Thalassemia
Thalassemia is an inherited blood condition where your body makes less hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body.
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Find General PhysiciansClinical Overview
Thalassemia affects your red blood cells, which are the parts of your blood that deliver oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. When you have this condition, your body does not make enough healthy hemoglobin, which is the iron-rich protein that helps red blood cells transport that oxygen.
Because your body cannot make enough hemoglobin, your red blood cells do not function properly or last as long as they should. This can lead to a shortage of healthy red blood cells, which is called anemia, leaving you feeling tired or weak because your organs are not getting the oxygen they need.
Common Symptoms
- Feeling very tired or weak, which doctors call fatigue.
- Pale skin or a yellow tint to the skin and eyes, known as jaundice.
- Slow growth or delayed puberty in children.
- Dark-colored urine.
- Swelling of the abdomen or belly, caused by an enlarged spleen.
- Bone deformities, particularly in the face or skull.