Physical Symptoms of Sickle-Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease, also called sickle cell anemia, is an inherited blood disorder present at birth. Millions of people worldwide have the disease, including about 72,000 people in the United States, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Sickle cell disease primarily affects black people. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and usually appear by 4 months of age.

Abnormal Cells

• Normal red blood cells are smooth, flexible and round, and easily move through veins, arteries and capillaries. Sickle cells are deficient in hemoglobin, the protein molecule that carries oxygen. In this disease, the red blood cells distort into the shape of a sickle, like the letter "C," after losing oxygen. They also are stiff and sticky, and they tend to clump together.

Primary Feature

• People with sickle cell disease are chronically anemic. Sickle cells have a much shorter lifespan than normal hemoglobin, and they are often destroyed by the spleen because of their abnormal characteristics.

Physical Symptoms

• Fatigue and weakness are the most common physical symptoms of sickle-cell disease. Other symptoms include dizziness, headache, pale skin, shortness of breath, and cold hands and feet.

Sickle Cell Crisis

• A sickle cell crisis occurs when abnormal cells cluster together in the bloodstream and block blood flow, causing pain and organ damage. Pain can be mild to severe, and it can last a few hours to a few days.

Complications

• Sickle cell disease can lead to chronic pain, swelling in the hands and feet, serious lung disorders, vision loss, gallstones, leg ulcers and delayed growth in children. People with sickle cell disease are at risk for serious infections because the spleen may become damaged by the disease.