4 silent warning signs of hemophilia

Hemophilia is a rare, inherited condition in which a person lacks certain blood clotting proteins. The absence or low levels of these clotting factors means their blood won’t clot after sustaining any injury. Several symptoms of hemophilia may seem harmless and quite common on the surface; however, these are some underrated indications of this disorder in individuals. Here are a few silent symptoms of hemophilia that one must not ignore.

Frequent nose bleeds
Nosebleeds are common among many people during the winter months. During this period, people get nosebleeds as they spend time indoors often. The heated indoor air dries out one’s nasal passageways, making blood vessels weak. Eventually, the blood vessels rupture and cause nosebleeds. Sudden nosebleeds are a critical indicator of hemophilia. So, one must consult their local healthcare expert when they experience this symptom.

Joint pains
Frequent instances of internal bleeding can indicate hemophilia. This bleeding is caused by internal cellular and tissue fragility that causes frequent internal bruising and blood loss. These factors lead to joint pains in a person’s knees, hips, ankles, shoulders, elbows, or other areas. Most people may ignore joint pains as just another injury or sprain; however, one must consult a healthcare expert if one experiences prolonged joint pain.

Double vision
One crucial and often an under-discussed symptom of hemophilia is bleeding into the brain. Although this kind of bleeding is rarely life-threatening for hemophilia patients, brain bleeds can cause other problems, such as headaches and constant drowsiness. Another silent hemophilia sign caused by brain bleeding is double vision. People who experience this symptom may believe that they have vision problems. However, one must undergo screening for hemophilia when one experiences double vision.

Heavy menstrual periods
Usually, men are more prone to hemophilia than women. However, some females and girls with this condition will likely experience heavy, prolonged, and uncomfortable menstrual bleeding episodes. Like the other warning signs of hemophilia, this one is also characterized by massive blood loss. However, like most other hemophilia symptoms, women are likelier to ignore this symptom or think it is indicative of other reproductive or excretory health conditions.

Heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding must not be ignored as it can lead to conditions such as anemia in women. However, individuals must consult their doctor immediately after experiencing this silent hemophilia symptom more than once.