The importance of treating early

Stopping and caring for acute bleeds quickly can help keep your joints healthy. For people with inhibitors—no matter what your age—delayed treatment of bleeds can have serious consequences. Over time, bleeding into your joints can cause permanent damage. This can result in loss of range of motion. In severe cases, you can lose the ability to walk on your own.

By resolving bleeds rapidly, less blood will go into joints. This will help you improve the long-term health of your joints.

Learn about a treatment for hemophilia with inhibitors. Read more.

Get an exercise plan Making an exercise plan is a great way to keep joints healthy. Here is why: Exercise makes muscles stronger. This can reduce joint bleeds and help your body recover from bleeds faster Exercise aids balance to help you avoid falls When you eat right, exercise keeps extra weight off. This means less stress on your joints Make a plan and stick to it! The goal is to keep moving as long as you are pain free.

The signs and symptoms of bleeds

There are several types of bleeds that may occur. Joints, muscles, head, spinal cord, and the stomach are sites of bleeds. Joint bleeds are the most common.





Joint bleeds


Joint bleeds happen when blood vessels in the tissue lining the joint are injured. Often there is no clear reason for the bleed, especially in severe hemophilia. This is called a spontaneous bleed. The most common joint bleeds happen in knees, ankles, and elbows. Bleeds can also occur in the toe, shoulder, and hip joints. Repeat joint bleeds can lead to hemophilic arthropathy or joint damage.

Muscle bleeds


Muscle bleeds happen when blood vessels in a muscle are injured. Sometimes the cause of muscle bleeds is known, such as an injury. Spontaneous bleeds can also happen. The most common muscle bleeds occur in the calf, thigh, and upper arm. Yet bleeds in the psoas muscle (at the front of the hip) and the forearm muscles also occur.

During a muscle bleed, the muscle swells and feels warm, stiff, and painful. Bruising may be seen if the bleed is near the skin. Bleeds in deeper muscles can put pressure on nerves and blood vessels. This causes tingling and numbness, and may cause permanent damage. A muscle spasm may occur when the muscle tightens up to protect itself. Then, joints moved by that muscle may not move properly.



Serious or life-threatening bleeds


Head bleeds, throat bleeds, and bleeds with major blood loss can be life threatening. Head bleeds can cause convulsions and loss of consciousness. Bleeding in the head is usually caused by injury, and is a major cause of death in people with hemophilia. Throat bleeds cause swelling and difficulty swallowing and breathing. Bleeding in the throat may result from infection, injury, dental procedures, or elective surgery. Any bleed with a major loss of blood is life threatening. These bleeds are common after an injury or when related to another medical condition.

Bleeds into the eyes, spine, and psoas muscle can be serious, but are rarely life threatening.