Treatments for sickle cell disease include; antibiotics, pain relieving medications, and hydroxyurea. Children who have sickle cell anemia may begin to take penicillin when they’re about two months old. Children will continue to take penicillin until they are five years of age. This helps to prevent life threatening infections to an infant or child that has inherited sickle cell anemia. Pain-relieving medications help to relieve pain during a crisis. If crises worsen a doctor might prescribe other over-the-counter pain relievers and may tell him or her to apply heat to the affected area.

 

Hydroxyurea reduces the frequency of crises and may also help to reduce the need for a blood transfusion. Hydroxyurea works by stimulating the production of fetal hemoglobin. This medication however, increases the risk of infections that can worsen to tumors or leukemia. Immunizations also help to prevent infections in people who have sickle cell anemia. This is because those who have sickle cell anemia tend to become sick more often. To add on, a blood transfusion is another way to help treat sickle cell disease. In a red blood cell transfusion, red blood cells are removed from donated blood. The donated blood is then given to a person who is diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. Blood transfusions help to increase the number of normal red blood cells that are in circulation. This helps to relieve anemia.

 

If a person is at high risk of stroke due to the sickle cell anemia, a regular blood transfusion can help to decrease the risk of stroke. Blood transfusions carry many risks. Regular blood transfusions can cause excess amount of iron build up in a person’s body. Excess iron can damage the liver, heart, and other important organs.

 

Lastly, to treat sickle cell anemia, a stem transplant, or bone marrow transplant may be necessary. This transplant replaces bone marrow affected by sickle cell anemia with healthy bone marrow from a doctor. A stem cell transplant is recommended for people who only have significant symptoms and complications with sickle cell anemia. If a person has a donor, the diseased bone marrow is depleted with radiation or chemotherapy. The stem cell that is healthy, are injected into the bloodstream of the sickle cell anemia patient. They then migrate to the cavities of the bone marrow                                  and begin to generate new red blood cells.

 

                            After treatment, the patient will receive drugs                              to help prevent rejection of the stem cell that                        was donated. There is a chance that the patient’s                           body may reject the transplant, which can lead                      to life-threatening complications. Also, not every                         single patient can find a donor or is a candidate                             for a transplant. New treatments scientists are                        studying to treat sickle cell anemia include gene                             therapy, nitric oxide, and drugs to boost fetal                                                                  hemoglobin production.