Thalassemia
Another slightly rare disorder that sees fewer than 200,000 cases in the United States per year is thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder. When you develop thalassemia, the body manufacturers an excess of hemoglobin, the molecule that helps red blood cells transport oxygen throughout the body. While this might seem like boon to some people, it eventually leads to an accelerated destruction of red blood cells, leading to anemia. There are two forms of thalassemia: alpha thalessemia and beta thalassemia. The alpha type is more severe, but both types have sub-types that can lessen or worsen the affects on the body.
Symptoms of thalassemia include bone deformities in the face; dark urine; chronic fatigue and lethargy; jaundice; and delayed growth and development. However, symptoms are not always visible. Depending on the type of thalassemia, other signs and symptoms can occur.
