What is the treatment for thalassemia?

Thalassemia, commonly referred to as Cooley’s anemia (that name seems like it was picked from a hat of kooky diseases), is a blood disorder characterized by abnormal production or destruction of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. This disorder affects mostly people who come from regions where malaria is common, such as Africa and Southeast Asia. Thalassemia comes in two types: alpha and beta thalassemias.

In this article, we will be discussing the different treatments available for thalassemia and most importantly, what you can do to avoid getting stuck with it. So stay tuned!

Understanding Alpha and Beta Thalassemias

First things first! Let’s examine both types of thalassemias briefly:

Alpha-Thalassaemia

This occurs when there are problems with alpha globin chains due to mutations present in chromosome number 16 which prevents normal development of these chains.

Beta-Thalassaemia

Beta-thlassaemia on the other hand happens when there are problems with how beta globin gene express themselves leading to inadequate amounts being produced or entirely not present.

Now that you have a better understanding let’s dive into treatments:

Blood Transfusion

Blood transfusion therapy involves replacing unhealthy RBCs with healthy ones donated by someone else containing good globins. While many consider this option scary (who would want someone else’s blood running through their veins?), blood transfusions have proven time after time effective against several forms of anemias including thallasemnia.

Unfortunately, regular transfusions might inadvertently lead to iron poisoning over time (remember iron excess deposits anywhere can cause damage) hence patients may need chelation therapy to get rid off any excessive iron presence within their body thus stopping further accumulation.

Chelation Therapy

Chelation therapy is often necessary to rid the body of excess iron that accumulates due to regular blood transfusions. Iron can harm vital organs like liver, thyroid and even heart (randomly) so it doesn’t hurt (gosh I’m hilarious) anything for one to consider chelation therapy(better safe than sorry my friend).

Chelators work by binding the metal ions present in excess such as iron (like a magnet does with filings). When bound fullfull doses are excreted from your body completing their duty – clapping emoji👏

Bone Marrow Transplant

Bone marrow transplant used to be the last resort option because only limited people were found matching , however recently stem cell transplants have emerged and become a viable alternative for many beta-thalassaemia patients. The chief advantage here is that unlike blood transfusion in which donated cells eventually die off after some time, bone marrow replacement provides long term relief – potentially providing freedom from therapies up until adulthood as donor cells regenerate naturally (really not too shabby if you think about).

Gene Therapy

One alternate treatment method currently being tested called gene therapy centers around replacing dysfunctional genes responsible for thalassemia with relatively normal mutations or through transfering healthy globin genes via vector carriers into patient bodies depending on type of mutation involved thus restoring hematopoietic functions allowing them produce healthy red blood cells! While this form of thalassmia treatments hasn’t been commercialised yet (seems technically challenging given what goes down during transcription and translation process) prospects seem promising!

It’s worth noting that these newer forms of treatment methods may come at an increased cost especially those involving genetic/ molecular reconstruction hence these options might not always be available everywhere (it costs money making our world go round buddy)

Prevention

As they say prevention is better than cure right? In regards to Thalasemmia, there are several methods one can employ prevent themselves from being infected (like on that commercial where they tell individuals to buy virus-resistant masks):

Carrier Screening

Carrier screening is simply a blood test used in identifying if you possess any globin mutations .With adequate knowledge about your own particular genetics and talking things over with potentially impregnating/unprotected partner, future occurrences of the disease can likely be curtailed

Prenatal diagnosis:

It’s possible for parents-to-be to identify beforehand medical conditions such as thalassemias affecting their children ahead of delivery or deciding against it all entirely before baby guys out. Sounds much better than sirens ringing at 2 am stressing doctors out right?

Conclusion

Thalassemia can majorly impact affected individual lives but taking measures as simple carrier testing ahead of time could mean stopping this ailment in its tracks just like many other inheritable diseases!( preventive medicine beats sticking a needle into someone everyday trust me- my guess is good enough) Also accompanied with treatment options such Blood transfusions and chelations iron therapy ,bone marrow replacements and gene reconstructive methods provide hope for those currently living with alphas/beta thalaessiemias.

Knowing what we have available how about we follow these treatements but more importantly go ahead speak up advocate awareness so that potential sources of treatments aren’t hard on pocketbooks! You have been equipped an excellent opportunity towards flushing away fears associated with discomfort encountered due to mystifying ailments- let us join hands together now move forward not only enjoying life while healthy but also helping folks in need too warrant unquantifiable experiences going forwards!!

Random Posts