Coping with joint pain in haemophilia

Abstract

Some Rolling Stones fans might think that joint bleeds in haemophilia are now more a case of ‘Its all over now’ than ‘Let it bleed’, for just as Mick Jagger’s song writing skills have changed since the 1960s and 70s, so has haemophilia care - treatment has improved dramatically over the last 30 years. Prophylactic clotting factor concentrates are now commonly used to prevent bleeding episodes among patients with severe haemophilia. Many patients, however, and especially those aged over 40, still live with chronic pain caused by arthritic complications of repeated bleeds into joints, leading to disability and reduced quality of life, and this aspect of the condition has not been widely recognised by health psychologists. Haemophilia patients' experiences of pain were the subject of a recent health psychology work placement and are the focus of an ongoing research project, collaborations with the UK Haemophilia Society, and this article summarises some aspects of that work.