No matter which therapy or treatment you use, the most important thing is safety. First, you must understand your disease and the impact it has on your body. When selecting a method of treatment, consider your personal lifestyle and make sure to allow for adequate time for treatment. Remember that staying healthy and being active are a great way to start any treatment.
Replacement Therapy:
Replacement therapy is used to help stop or prevent bleeding. The therapy regulates the blood for a few hours and involves infusing either human plasma or recombinant. The use of replacement therapy may come with complications and is not a long-term treatment, requiring constant follow-ups. Patients applying this treatment can potentially develop antibodies, which will combat against the treatment. These antibodies, which may cause pain or joint swelling, are referred to as inhibitors and occur in about 20 percent of people.
Self-Infusion:
Self-treatment brings the ultimate goal – independence. For patients dealing with hemophilia, relying on family members or nurses to help treat them can be a nuisance and at times a debilitating process. By learning how to correctly self-infuse, patients can be on the path to freedom.
Treating hemophilia with self infusion requires knowledge and understanding of specific materials. For children learning how to self-inject, it is particularly important that they are trained how to perform treatments safely and accurately. Topics such as fear of needles and not using previously used veins must be discussed before self-treatment can be set in motion.
Other Treatments:
Another possible treatment, desmopressin, helps the body produce more of its own Factor VIII. A treatment administered into the bloodstream slowly with one shot, this treatment is an effective method, but is only able to address mild cases of hemophilia.
Most doctors will also suggest the use of RICE or Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Resting and ice will help alleviate swelling and bruising, but be sure to use the ice for no longer than 20 minutes each time. Using an ACE bandage is the best for compression. Try to elevate injuries above the heart for best results as well.
Sources:
http://www.hemophilia.ca/en/bleeding-disorders/hemophilia-a-and-b/the-treatment-of-hemophilia/factor-replacement-therapy/
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hemophilia/hemophilia_treatments.html
http://www.pharma.bayer.com/scripts/pages/en/news_room/news_room/news_room81.php
http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/about/patient/hemophilia-jd-westbrook.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/hemophilia/treatment-for-hemophilia.php