What is Hemophilia? Let's find out

Hemophilia is a rare medical condition characterized by a person's blood having difficulty clotting. If someone experiences nosebleeds and finds it difficult to stop, it could be an indication of hemophilia. Let's get to know the causes, symptoms, and prevention of hemophilia in this review.

What is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia is a disorder that occurs in the human blood circulation system. Hemophilia makes the blood in the body unable to clot or coagulate properly. A person with hemophilia has the possibility of passing the disease on to their children. Based on its severity, hemophilia is divided into 3 types, namely:

Mild hemophilia, which is hemophilia that occurs when the levels of blood clotting factors in the sufferer's body are in the range of 5 - 40 percent.
Moderate hemophilia, occurs when the blood clotting factor levels in the sufferer's body are in the range of 1 - 5 percent.
Severe hemophilia, occurs when the blood clotting factor level in the patient's body is less than 1 percent.

Causes of Hemophilia

The cause of hemophilia is a gene mutation in the body so that it does not have enough proteins that function in blood clotting. More precisely, this blood disorder is related to mutations on the X chromosome. For this reason, hemophilia is often experienced by men because they only have one X chromosome, while women with 2 X chromosomes are more often carriers of the gene mutation. In addition, the cause of the gene mutation is not yet known for certain.

Symptoms of Hemophilia

An indication of hemophilia symptoms is the difficulty of blood clotting when a wound occurs on the surface of the skin. However, there are several other characteristics of hemophilia that can be experienced by sufferers:

Tend to bruise easily on the surface of their skin.
When exposed to scratches or nosebleeds, bleeding is difficult to stop.
Frequent bloody bowel movements.
Pain and swelling in the knees and elbows which is a sign of bleeding in the joints.
Easy tingling sensation.
Frequent bleeding in the mouth and gums.
People with hemophilia also need to be aware of bleeding that occurs inside the skull (intracranial) when experiencing a head injury. Because, this can have fatal consequences ranging from loss of consciousness to death.

The following symptoms are caused when people with hemophilia experience intracranial bleeding:

Severe headache.
Experiencing paralysis of some or even all facial muscles.
Vomiting.
Experiencing vision problems, such as blurriness or shadows.
If you feel these symptoms, people with hemophilia should consult a doctor as soon as possible to get appropriate medical action.

Hemophilia Treatment

Although there is no definitive treatment for hemophilia, there are alternative treatments for hemophilia to prevent serious bleeding and other complications. The treatment is prophylactic therapy where the doctor injects blood clotting factors according to the

according to the needs of the person with hemophilia.

Prevention of Hemophilia

Hemophilia cannot be prevented with certainty. However, pregnant women who have a history of hemophilia can have a thorough medical examination when entering the first trimester.

That way, the condition of babies who have the potential to inherit hemophilia disorders can be watched out for and detected as early as possible. In addition, people with hemophilia also need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and always be careful in every activity.

Things that people with hemophilia can do independently to prevent bleeding and serious complications are as follows:

As much as possible avoid doing strenuous activities and those that can cause injury, such as lifting weights. If you want to do strenuous activities, equip yourself with body protection, such as helmets, elbow and knee protectors, and so on.
Eat healthy and nutritious food. If you want to eat fish, as much as possible make sure the meat has no thorns.
Routinely carry out health checks.
Patients with hemophilia are still allowed to exercise, but it is more advisable to do light sports, such as yoga, swimming, morning walks, and the like.
It is important to note that the causes and symptoms mentioned above do not specifically represent the condition of hemophilia. This means that they can be similar to other medical conditions or diseases. Therefore, it is very important to obtain a precise and accurate diagnosis by visiting an Internal Medicine Specialist at the nearest Hermina Hospital.
For information, the stages of examination and treatment you undergo related to hemophilia conditions can differ depending on the health facilities of each hospital. Medical professionals will determine the stages of examination and treatment tailored to each patient's medical condition.
You can use the Halo Hermina application to view the doctor's practice schedule, make an appointment with the relevant doctor, and monitor the results of health checks online. Download the Halo Hermina app now to enjoy various features that make your health journey easier.

Reference:

Hemophilia A and B (Bleeding Disorders) Symptoms & Treatment (medicinenet.com)
Br J Haematol - 2022 - Shapiro - Cardiovascular disease in hereditary haemophilia The challenges of longevity.pdf (whiterose.ac.uk)
Epidemiological Profile of Hemophilia in Baghdad-Iraq - Kamal Abdul Razzaq Kadhim, Faris Hasan Al-Lami, Kadhim Hussein Baldawi, 2019 (sagepub.com)
About Hemophilia | Hemophilia | CDC
HANDI - Bleeding Disorder Information Resource Center | NBDF