“How do you know you have sickle cell anemia?”

Sickle Cell Anemia is diagnosed by a blood test and a genetic test. Most of the time the sickle cell patient present with anemia, pain episodes called pain crisis, swelling of the hand and feet, frequent infections, and vision problems. Seek the health care provider if you have one-side paralysis or weakness in the face, arms, or legs. When there is confusion, difficulty walking, unexplained numbness, or severe headache. If you are not born with it, you cannot get it later in life. Thank you.

A blood test is required to diagnose sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell trait is more likely if you are an adult and were never diagnosed with SCD. Sickle disease requires one SCD gene from each parent. However, the typically asymptomatic SC trait requires one normal gene from one parent and one SCD gene from the other parent. Either condition is easily diagnosed with a blood test. Your doctor can order it for you.