Types of Blood Disorders We Treat
Hematologists diagnose and treat a broad range of conditions, including:
- Bleeding disorders: After a cut or scrape, proteins in the blood help a clot form to slow bleeding. If you have a bleeding disorder, issues with these proteins prevent clots from forming as quickly as they should.
- Blood disorders in pregnancy: Pregnant women with no history of blood disorders may experience excessive bleeding or vitamin deficiencies. Pregnancy can also make existing blood disorders worse or require specialized care during delivery.
- Clotting disorders: If blood clots too quickly, it raises the risk of a clot blocking an artery. If blood cannot reach the brain, you could experience a stroke, which is a life-threatening condition requiring emergency treatment.
- Hemolytic anemias: Red blood cells don’t get replaced as quickly as they should.
- Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP): Abnormally low levels of certain blood cells (platelets) affect the blood’s ability to clot.
- Inherited blood disorders: Conditions due to abnormal gene changes (mutations) affecting blood cell development. Inherited blood disorders include sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
Symptoms of Blood Disorders
The symptoms you experience depend on your diagnosis and may include:
- Bleeding that takes longer than expected to stop
- Bruising that’s slow to heal
- Fast heartbeat
- Frequent fevers and infections
- Shortness of breath or dizziness
- Unusual tiredness (fatigue)
Diagnosing Blood Disorders
Your care starts with a thorough evaluation. Hematologists listen as you describe your symptoms and medical history. The evaluation also includes taking a blood sample and examining it in a lab.
Exceptional blood disorder care at Nuvance Health includes:
- Running the appropriate lab tests: You have access to sophisticated lab tests that are not widely available. The team’s experience and careful attention during your evaluation helps us determine which tests to run.
- Accurately interpreting the results: We treat a high volume of blood disorders, including rare and complex issues, so you get the correct information.
Blood Disorder Treatments
The blood disorder treatments that are appropriate for you depend on the diagnosis and its severity.
Your care may include:
- Intravenous (IV) infusion therapy: You may receive medications intravenously through a vein in your arm. You may receive steroids, antibiotics, iron or vitamins.
- Cancer treatments: You may benefit from cancer treatments that destroy abnormal cells. Care may include cancer drugs (chemotherapy) or immunotherapy, which helps your immune system attack cancer cells. Read more about chemotherapy and other medical oncology.
- Factor replacement therapy: This option delivers a fresh supply of proteins aimed at boosting your blood’s clotting ability. You may receive this treatment for uncontrolled bleeding and to prevent future bleeds
