Hemophilia is a disorder that impairs the ability of the body to clot. Clotting is an important process of the body in order to stop bleeding and loss of blood from cuts, fractures, and other types of injurious bleeding.

It is an inherited genetic condition that shows up in the early stages of one’s life. There are two main types of hemophilia that are classified based on the clotting factor that is low in count. They are hemophilia A and hemophilia B. It can be diagnosed through a blood test.

Symptoms
Excessive and unexplained bleeding from cuts and injuries that were believed to be healed. This most often occurs right after a surgery or dental work. The parts of the skin that have been cut don’t stop bleeding after a while like they’re supposed to.

Large and deep bruises. These occur all over the body in large numbers. In addition to these, other symptoms one can experience are as follows:

• Non-stop bleeding after vaccinations or other injections
• Tightness and pain in the joints
• Nosebleeds without a cause
• Unexplained irritability in infants.

A simple pat on the head can cause internal bleeding for people whose condition is severe. This is quite rare but if it happens, it puts the patient’s lifestyle at risk. If one has internal bleeding in the brain, they may experience:

• Prolonged, severe headache
• Repeated vomiting
• Lethargy
• Double vision
• Weakness
• Sudden clumsiness
• Seizures and convulsions.

Numbness or pain caused by the internal bleeding of muscles. It results in the inflammation of the limbs that press against the nerves in the body.

Treatment options
Hemophilia can be treated using replacement therapy.

Replacement therapy involves the replacement of a specific clotting factor through a tube injected into the vein. It can help with an ongoing bleeding process. It can be used to prevent further bleeding and uncontrolled hemorrhage.

Replacement clotting factor can be formulated from a donor’s blood. Recombinant clotting factors are synthetically made in laboratories and don’t require the assistance of human blood. These can also be used to replace the faulty clotting factor in the patient’s body.

Desmopressin is a hormone that is administered to patients with mild hemophilia. It helps the body release more of the clotting factor. It can be injected into a vein or be inhaled through a nasal spray.

Clot preserving medication can help clots from breaking down and causing problems in the body.

Fibrin sealants are medications that can be used to promote the healing and clotting of open wounds, especially after a medical procedure.

Physical therapy can help with easing joint pain caused by hemophilia. If the damage is severe, however, physical therapy will be of little help and one may require surgery to ease the symptoms.

First aid can help with minor cuts and bruises. One can use band aids, ice packs etc to stem the flow of blood. Ice pops are great for bleeding in the mouth or gum pain. If the bleeding is persistent and doesn’t stop regardless of any measure, one should get it checked by a doctor immediately.