Thalassemia symptoms and prevention at a glance.
What is thalassemia?
Thalassemia is a genetic disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen in red blood cells. Thalassemia causes our body to produce fewer healthy red blood cells and less hemoglobin than normal. It is characterized by abnormal or insufficient production of hemoglobin, which leads to various health complications.
Symptoms of thalassemia
Common symptoms of thalassemia include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), delayed growth and development, bone deformities, and an enlarged spleen.
Ways to prevent thalassemia
In fact, if you have thalassemia, there is no way to prevent it. But we can make some changes in our life style to prevent the condition from getting worse.
1.Thalassemia test before marriage
This method is still not common in our society, but for the sake of our future descendants we should test the potential bride and groom for thalassemia before marriage.
2.Get tested for thalassemia before pregnancy
If a woman or her spouse has a history of thalassemia, a blood test should be done before conception. Blood tests and family genetic monitoring will tell if one in 2 people is a victim or carrier of thalassemia.
3.Avoid excessive iron intake
Avoid excessive iron intake. Do not take iron-rich vitamins unless recommended by your doctor.
4.Healthy food
A balanced diet rich in nutrients should be taken. This will keep your energy levels up. Doctors usually recommend taking folic acid, which helps your body form new blood clots. Apart from this, food rich in vitamin D and calcium should be taken in sufficient quantity to protect the bones of the body.
5.Stay away from infection
Always wash your hands with soap to protect yourself from infection, especially if you’ve had your spleen removed, and stay away from people who are sick with a fever, cold, or contagious illness. Take Meningitis, Hepatitis B vaccine as advised by doctor to prevent infection.
Hemoglobin electrophoresis (HPLC Method) is the test that is done in the laboratory to diagnose Thalassemia.
Where will you do this test?
You can get this test done at your nearest diagnostic center.
But there is hope that researchers are researching to find a cure for thalassemia. It will soon be possible to cure it with stem cell and gene therapy.