What Is Sickle Cell Disease? Sickle cell disease is a condition in which red blood cells are not shaped as they should be. Red blood cells usually look like round discs. But in sickle cell disease, they're shaped like crescent moons, or an old farm tool known as a sickle. These sickle shaped cells get stuck together easily, and block off small blood vessels. When blood can't get to where it should, it can lead to pain and organ damage. What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Sickle Cell Disease? People with sickle cell disease can have pain when blood can't get to parts of the body. These times are called pain crises. Pain may happen in any part of the body and may be brought on by cold, stress, illness, or dehydration. The pain may last a few hours, a few days, or sometimes longer. Sometimes pain can be managed at home. But someone with severe pain might need treatment in a hospital. People with sickle cell disease often have a low number of red blood cells, or anemia. Signs of anemia include: paleness, often seen in the skin, lips, or nailbeds tiredness dizziness being short of breath feeling lightheaded being irritable trouble paying attention a fast heartbeat People with sickle cell anemia may have jaundice (skin and whites of the eyes look yellow). This happens because the sickle-shaped red blood cells break down faster than normal cells. What Problems Can Happen? People with sickle cell disease can have problems that need immediate care by a doctor, such as: Acute chest syndrome: Caused by inflammation , infection, and blockages of small blood vessels of the lung. Signs include chest pain, coughing, trouble breathing, and fever. Aplastic crisis: This is when the body temporarily does not make enough red blood cells, and can cause severe anemia. Signs include paleness, extreme tiredness, and a fast heartbeat. Infection: People with sickle cell disease are a risk for some bacterial infections. It's important to watch for fevers of 101°F (38°C) or higher, which can be signs of an infection. Call your doctor and get medical care right away if a fever happens. Priapism: Guys with sickle cell disease can have painful, long-lasting erections. If it's not treated quickly, damage can cause problems with getting erections later on. Stroke: Sickle-shaped cells can block small blood vessels in the brain, causing a stroke. Signs can include headache, seizure , weakness of the arms and legs, speech problems, a facial droop, or loss of consciousness. People with sickle cell disease are also at risk for problems such as leg ulcers, bone or joint damage, gallstones, kidney damage, eye damage, and delayed growth. What Causes Sickle Cell Disease? Sickle cell disease is not contagious, so you can't catch it from someone else or pass it to another person like a cold or an infection. People with sickle cell disease have it because they inherited two sickle cell genes , one from each parent. In some types of sickle cell disease, people can inherit a sickle cell gene from one parent and a different abnormal hemoglobin gene from the other parent. A person who inherits the sickle cell gene from only one parent will not develop the disease, but will have something called sickle cell trait . People with sickle cell trait often don't have any signs of the disease, but they can pass the sickle cell gene to their children. How Is Sickle Cell Disease Treated? Stem cell transplant (also called bone marrow transplant) is the only known cure for sickle cell disease. Transplants are complex and risky procedures, and for now are an option only for some patients. Scientists are studying gene therapy as a treatment for sickle cell anemia. One day, it's hoped that doctors can stop the disease by changing or replacing the abnormal gene that causes it. But even without a cure, people with sickle cell disease can lead fairly normal lives if they follow their treatment plan. Their plan might involve: Immunizations and daily doses of penicillin to help prevent infection. Besides having all recommended childhood vaccinations, teens with sickle cell disease should get the pneumococcal, flu, and meningococcal vaccines. Taking folic acid supplements to help them make new red blood cells. Taking hydroxyurea, a medicine that makes sickled red blood cells less sticky. This helps people have fewer painful episodes and other complications. Hydroxyurea needs to be taken every day. Taking L-glutamine, another medicine that is newly approved for sickle cell disease. Taking medicines to help when pain does happen. Getting blood transfusions. When Should I Call the Doctor? Someone with sickle cell disease needs medical care right away if any of these problems happen: a fever of 101°F (38°C) or higher pain that isn't getting better with medicine chest pain severe headaches or dizziness severe stomach pain or swelling shortness of breath or trouble breathing extreme tiredness skin that's yellow or very pale an erection that is not going away or is painful sudden change in vision seizures weakness or trouble moving part of the body slurred speech loss of consciousness (passing out) numbness or tingling What Can Teens With Sickle Cell Disease Do to Feel Better? To manage sickle cell disease: Go to all doctor's visits and share any concerns or new symptoms. Avoid your pain crisis triggers, such as extreme temperatures or stress. Talk to your doctor about which activities are right for you and which you should avoid. Don't smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs. Drink lots of liquids and get enough rest. Let an adult know right away if you don't feel well. Back to Articles Related Articles Sickle Cell Crisis (Pain Crisis) Sickle cell crisis is when sickled cells clog small blood vessels, causing extreme pain and other symptoms. Learn more, including how to help prevent a crisis and what to do if one does happen. Read More My Friend Has Sickle Cell Disease. How Can I Help? People with sickle cell disease need good friends who understand and can help them get through tough times. This article for teens helps you learn what you can do to be that friend. Read More Transitioning Your Medical Care: Sickle Cell Disease At a certain point, you'll no longer be able to see your childhood doctor. Here are tips for teens on making a smooth switch to adult sickle cell care. Read More I Have Sickle Cell Disease. What Should I Know About Going Away to College? Find out what the experts have to say. Read More Will I Pass Sickle Cell Disease on to My Children? Find out what the experts say. Read More Managing Your Medical Care Visit our center on managing your medical care for advice on how to get involved in taking charge of your health and choosing the right health care providers. Read More Dealing With a Health Condition If you suffer from a chronic illness, you know it can be anything but fun. But you can become better informed and more involved in your care. Here are tips to help you deal. Read More Blood Transfusions About 5 million people a year get blood transfusions in the United States. This article explains why people need them and who donates the blood used. Read More Stem Cell Transplants Stem cells can develop into cells with different skills, so they're useful in treating diseases like cancer. Read More Anemia Anemia is common in teens because they undergo rapid growth spurts, when the body needs more nutrients like iron. Learn about anemia and how it's treated. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. 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