Read up on Sickle cell disease treatment options at Consumer Reports Health.

Sickle cell disease

Key points about treatments

Sickle cell disease is serious, but lots of people live with it successfully. You should aim to live as normal a life as possible.

There are things you can do to prevent the pain and other health problems sickle cell disease can cause. You should be ready to act right away if you or your child becomes ill.

Children with sickle cells are more likely to get

infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.

infections. So doctors recommend they take an

antibiotics
These medications are used to help your immune system fight infection. There are a number of different types of antibiotics that work in different ways to get rid of bacteria, parasites and other infectious agents. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.

antibiotic called penicillin regularly. Doctors also recommend using

vaccination
A vaccination is an injection a doctor can give you to protect you from getting an infectious illness (an illness that spreads between people).

vaccines to prevent

pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs. Anything that causes infections (bacteria, viruses or fungi, for example) can give you pneumonia.

pneumonia and other infections.
Taking a drug called hydroxyurea regularly may prevent sickle cell pain and some other health problems.
Some people with sickle cell disease are at a higher risk of having a

stroke
You have a stroke when the blood supply to a part of your brain is cut off. This damages your brain and can cause symptoms like weakness or numbness on one side of your body. You may also find it hard to speak if you've had a stroke.

stroke. You can have routine brain scans to check on your risk. If a scan shows you might have a stroke, there are treatments that can help.
If you get mild or moderate pain, you may be able to cope at home by taking painkillers and drinking more fluids. But if you get a high fever or severe pain, you should go to the hospital for strong painkilling drugs. You might also need treatment with oxygen and antibiotics, and you might need to have fluids put into your body through a drip (also called an IV or an

intravenous infusion
When a medicine or a fluid, such as blood, is fed directly into a vein, it's called an intravenous infusion (or IV). To give you an intravenous infusion, a nurse, technician or a doctor places a narrow plastic tube into a vein (usually in your arm) using a needle. The needle is then removed and the fluid is infused (or dripped) through the tube into the vein.

intravenous infusion).
If you get severely

anemia
Anemia is when you have too few red blood cells. Anemia can make you get tired and breathless easily. It can also make you look pale. Anemia can be caused by a number of different things, including problems with your diet, blood loss and some diseases.

anemic (your blood can't carry enough oxygen), you might need a

blood transfusion
If you've lost too much blood from your body, you may need a blood transfusion to replace it. People with diseases of their blood, like sickle cell anemia, sometimes need blood transfusions to replace blood that doesn't work right.

blood transfusion.

This information was last updated on Nov 06, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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