In order for our site to display correctly you will need a newer version of your web browser.
The following browsers support numerous web standards including CSS,XHTML, and the DOM (a universal means of controlling the behavior of web pages):
- Netscape v7 or higher (all platforms), Mozilla FireFox (Windows), Camino (Mac OS X), Galeon (Linux GNOME Desktop) or other browser stemming from the Mozilla.org project.
- Opera v7 or higher (Windows, Linux)
- Apple's Safari (Mac OS X)
- Konqueror (Linux KDE Desktop)
- Microsoft Internet Explorer v6 or higher (Windows) or v5 or higher (Macintosh)
Please note that this is not intended be an exhaustive list of browsers that support web standards, nor a test of browser compliance, nor a side-by-side comparison of various manufacturers’ browsers.
Finding Cures. Saving Children.
What are the most common complications of sickle cell disease?
Pain
Pain episodes occur when sickle cells clog small blood vessels depriving the body of adequate blood and oxygen. Pain frequently occurs in the arms, legs, chest and abdomen. People with sickle cell disease are not affected equally by pain. Only 20 percent will have frequent pain episodes. Mild to moderate pain episodes can often be managed at home. Severe pain may require hospitalization and treatment with narcotic pain relievers. Drug dependency or "addiction" is rare when pain medications are used as prescribed.
Infection
A common complication of sickle cell disease is abnormal function of the spleen. This results in an increased risk of infection in the blood, bones, lungs and urinary tract.
