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Symptoms of Sickle-cell anaemia

Sickle-cell disease usually shows itself in infancy with Anaemia and Jaundice.

Infants commonly show ‘hand and foot syndrome’, a painful swelling of the fingers and toes. There is commonly enlargement of the spleen which can be felt under the ribs on the left side. This happend because the spleen becomes packed with broken-down red blood cells. The spleen enlargement has usually settled by the age of 10.

In some cases the bone above the eyebrows becomes more prominent (known as ‘bossing’). This is because the bone marrow there has expanded to keep up with the need for more red blood cells. All the blood cells are formed in the marrow of the flat bones such as the skull, breastbone and pelvis.

Under normal blood conditions, there are no symptoms. Sickle-cell disease features episodes called ‘sickling crises’. These may be brought on by exposure to cold, infection or bodily water shortage (dehydration). Quite often they occur for no obvious reason.

When sickling crises occur, the main symptoms are:· 

• Gradually worsening pain in bones and joints· 
• Severe pain in the abdomen with rigidity of the muscular wall· 
• Fever· 
• Stabbing chest pain on breathing, with breathing difficulty· 
• If the brain is affected, seizures and possible weakness on one side of the body· 
• Pain in the upper abdomen from the liver and the spleen.· 
• Blood in the urine from kidney damage.
• Persistent and painful erections in men· 

Under normal blood conditions, there are no symptoms. Sickle-cell disease shows itself mainly in sickling crises, when the shape change has happened. Affected people are more likely to develop serious infections. For instance, they can develop pneumonia or meningitis more easily than normal.

For reasons that are not clear, sickle-cell disease is of very variable severity.

• SARSScabiesScarlet feverScarsSchizophreniaSciaticaScoliosisScurvySeasonal affective disorderSecond opinionSelf-injurySeptic shockSexual health clinicsSexually transmitted infectionsShinglesShort-sightednessSick building syndromeSickle-cell anaemiaSinusitisSjogren's syndromeSlapped cheek syndromeSleep apnoeaSlipped discSmear testSmoking (quitting)SnoringSore throatSpina bifidaSpinal muscular atrophySports injuriesSprainsSquintStaphylococcal infectionsSterilisationStillbirthStings, insectStings, marine creaturesStreptococcal infectionsStressStretch marksStrokeSubarachnoid haemorrhageSubdural haematomaSudden infant death syndromeSuicideSunburnSupraventricular tachycardiaSyphilis

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