Anemia : Overview, Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Dietary Guidelines

Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder in which the body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells. The RBCs formed are sickle-shaped and cannot pass easily through blood vessels. These C-shapes blood cells form clusters and damage the blood vessels. This condition leads to the blockage of blood vessels, causing the interruption in the blood flow. These sickle-shaped blood cells have a shorter life span than healthy red blood cells and die within ten to twenty days. The body cannot replace this loss of abnormal blood cells with healthy RBCs resulting in anemia.

The typical sign of sickle cell anemia is sudden pain in the body, particularly in the bones, joints, abdomen, and lungs. This sudden pain is also known as a sickle cell crisis. The peoples of certain ethnicities have more risk of having this disease that includes Saudi Arabia, Mediterranean countries, Africa, and South America.