1. Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Gastrointestinal bleeding in polycythemia can be caused by certain diseases such as a peptic ulcer. It can also be caused by the swollen veins in the esophagus and stomach.
Gastrointestinal bleeding is a rare but serious symptom of polycythemia. This causes the patient to vomit blood. In some cases, the patient finds blood in the stool.
Treatments And Care
There are various treatments for polycythemia and the most common one is blood withdrawal. Also known as phlebotomy, this treatment consists of regular needle-in-vein blood draws. This method is identical to that of blood donation.
Various treatments are also available to reduce symptoms. For example, medications such as antihistamines can reduce itching. Ultraviolet light treatment can also help alleviate discomfort.
If left untreated, polycythemia can be deadly. The blood can be too thick, reducing the oxygen supply to vital organs. This can cause strokes or heart attacks. It’s best to seek immediate medical attention upon the onset of the condition.
Despite the severity of the condition, various treatments can help manage the symptoms.
Here are various critical polycythemia treatments and care that you should know about.
15. Low-Dose Aspirin
Low-dose aspirin can reduce the risk of thrombosis. Patients with polycythemia are prone to thrombosis, a condition in which blood clots form in a blood vessel. Blood clots are dangerous and can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
While there is no known cure for polycythemia, patients may be able to treat it with low-dose aspirin. The medication can prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of serious complications.
14. Avoid Places With Low Oxygen Levels
Being in places with low levels of oxygen can cause secondary polycythemia. If you don’t get enough oxygen for a long time, your body may make more of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO).
When your body has a lot of EPO, it can make more red blood cells than usual. This makes the blood thicker, as manifested in polycythemia. Hence, it’s best to avoid places with low oxygen levels.
13. Exercise And Diet
Exercise can help by improving your cardiovascular system, improving blood flow, and lowering the risk of blood clots caused by polycythemia. For example, walking can increase your energy levels and strength. You can also practice leg stretching to improve blood flow in the legs.
It is also important to follow a balanced diet to combat the effects of polycythemia. Avoid fatty and high-fat foods, which increase the risk of blood clots.
12. Avoid Smoking
When you smoke, your blood is more likely to clot and platelets are more likely to stick together. Your blood ends up clumping together because of the nicotine in cigarettes. This leads to blood clots.
Smoking will only make the condition worse. It’s best to avoid smoking to lessen the chances of getting more blood clots.
11. Maintain Body Temperature (Avoid Extremely Cold and Hot Temperatures)
When it’s hot and humid, the body sends more blood to the skin. This makes the heart beat faster and pump twice as much blood per minute as it would on a regular day. The hot weather can also cause dehydration, causing the patient to become dizzy. Dehydration can also affect the skin.
The cold temperature can cause the arteries and blood vessels to become narrow, affecting blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart. Your heart would have to work overtime to circulate blood. Extreme weather will just worsen the condition since blood clots have already formed with the onset of the condition.
10. Proper Skin Care
People who have polycythemia vera must take special care of their skin. The condition causes the skin to become itchy. This is caused by the increased level of mast cells in the body. These cells release histamine, which is responsible for the body’s allergic responses.
Since extreme weather is also detrimental to a patient with polycythemia, minimizing skin exposure to hot and cold weather can help in managing the condition.
9. Watch For Wounds and Sores
Increased levels of red blood cells can cause infection. Blood clots slow down circulation. This impedes the delivery of oxygen and critical nutrients to other parts of the body.
Wounds and sores are most likely to appear since they cannot be healed naturally by the body. Hence, a patient with polycythemia must always watch out for wounds and sores to avoid infection that can worsen the condition.
(continued next page)