How to Prevent Pain Crisis
Pain crisis are the buildup of sickle blood cells in veins, usually in joints, that causes pain. For someone who does not have Sickle Cell Anemia, the pain can differ from how it feels. Mild pain crisis feel like pins and needles in the effected area, while serious pain, that usually requires hospitalization, feels like electricity on the effected area, and areas surrounding it. There are multiple ways to handle pain crisis. First, is when the pain starts, take the pain medication prescribed to you and massage the area. The massage helps blood flow and helps dislodge the stuck sickle blood cells. If it gets worse, get a heating pad and continue to take the pain medication as needed. If it continues to worsen, go to the hospital. Instead of going through that, the person with Sickle Cell can prevent the pain or lessen the chances of having pain. Drinking lots of water helps blood flow and opens veins. Taking medication helps prevent infection and helps keep health problems at bay.
Treatments and Possible Cures
There are many treatments for pain crisis when the patient goes to the hospital for pain. One of them is pain medication to reduce the pain felt by the affected person. They are put on an I.V. to give them the pain medication, and also give them water which will help open veins and increase blood flow. In serious cases, the patient may need a blood transfusion. Usually blood transfusions are preformed when the amount of healthy blood cells are extremely low . The doctors also use supplemental oxygen to help, since the sickle blood cells cant carry the correct amount of oxygen needed. Possible cures are bone marrow transplant and cord blood transplant which increase the number of healthy blood cells, in hopes that the sickle blood cells die off and the healthy blood cells continue to replicate.