Facts about Human Blood Diseases

In a layman terms, blood diseases simply means disorders of any of the blood cells i.e. the red blood cells, the white blood cells or the blood platelets. Majority of these blood disorders are hereditary or genetic in nature (inherited from parents) while some are due to lack of certain nutrients or inadequate supply of nutrients. Others are caused by blood cancers. Blood diseases include hemophilia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia and lymphoma.

Anemia

This type of blood disease occurs when there is inadequate hemoglobin in the red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body cells. Hemoglobin is a blood protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues. We all know that oxygen is needed by all living cells to breakdown food substances and produce energy. This is why most people with anemia usually feel tired or weak with poor concentration and occasional shortness of breath. The most common type of anemia is the type caused by iron-deficiency in the body. Hemoglobin cannot function without iron because it needs iron to bind oxygen for effective transportation. To prevent anemia, getting adequate iron from diet is very important and such diets include legumes, red meat, spinach, etc.

Sickle-cell Anemia

This is a special type of anemia which is due to abnormal shape of the hemoglobin in red blood cells. Normal red blood cell is biconcave with flattened center but in sickle-cell anemia, it is long, curved and pointed (sickle-shaped) which makes it difficult to pass freely through the blood vessels thereby depriving body tissues oxygen. This type of anemia is hereditary and is not curable but can only be managed with medicines.

Cancer of the blood

Blood cancers are blood diseases that alter the function and production of blood cells usually in the bone marrow where blood cells are produced. In this type of blood disease, blood cells are produced with uncontrollable growth of cancerous cells which prevent blood cells from carrying out their function, like fighting infections or preventing bleeding. Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow characterized by abnormal production of white blood cells while lymphoma affects only the lymphocytes of white blood cells.

Hemophilia

This is a group of genetic disorders that affects the body's ability to control clotting. It is caused by the absence of clotting factors that are normally produced by blood platelets. Due to their inability to produce clots, hemophilia patients are at high risk of bleeding to death whenever they have a cut. The risk of internal bleeding is not left out especially into muscles and joints.

In summary, blood diseases affect red blood cells, white blood cells or blood platelets and include sickle-cell anemia, leukemia, hemophilia and lymphoma.