If you’ve been dealing with sickle cell disease then having a pain crisis is probably not new to you. While you should always stick to your prescribed medical regimen, you can go a little further to ensure that you don’t have them as often. Here’s everything you need to know about your sickle cell disease pain crisis.
What Happens During a Pain Crisis?
During a pain crisis, abnormally shaped blood cells clump together. These clumped blood cells usually block the blood vessels that are connected to major organs. One result of this blockage will be painful episodes of varying degrees.
Another issue is that the blocked blood vessels can affect the oxygen supply to these organs. When this occurs, you may find that you’re dealing with hypoxia or low oxygen levels, which can be stressful if the organs being affected include your lungs.
The pain from a sickle cell crisis can affect different parts of the body but research shows that you’re more likely to feel the effects in your stomach, chest, and joints. As with the intensity of the pain, the duration of a crisis can also vary. Some persons may only experience it for a couple of hours while others must endure the crisis for weeks.
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A pain crisis can be caused by different factors but you should be particularly wary of stressful situations, dehydration, temperature changes, being at high altitudes, and being ill. Along with pain, some of the symptoms you can expect include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Trouble breathing
- Weakness in the extremities
- Jaundice
- Severe fatigue
Treatment Options For a Pain Crisis
The ways in which you can treat your pain crisis depends on what’s happening. Persons who are feeling mild pain can take over-the-counter pain medications and ease the discomfort with heating pads.
When the pain is severe, however, you may need to see your doctor. In that case, you could be treated with stronger IV medications to ease the pain. You may also need other interventions if you’re having trouble breathing.
Best Ways To Prevent a Pain Crisis
Your first line of offense against a pain crisis is communicating clearly with your doctor about what you’ve been experiencing.
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By doing that, you’ll ensure that you’re always taking the right kind of medication to prevent the blood cells from clumping. Once that is in place, you can start taking care of yourself.
Since infections can spur a crisis, it’s important to do everything you can to stay healthy. That includes making sure that you’re up to date with your vaccinations. Make sure to keep other conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure under control as well.
If you’re traveling, it’s best to use commercial airlines where you won’t be as affected by changes in the air pressure. Whenever the temperature changes, be prepared to keep warm. Bear in mind that a good night’s sleep is essential to wellness to talk to your doctor about what you need to do to sleep well.
Additionally, your nutrition choices will go a long way in keeping a pain crisis at bay. Just as with sleeping well, eating properly and drinking the right amount of water will boost your body’s immune system responses.
If you don’t exercise regularly, start a routine that doesn’t put pressure on your body. Your doctor can help you to decide what suits you. Other recommended lifestyle changes include cutting cigarettes and alcohol out of your routine as these habits are well known to negatively affect the overall health.
While it’s not always possible to avoid stressful situations, you can develop a strategy to deal with them. Talking to trusted friends or a therapist will help you to deal with what you’re feeling. A general support structure can also help you to maintain the kind of positive outlook that persons who are living with a chronic illness usually benefit from.
A sickle cell disease pain crisis can disrupt your life for short or long periods. It’s possible to treat them but it’s far better to do what you can to prevent the experience. Remember that you’re not doing this on your own. Your doctor can provide invaluable input on all the areas you need to adjust to keep living a healthy life.
