How to Recognize the Signs of a Bleeding Disorder

Originally published on Hemophilia News Today by BioNews, Inc.

Last week, I set out in my car to donate some household items to Goodwill. I’ve been there probably a dozen times, but this time I drove past the Goodwill building twice. Why? Because my community is missing signs. All kinds of signs. Street signs, building signs, and even stop signs were blown away by Hurricane Ian, which hit southwestern Florida on Sept. 28.

Signs are essential because they provide people with information, direction, and warnings. They help guide people to the correct destination, alert them to potential dangers, and provide instructions. Additionally, signs can display business information. In my community, a driver was killed in a traffic accident because of a missing stop sign.

Could you find a building if there wasn’t a sign in front of it? How about a street without a street sign? It’s a lot more challenging than it sounds. Signs are important, I’ve learned.

I started to think about signs of a bleeding disorder, like hemophilia or von Willebrand disease. What happens when the signs are missed? A woman with hemophilia may wander from doctor to doctor for years before receiving an answer. We can’t wear a sign on our body as a building can, so how is a person supposed to navigate the waters of a disorder that’s invisible to the eye?

The signs of a bleeding disorder

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms or signs of a bleeding disorder in women may include heavy bleeding during menstruation, low iron or anemia, nosebleeds for no apparent reason that last longer than 10 minutes, easy bruising without a physical injury, excessive bleeding after a medical procedure or dental extraction, and a history of bleeds in the muscles or joints without physical injury.

Of course, if you have one or more of the symptoms above as well as a family member with a bleeding disorder, that’s a pretty sure sign you may have one, too.

In my experience, the signs of a bleeding disorder were different when I was a child than they are today. Heavy bleeding when my baby teeth fell out and when I had my tonsils removed were signs when I was young. Heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia plagued my reproductive years. Today I struggle with joint pain, swelling, and abnormal bleeding, like tongue bleeds.

Stay informed and be aware of the signs your body is telling you. Signs are important!