Sickle Cell Disease Vaso-Occlusive Crisis

The obstruction reduces blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues. Pain may be sudden or build over time, and can affect the back, chest, abdomen, arms, legs, or joints. The episode may occur with fatigue or pale skin, but those symptoms alone do not establish a crisis.

A crisis can range from manageable at home under an established plan to a medical emergency. Infection, dehydration, cold exposure, stress, or low oxygen may contribute, although a clear trigger is not always found. A clinician may check vital signs, examine for complications, and use a blood test or other tests when needed.

Follow the personalised pain plan from your sickle cell team, drink fluids if you can keep them down, rest in a comfortable environment, and seek advice early if pain is not improving. Use prescribed medicines exactly as directed; avoid taking someone else’s pain medicine or exceeding the advised dose.

Bring your medication list and tell the team when pain began, where it is located, what you have taken, and whether fever, vomiting, breathlessness, or reduced urine is present.

Get urgent medical help for chest pain, breathing difficulty, fever, sudden weakness, confusion, seizure, severe headache, collapse, persistent vomiting, or pain that is severe or unlike previous episodes. A painful erection lasting several hours also requires emergency assessment.

Ask when to call your care team, which medicines to keep available, how to measure a fever, and where to go after hours. Discuss prevention, follow-up blood tests, and whether family screening is appropriate.