Sickle cell anemia is a painful disease that changes the shape of red blood cells. Instead of being flexible, the blood cells are curved and stiff. These sickle-shaped blood cells don’t flow through blood vessels without challenge and can easily clog the vessels.
If this happens, blood and oxygen can’t get through, and parts of the body (like the heart, lungs, and kidneys) can’t work the way they should. The blockage can also cause extreme pain.
So, What Does A Sickle Cell Pain Crisis Look And Feel Like?
Pain during a sickle cell crisis can happen at any time, anywhere in the body. Usually, it occurs in the arms, legs, back, or chest. The pain can last upwards of a
few hours to days, or even longer.
What Can You Do To Help?
1. A Healthy Diet + Supplements
Taking folic acid supplements daily and choosing a healthy diet works wonders. Bone marrow needs folic acid and other vitamins to make new red blood cells. Your doctor might recommend a folic acid supplement when flares-ups happen more regularly than they should. Also, leaning towards a diet that’s heavy in fruits and dark leafy vegetables as well.
2. Hydrate
Drinking plenty of water can help as well, as dehydration contributes to sickle cell pain. It is recommended that 8 glasses of water are consumed on a daily basis.
3. Avoid Extreme Temperature Changes
Try to avoid temperature extremes as often as possible. Exposure to
extreme heat or cold can increase your risk of a sickle cell crisis.
4. Physical Activity
Exercising regularly with near-daily cardio sessions is a helpful method in the long-run as well. Be sure to consult with your physician before structuring the best workout routine for you.
5. Monitor Medication Use
Use over-the-counter (OTC) medications with caution. Use OTC pain medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, Children’s Motrin, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) sparingly, if at all, because of the possible effect on your kidneys.
6. Find A Support Network
Finding someone to talk through the pain and emotional stress of
having sickle cell anemia is imperative. There are help centers and sickle cell clinics that can provide information and counseling. Ask your doctor or the staff at a sickle cell center if there are support groups for families in your area. Talking with others who are facing the same challenges as you can be helpful.
Exploring different ways to cope with the pain is very important as over-the-counter medications should not be the only way to mitigate painful flare-ups. Working with physicians and alternative medicinal physicians can lead to helpful treatments like hot massages, yoga, heating pads or intense physical therapy.
We hope these tips help you conquer this difficult disease!
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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