Beta Thalassemia (Anaemia) Herbs Treatment and Acupuncture Treatment

Thalassemia is one of the most common causes of anaemia throughout the world.

It is a genetic disorder passed from one generation to the next. Individuals who carry Thalassemia do not have the normal genes to make globin chains for haemoglobin synthesis. Loss of alpha or beta genes causes alpha - or beta-thalassemia respectively. Thalassemia may involve other globin chains but the alpha and beta forms are of greatest clinical importance. The incidence of Thalassemia carriers in Singapore is probably higher than 4%.

It is the haemoglobin in red cells that enables them to function in oxygen transport. Insufficient haemoglobin synthesis results in anaemia and oxygen delivery to the tissues is impaired. Although there are many variations of Thalassemia at the gene level, the clinical expression of small (microcytic) and colourless (hypochromic) red cells is universal.

Normal Blood Cells	Hypochromic and microcytic red cells

WHAT IS BETA THALASSEMIA MAJOR?

Serious anemia (Blood Insufficiency) affecting people who have inherited the two unusual beta Thalassemia genes, one from each parent.

Patients with Beta Thalassemia major do not produce enough strong, mature red blood cells; therefore, they become very pale and anemic. Insufficiency of mature red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body a person cannot live very long. Red blood cells are vital for life. Also sometimes known as Cooley's anemia, Thalassemia disease, or Mediterranean anemia.

At the age of 3 months children with this condition become very pale, lethargic, lose their appetite and soon fail to thrive, and usually die between 1 and 10 years of age. But with proper Medicine care they can have long life.

HOW IS BETA THALASSEMIA MAJOR TREATED

To be able to live to adulthood, a person born with the serious form of this condition is totally dependent on blood transfusions, which need to be given about every four to six weeks, right through life.

There is no real treatment for beta thalassemia major in the modern Chinese medicine. Although bone marrow transplantation has some form of Treatment, the success rate is not certain.

Anemia conditions it is, but not caused by lack of IRON. Individuals are still able to take in iron from the food they eat. This combined with the iron in the blood they are given during blood transfusions means that too much iron builds up in the body. This excess iron can cause serious health problems.

To get rid of the excess iron, people with beta Thalassemia major usually need to inject themselves with a special drug called Deferral. Treatment is monitored and adjusted according to the individual's needs. With good Medicine care, family support and encouragement, people with beta Thalassemia major are able to cope with their condition.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BETA THALASSEMIA MAJOR AND MINOR?

Beta Thalassemia minor is not a disease and cannot change later in life normally. It is significant when one is considering having children because the child may inherit this unusual gene from both parents.

Beta thalassemia major (disease) is a serious blood condition. Individuals with it are unable to make enough healthy red blood cells and depend on blood transfusions all their life.