiny scrapes can be dangerous!
People suffering from hemophilia must be careful about getting wounds, bumps, or bruises because their body cannot stop the bleeding. Sometimes, they don't even know that they are bleeding internally (inside their bodies). They must get immediate medical attention when they get even a tiny scrape. They also suffer from pain and swelling.
What are the symptoms of hemophilia?
Hemarthoses.
- Frequent nosebleeds.
- Bruises easily.
- Blood in the urine (hematuria).
- Too much bleeding after a minor physical injury.
- Too much bleeding after surgery.
- Too much bleeding after a dental procedure such as having your tooth pulled out.
- Joint pain or swollen joints because of internal bleeding (hemarthoses).
- Bleeding into the muscles (hematoma).
- For women affected with hemophilia C, heavy menstruation.
Is there a cure or treatment?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for hemophilia. When a person has hemophilia has a bleeding episode, he has to be injected with blood plasma that contains blood clotting Factors 8, 9, and 11. These treatments are very expensive.
Immediate hospitalization is needed for injuries involving the brain, neck, vital organs, or nervous system.
The best thing to do though, is to stay away from places or activities (for example, contact sports) that can cause injuries.
Immediate hospitalization is needed for injuries involving the brain, neck, vital organs, or nervous system.
The best thing to do though, is to stay away from places or activities (for example, contact sports) that can cause injuries.
Some examples of Factor Replacement Treatment
How do you cope with Hemophilia?
Click on the photo to know more about Brett.
PREVENTING INJURY is the key to coping with hemophilia.
First of all, live a healthy lifestyle.
Second, you need to exercise to make your joints stronger and flexible. You also need to strengthen and tone your muscles. This will protect your joints from internal bleeding and damage.
Third, stay away from places that can cause injury. If you need to be in that place, make sure to put on protective gear. For babies, make sure the crib is padded with cushions and supervised while learning how to walk.
Fourth, stay away from activities that may cause injury such as contact sports. Walking, running, cycling, or swimming are okay.
Fifth, stay away from blood thinning drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium. Do not just take over the counter medication. Always ask your doctor.
Sixth, Make sure to tell your doctor, school nurse, or anyone who tries to help you when you are injured that you are a hemophiliac.
Seventh, make sure to get annual check-ups.
Eighth, treat bleeds as soon as they happen or as soon as you realize you are bleeding. Do not wait!
This is a photo of Brett Clement, a hemophiliac. Click on his photo to read about him.
First of all, live a healthy lifestyle.
Second, you need to exercise to make your joints stronger and flexible. You also need to strengthen and tone your muscles. This will protect your joints from internal bleeding and damage.
Third, stay away from places that can cause injury. If you need to be in that place, make sure to put on protective gear. For babies, make sure the crib is padded with cushions and supervised while learning how to walk.
Fourth, stay away from activities that may cause injury such as contact sports. Walking, running, cycling, or swimming are okay.
Fifth, stay away from blood thinning drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium. Do not just take over the counter medication. Always ask your doctor.
Sixth, Make sure to tell your doctor, school nurse, or anyone who tries to help you when you are injured that you are a hemophiliac.
Seventh, make sure to get annual check-ups.
Eighth, treat bleeds as soon as they happen or as soon as you realize you are bleeding. Do not wait!
This is a photo of Brett Clement, a hemophiliac. Click on his photo to read about him.
How can we help?
Knowledge is power. So, the more we know, the more we can help...
As a family member, we can make sure that they eat healthy, exercise, and get annual check ups.
As a friend, we should be knowledgeable about their disease. We can also be understanding if they can't do everything that we want to do because it might injure them.
As a "stranger", such as someone who is helping an injured person and finds out he is a hemophiliac, we should immediately call for emergency assistance (for major injuries) or assistance from the school nurse. Make sure to inform them that the injured is a hemophiliac.
Of course it is always important to know how to give first aid, especially when you should not move the injured. If you are interested in learning basic first aid, click on this link: http://hemophilianavigator.com/managing-a-bleed/safety/firstaid/
As a family member, we can make sure that they eat healthy, exercise, and get annual check ups.
As a friend, we should be knowledgeable about their disease. We can also be understanding if they can't do everything that we want to do because it might injure them.
As a "stranger", such as someone who is helping an injured person and finds out he is a hemophiliac, we should immediately call for emergency assistance (for major injuries) or assistance from the school nurse. Make sure to inform them that the injured is a hemophiliac.
Of course it is always important to know how to give first aid, especially when you should not move the injured. If you are interested in learning basic first aid, click on this link: http://hemophilianavigator.com/managing-a-bleed/safety/firstaid/