All About Cells
What is Sickle Cell Disease?
How does it Form?
Sickle Cell Disease, also known as Sickle Cell Anemia, is an inherited disease that affects the blood cells in the body.
Sickle Cell Disease is caused by a genetic disorder in the gene for hemoglobin (blood), which results in the production of sickle hemoglobin. When oxygen is released from sickle hemoglobin, it sticks together and forms long rods, which damage and change the shape of the red blood cell.
How does it Attack the Cell?
Instead of the red blood cells developing into flexible, disc-shaped cells, they develop into stiff, sickle-shaped cells. This causes a lower count of red blood cells in the body. The sickle-shaped cells are very painful because because they get caught in the veins and arteries, reducing blood flow around the body.
How does it continue to spread or do additional harm?
The Sickle Cells get caught in the veins and arteries and block the blood flow, causing pain in the body. With the lower red blood cell count, the person develops anemia (weak and tired) and are pale-looking. The seriousness of the disease ranges from managing the pain to being hospitalized. Damage to vital organs is often common because of the lack of blood flow.
Curable?
Sickle Cell Disease has no known cure. Doctors prescribe antibiotics to children two months to five years of age to help prevent infections. They also receive immunizations. Many people create pain management plans to help deal with the pain.
Future
You have Sickle Cell Disease forever. All that can be done is pain management and learning to live with it. Some cases require hospitalization because of organ problems.