Too many red blood cells dangerous
OVER the years, many people with severe headaches have been told they have ‘excess blood. However, doctors say it is not possible for the body to have too much blood.
By Vision Reporter
OVER the years, many people with severe headaches have been told they have ‘excess blood. However, doctors say it is not possible for the body to have too much blood. It is however possible to have too many red blood cells, a condition called polycythaemia verazi of Mayo clinic says this causes an excess of haemoglobin which can lead to recurrent headaches.
Haemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen in the body.
Blood cells are created inside the bone marrow, and the number of each type of blood cell is carefully regulated to maintain the correct balance.
polycythaemia vera is when abnormally functioning bone marrow leads to the production of too many red blood cells. Its cause remains unknown.
polycythaemia vera is a rare condition that tends to occur slightly more in men and people of Jewish ancestry. Estimates suggest that around five people in every on million are affected.
Typically, the onset of the disease comes after the age of 50, with a slow but persistent progression. In some cases, the person may go on to develop acute myeloid leukaemia, stroke and heart attack.
According to Nyamaizi, smokers and people staying in high altitude areas like mountainous regions tend to have a lot of haemoglobin to meet their bodies’ high demands for oxygen.
There is no cure, but treatment can control symptoms.
These include headache, dizzy spells, itching skin, (especially after bathing), breathlessness, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), skin rashes and fatigue.
Without medication, around half of all people with symptomatic polycythaemia vera die in less than two years.
Treatment extends the person’s life span by thinning the blood and reducing the risk of blood clots and other complications. Drug therapy to suppress the activity of the bone marrow and reduce the risk of blood clots is available by prescription.
OVER the years, many people with severe headaches have been told they have ‘excess blood. However, doctors say it is not possible for the body to have too much blood. It is however possible to have too many red blood cells, a condition called polycythaemia verazi of Mayo clinic says this causes an excess of haemoglobin which can lead to recurrent headaches.
Haemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen in the body.
Blood cells are created inside the bone marrow, and the number of each type of blood cell is carefully regulated to maintain the correct balance.
polycythaemia vera is when abnormally functioning bone marrow leads to the production of too many red blood cells. Its cause remains unknown.
polycythaemia vera is a rare condition that tends to occur slightly more in men and people of Jewish ancestry. Estimates suggest that around five people in every on million are affected.
Typically, the onset of the disease comes after the age of 50, with a slow but persistent progression. In some cases, the person may go on to develop acute myeloid leukaemia, stroke and heart attack.
According to Nyamaizi, smokers and people staying in high altitude areas like mountainous regions tend to have a lot of haemoglobin to meet their bodies’ high demands for oxygen.
There is no cure, but treatment can control symptoms.
These include headache, dizzy spells, itching skin, (especially after bathing), breathlessness, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), skin rashes and fatigue.
Without medication, around half of all people with symptomatic polycythaemia vera die in less than two years.
Treatment extends the person’s life span by thinning the blood and reducing the risk of blood clots and other complications. Drug therapy to suppress the activity of the bone marrow and reduce the risk of blood clots is available by prescription.