Physiological Response to Pain and Sickle Cell Disease

Running head: DISCUSSION
Nursing
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

DISCUSSION1
Answer 1
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an umbrella term for a group of blood related disorders
that are inherited from the parents, with sickle cell anemia being the most common. The
condition is typically characterized by an abnormality in hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying
component found in the red blood cells, which eventually leads to the development of a
sickle-like and rigid shape of the red blood cells. Pain manifested by Justice is a major
symptom of SCA, commonly known as crisis, and can be accredited to the blockage of tiny
blood vessels that are located in the abdomen, chest and the joints (Ballas, 2015). The sickle-
shaped red blood cells block the flow of blood, thus causing pain, which generally varies in
intensity and can last from few hours to several days. She must have demonstrated a joint
pain severity of 6-8/10 due to bone infarction that generally refers to osteonecrosis within
the diaphysis or metaphysis of a bone. Blockage due to the affected red blood cells might
have interrupted the flow of blood to the joints, thus causing infarction.
Upon establishment of the infarction, there occurred the development of a central
necrotic zone, surrounded by the hyperemic ischemic zone (McBride, Mai & Kumar,
2016). Hence, absence of collateral vascularization and reduced diameter of terminal vessels
created an impact on the convex articular surfaces. In addition, delay in growth can be
associated to the fact that healthy red blood cells supply nutrients and oxygen that are
imperative for normal growth and development of the body (Ladwig, Ackley & Makic,
2019). Therefore, shortage of red blood cells slowed down the growth process and resulted in
a delay in puberty, thus making her behave as an 8-year old.
Answer 2
Physiological response to pain are based on the integrated defense response of the
body, encompassing the fight or flight mechanism. The two primary systems that are