Hemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder in which a person inherits problems with certain blood clotting factors, making them unable to work properly. Blood-clotting factors are needed to help stop bleeding after a cut or injury and to prevent spontaneous bleeding.
Hemophilia genes can contain many different errors, leading to different degrees of abnormality in the amount of clotting factor produced. People who have hemophilia are at risk of abnormal bleeding throughout the body, especially in the joints and muscles, which may lead to disabling joint problems.
The most common bleeding problem in people who have severe hemophilia is bleeding into a joint (hemarthrosis). This often happens without an injury. Symptoms include warmth, tingling, or swelling of the joint. Symptoms of bleeding into a muscle include bruising, swelling, tenderness, muscle hardening, and pain.
There are two main types of hemophilia:
Hemophilia usually runs in families and almost always affects males.
Hemophilia can be treated by replacing missing blood clotting factors. This can be done with clotting factor replacement therapy. Replacement therapy can prevent or treat bleeding episodes.
You may need to take medicines that help prevent bleeding. You might take medicines at certain times, such as before you have surgery or dental work. Talk to your doctor about what options may be right for you.
Hemophilia treatment centers are available at most large medical centers. They are an excellent resource to help you and your family get the best care for this condition.
Your doctor may ask about your medical history and your family's medical history. You may need to have some tests, such as a blood test or a genetic test.
If your doctor thinks that you may have a problem with blood clotting, your doctor will take a blood sample. The sample will be used in tests that check for the amount of clotting factor. If the level is low, then more tests will find out the type of hemophilia and how severe it is.
How severe the disease is depends on how much clotting factor is produced and when bleeding most often occurs.
Bleeding problems might not be noticed unless there is a lot of bleeding after a major injury or surgery.
Bleeding problems are common and often follow a fall, sprain or strain.
Bleeding problems often happen one or more times a week for no reason.
If hemophilia runs in your family and you are planning to have children, ask your doctor about tests that can show if you are a carrier. (Only females can be carriers.) This will allow you to make informed decisions about pregnancy and prenatal care.
You can take steps at home to prevent bleeding episodes and improve your health.
Hemophilia A and B are caused by changes (mutations) in genes. These changes affect how much clotting factor a person has and how well it works.
In hemophilia, blood does not clot properly. This usually happens because your body does not have enough of a certain kind of clotting factor. This makes it harder for bleeding to stop. People with hemophilia may bleed a lot after cuts, during surgery, or even after a fall. Some people have abnormal bleeding inside their bodies for no clear reason.
Doctors often recommend acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, for pain relief in people who have hemophilia. Acetaminophen doesn't reduce swelling. But it's safer than other medicines.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause problems. Examples are aspirin and ibuprofen. NSAIDs can cause bleeding in the stomach or intestines. They can interfere with blood clotting and affect the function of the cells that first plug a wound (platelets). Acetaminophen doesn't have these side effects. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Medicines that people with hemophilia should not take include:
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