Thalassemia Homeopathic Treatment

Thalassemia is a blood disorder passed down through families in which the body makes abnormal hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells which leads to anemia. Our red blood cells carry hemoglobin. Hemoglobin, a protein, carries the oxygen we breathe in through our lungs and transports it to the rest of the body. A spongy material inside some of our bones - bone marrow - uses iron that our body takes from food and makes hemoglobin. The bone marrow of people with Thalassemia does not produce enough healthy hemoglobin or red blood cells, which causes anemia and fatigue, because the body is short of oxygen. In more severe Thalassemia cases, the patient's organs may be damaged, there is restricted growth, heart failure, liver damage, and even death. People with mild thalassemia may not require any treatment at all. In more severe forms of the disease, the patient may need regular blood transfusions. Doing plenty of exercises and eating a healthy diet can help some of the symptoms of thalassemia, especially fatigue.

1. Complications of Thalassemia

• Iron overload

• Infection

• Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)

• Bone deformities (due to bone marrow expansion which causes bones widening)

• Slowed growth rate (anemia can cause growth to slow; puberty may also be slow)

• Heart problems (congestive heart failure, arrhythmias)

Persons suffering from Thalassemia are also prone to

Osteoporosis and osteopenia (reduced bone density) A even people receiving very good quality treatments eventually develop thinning and brittle bones particularly in the lumbar vertebrae and femoral bone (thigh bone).Short stature.Absence of breast in girls and absence of testicular enlargement in boys.Delayed pubertal development.Irregular menses.Zinc deficiency.Diabetes.

2. Clinical classification of thalassemia

• Alpha Thalassemia: It occurs when genes related to the alpha globin proteins are missing or mutated.

• Beta Thalassemia: It occurs when similar gene defects affect production of the beta globin protein.

Both Alpha and Beta thalassemia include following two forms:

• Thalassemia major: It occurs due to defective gene inheritance from both parents. If untreated children usually die between one and eight years of age.

• Thalassemia minor (Cooley’s anemia): It occurs if one inherits defective gene only from one parent. People with thalassemia minor are carriers of the disease and do not show symptoms.

3. Investigations for Thalassemia

• Complete case history
• Physical examination
• CBC (Complete Blood Count) reveals anemia
• Hemoglobin electrophoresis
• DNA analysis
• Hemoglobin level
• Complete blood analysis
• Prenatal tests includes chorionic villus sampling (done during 11th week of pregnancy by removing a tiny piece of the placenta for evaluation) and Amniocentesis (at 16th week of pregnancy by taking sample of Fluid surrounding fetus).

Moderate and severe thalassemias usually are diagnosed in early childhood. This is because signs and symptoms, including severe anemia, often occur within the first 2 years of life. People who have milder forms of thalassemia might be diagnosed after a routine blood test shows they have anemia.

Thalassemia can be diagnosed using a blood test, including a complete blood count (CBC) and special hemoglobin tests. A CBC measures the amount of hemoglobin and the different kinds of blood cells, such as red blood cells. People who have thalassemia have fewer healthy red blood cells and less hemoglobin than normal in their blood. People who have alpha or beta thalassemia trait may have red blood cells that are smaller than normal.

Hemoglobin tests measure the types of hemoglobin in a blood sample. People who have thalassemia have problems with the alpha or beta globin protein chains of hemoglobin.

Because thalassemias are passed from parents to children through genes, family genetic studies also can help diagnose the disorder. These studies involve taking a family medical history and doing blood tests on family members.

If your child has thalassemia, blood tests may reveal: A low level of red blood cells, Smaller than expected red blood cells, Red blood cells that are varied in size and shape, Pale red blood cells, Red blood cells with uneven hemoglobin distribution, which gives the cells a bull's-eye appearance under the microscope. Testing can be done before a baby is born to find out if it has thalassemia and determine how severe it may be. Prenatal testing involves taking a sample of amniotic fluid or tissue from the placenta. Tests done on the fluid or tissue can show whether your baby has thalassemia and how severe it might be.

4. Causes Thalassemia

The cause of thalassemia is the defects in the genes that make hemoglobin and other people on risk are:• With Family history of Thalassemia

• Certain ancestry like Italian, Greek, Middle East, Asian and African are prone to this disease.

Healthy adults only have significant levels of HbA and HbA2.

HbS is an abnormal type of hemoglobin associated with sickle cell disease. HbC is also an abnormal form of hemoglobin associated with hemolytic anemia (anemia due to increased destruction of red blood cells).

5. Symptoms Thalassemia

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Weakness

• Growth failure

• Shortness of breath

• Pale appearance

• Irritability

• Jaundice

• Dark urine

• Facial bone deformities

• Slow growth

• Abdominal swelling

• Irregular menses

• Zinc deficiency

• DiabetesSigns and symptoms vary with the severity of Thalassemia. In few cases babies show symptoms immediately at birth and some shows signs and symptoms of Thalassemia during the first 2years of life; and some people who have only one affected hemoglobin gene don’t experience any Thalassemia symptoms.

6. Conventional Treatment of Thalassemia

• Blood transfusionDisadvantage:frequent episodes of red blood cell transfusions can cause an overload of iron in the circulating blood which can damage the heart and the liver. Desferal is the medication given to treat an iron overload. It is an ‘iron chelator’.

Chelating agents combine with the excess iron in the body and help in eliminating them from circulating blood. They thus prevent the toxic effects of iron overload which are:

Decreased secretion of the sex hormonesDiabetes mellitusUnder activity of the thyroid glandsUnder activity of the parathyroid and other glands.

• Stem cell transplantation/ bone marrow transplantation for severe thalassemia it is not always successful as mnay times children refuse donar bone marrow• Genetic counseling• Iron supplements what is synthetic or artifiscial is not natural not reliable in long run in these casesDiet / management for Thalassemia• Diet adequate calcium and vitamin D help but not stoping breakdown of haemoglobin alone• Eat a healthy and balanced nutritious diet in these cases wheat grass juice is good• Protect yourself from infection; wash hands on frequent intervals and avoid being in touch with sick people.• Genetic

7. Homoeopathic Approach of Thalassemia

As mentioned earlier, any disease represents an internal turbulance be it the improper secreations of hormones or lowered immunity which attracts the bacterias and virus to cause diseases.

Till now the only treatment for thalassemia is blood transfusion but with the help of homeopathy chances of blood transfusion can be reduced gradually and the adverse effects of blood transfusion can be reduced so that child can lead a healthy and normal life. So the homeopathic treatment aims to cure the internal turbulance and the cause behind the apparent disease.

Homeopathy addresses the root cause and offers medication which are help eventually reduce the need for frequent blood transfusion. Simultaneously homeopathic medicines help to enhance the immune system of children which in turn controls frequent attacks of other infections from which thalassemia child often suffers.Homeopathic medicines also help to improve immune status, which in turn also controls frequent attacks of respiratory infections. Role of homeopathic treatment is supplementary in case of Thalassemia..More often than disease or any other visible disease is accompanied by a diseased state of mind e.g. lack of confidence, timidity, anxietis, fears, depression etc. Mind and body are a part of one indivisible unit. The way we behave, our temprament, emotional disturbances in life etc have a bearing on the physical being and leads to various ailments. A homeopathic remedy is selected considering the emotional state of the patient, the probable causative factors ( physical or mental), general state of body and all the diseased symptoms of the body. By rasing the immunity of the body same medicine is capable of eradicating various diseases present in the body at a time.Best thing is there is absolutely no side effect after treatment that why most of educated people prefer homoeopathy . Few of the thalassemia children suffers from delayed milestones, homeopathy is very fruitful in such cases.