Haemophilia is a rare disorder that certain people are born with. The main problem is that blood doesn’t close the way it’s supposed to. In normal circumstances, when you get a cut or an injury, the body produces blood clots which help to stop the bleeding. This process involves special proteins called clotting factors that sort of act like glue to seal the wound, and help the body to heal. But in people with haemophilia, one of these clothing factors could either be missing or not working properly, which means cuts or injuries will bleed for a long time, even if they’re small.
Types and Causes of Haemophilia
Haemophilia comes in two main types, both of which are connected to problems with specific proteins in the blood. The first type is Haemophilia A, which happens when the body doesn’t have enough protein called clotting factor VIII. Without the clotting factors VIII, the blood cannot clot properly, and even a small injury can cause long bleeding.
The second type is Haemophilia B, also known as Christmas disease. This type is caused by a lack of clotting factor IX. Both of these clotting factors are tools your body needs to stop bleeding, and when they’re missing, it takes a longer time for the body to heal. These types of haemophilia are usually passed down through families because of genes on the X chromosome. This is called an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern. Basically, males only have one X chromosome, if they inherit the gene with the problem, they will have hemophilia.
Females, on the other hand, have two X chromosomes, so even if one has the faulty gene, the other one can often make enough clotting factors to prevent the disorder from happening. As a result, females are usually carriers of hemophilia but don’t have symptoms as often as males.
In addition, Haemophilia A and B aren’t the only types, there are other rare types like the Haemophilia C, but A and B are mostly common. Haemophilia C happens due to issues with other clotting factors too, just less common.
Symptoms of Haemophilia
- Unusual bleeding
- Frequent nosebleeds
- Easy bruising
- Joint pain and swelling
- Blood in urine
- Blood in stool
- Bleeding with no obvious injury
- Prolonged bleeding after surgery
Complications of Haemophilia
One of the major issues haemophilia can lead to if not treated on time is joint damage. When someone with haemophilia bleeds repeatedly into their joints like the elbows or ankles, the area can get swollen and stiff. Over time, this constant bleeding stays down in the joint, leading to a condition called arthritis.
Another problem is muscle damage. If there’s bleeding inside the muscles, it can also swell and become painful. Over time, repeated bleeding can make the muscles weak or stiff. Having arthritis or a damaged muscle makes it very hard to use certain body parts.
But a more complicated issue I’d inhibitor development. This happens when the body’s immune system mistakes the clotting factors used in treatment for a threat. Antibodies are created to attack them and when that happens, the treatment stops working properly. Once the treatment stops working, controlling bleeding becomes harder to do.
Bottom Line
Haemophilia is a lifelong condition that makes it hard for blood to clot the way it should. This happens because certain clotting factors are missing or don’t work right, with Haemophilia A and B being the most common types. It mostly affects boys because it’s passed down through the X chromosome, while girls are usually just carriers.
