Haemophilia
& Treatment
How to recognise a Bleed
Bleeding from minor cuts and grazes is usually quite obvious although it is seldom a major problem for people with haemophilia.
Much more serious is internal bleeding into the joints, muscles and soft tissues that can sometimes happen spontaneously - that is, without any obvious reason such as a bump or a fall.
If you have haemophilia, or you look after someone with the condition, it is important that you are able to recognise different sorts of bleed and understand the best way to manage them.
A bleed often begins with an ache, tingling or irritation in the affected area. Without treatment pain, stiffness, and limited use of the affected area occurs in addition to the bleed site getting warm, swelling and becoming more and more tender. This happens most commonly in the ankles, knees and elbows though larger joints such as the hips and shoulders can also be affected.
When a bleed occurs it is important that you or your carer know that you should use your medication (clotting factor replacement or ‘factor') to treat it (click here for more information). It is also important to ensure that the joint is rested as this will help the healing process.
Watch our clip below to see what happens when someone with haemophilia experiences a joint bleed.
