Have you ever got a minor cut, but the blood just won't stop? Or have you noticed that when someone else got hurt and bled, it stopped, but it takes a while for that to happen with you? It may be hemophilia. Though a rare genetic disorder, but it could happen when your blood does not clot and make your bleeding slow down or stop.

The Christmas Disease

There are three kinds of hemophilia and hemophilia B is one of three main types, alongside hemophilia A and hemophilia C. This condition arises from a deficiency or absence of factor IX, a protein critical for blood clotting. This is also known as the 'Christmas disease'.

Why Is It Named The 'Christmas Disease'?

When one sees such a name, it is no surprise that it is either named other someone who showed the characteristics, or someone who discovered it. Here too, the name 'Christmas disease' comes from Stephen Christmas, the first person diagnosed with the condition in 1952, as is mentioned in the National Organization for Rare Disease. When factor IX levels are low, bleeding can occur spontaneously or last longer than usual after an injury. The severity of symptoms depends on the level of factor IX in the blood.

It is also called the 'Royal Disease'

Hemophilia B is nicknamed the 'royal disease' because it affected several members of European royal families, including Queen Victoria's descendants. It is very well known for affecting Alexis Nikolaevich Romanov, the son of the last Tsar of Russia, also known as the Tsarevich of Russia. It came down to the Russian royal family via the German Hesser family. "Due to a mutation in Queen Victoria’s genes, royals across Europe found themselves with children plagued with hemophilia because of their incessant need to preserve royal blood and intermarry with other monarchs," mentions a 2022 study by Portland State University, titled Bad Blood: Hemophilia and It’s Detriment to the Russian Imperial Family.

Causes of Hemophilia B

The disorder is caused by a mutation in the gene responsible for producing factor IX. This gene is located on the X chromosome, making hemophilia B an X-linked recessive disorder.

How It’s Inherited:

Male children inherit one X and one Y chromosome. If a male inherits the mutated X chromosome from their mother, they will develop hemophilia B.

Female children inherit two X chromosomes. A female with one mutated gene becomes a carrier and may pass the gene to her children.

Male carriers do not pass the condition to their sons but always pass the mutated gene to their daughters.

Spontaneous Mutations:

In some cases, hemophilia B is not inherited but caused by spontaneous gene mutations during fetal development.

Symptoms of Hemophilia B

Symptoms can range from mild to severe and often present after abnormal bleeding events. Severe cases are usually identified in infants, while milder cases may not be diagnosed until later in life.

Common Symptoms Include:

• Prolonged bleeding after injuries, surgeries, or vaccinations.
• Excessive bruising and nosebleeds without clear causes.
• Blood in urine or stool due to internal bleeding in the gastrointestinal or urinary tract.
• Joint pain and swelling caused by internal bleeding.
• Unexplained bleeding in the skull after childbirth in severe cases.

Diagnosing Hemophilia B

Doctors use several tests to confirm the diagnosis of hemophilia B:

• Factor IX test: Determines the level of clotting factor in the blood.
• APTT and PT tests: Measure how quickly blood clots.
• Fibrinogen test: Assesses the ability to form a clot.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC): Evaluates blood components like red and white cells.
• For females with a family history of the condition, genetic testing can identify carriers with a high degree of accuracy.

Treatment for Hemophilia B

While there is no cure for hemophilia B, treatment options can effectively manage the condition and prevent complications.

Factor IX Injections:

Replacement therapy with factor IX, either derived from donated human blood or synthesized in a laboratory (recombinant factor IX), is the cornerstone of treatment. Recombinant factor IX is preferred for safety reasons.

Preventive Therapy:

Prophylactic blood transfusions may be required for severe cases to prevent prolonged bleeding.

Vaccination against hepatitis B is recommended for those receiving blood-derived therapies.

Addressing Complications:

People with severe hemophilia B may face risks such as brain bleeding or chronic joint damage. Regular checkups and avoiding medications like aspirin can reduce these risks.

Some individuals develop antibodies (inhibitors) that neutralize factor IX, making standard therapy ineffective. Alternative treatments may be necessary in such cases.

Living with Hemophilia B

With advancements in treatment, individuals with hemophilia B can live relatively normal lives. Managing the condition involves:

• Regular monitoring and treatment.
• Avoiding activities that may lead to excessive bleeding.
• Receiving clotting factor therapy before surgeries or after injuries.

How serious is hemophilia B?

Without proper management, hemophilia B can be life-threatening due to excessive bleeding from injuries or surgeries. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve outcomes.

Can hemophilia B be cured?

There is currently no cure, but ongoing treatments and emerging therapies continue to improve quality of life and life expectancy.

With appropriate care, people with hemophilia B can manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice and support.

One must be very careful about what they consume. One of the easiest ways to get sick is by eating food or having beverages from unsafe and unsanitary places. That is why people are discouraged from eating at roadside stalls or food from street hawkers who do not follow the food safety protocol.

Many people do not know how unsafe tap water can be. While the tap water available at home goes through treatment, it is best to only drink it after boiling or opting for water from the filter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that these health issues can range from mild to serious, depending on what germs are being transmitted.

In a TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia who goes by Dr. Sooj, a practicing NHS GP and emergency doctor, issued a critical warning. urgent warning that if you use regular tap water to rinse your nose, you could be exposed to a very rare but dangerous "brain-eating amoeba." Even though tap water in the UK is perfectly safe to drink, it's a different story when it comes to cleaning out your nose.

Why Tap Water Is Risky for Your Nose

Rinsing your nose is a common thing people do when they have a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection. You usually flush water or salt water into your nose to wash away snot, dust, pollen, and anything else that might be irritating your nasal passages. But in a video, a doctor known online as Dr. Sooj, explained why tap water is risky for this. He said that "tap water has bacteria. It has amoeba, it has protozoa. There are tiny living things in the water." When you drink these, your stomach acid usually kills them, but when they go up your nose, it's a different story.

Brain-Eating Amoeba

The main worry is a "brain-eating amoeba" called Naegleria fowleri. This tiny creature loves to live in warm fresh water, like lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The Cleveland Clinic explains water that contains this amoeba goes up your nose, it can travel to your brain. Once there, it causes a very serious and almost always deadly infection called Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). While this infection is rare, it's not worth the risk.

If the amoeba gets into the brain through the nose, it can cause a severe infection called Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). Early signs of PAM can be a headache, fever, feeling sick to your stomach (nausea), and throwing up (vomiting). This infection moves incredibly fast. Most people who get PAM unfortunately die within just 1 to 18 days after they start showing symptoms, often falling into a coma before death. Other symptoms can include a stiff neck, feeling confused, not paying attention to people around you, losing your balance, and seeing things that aren't real (hallucinations).

When to Seek Medical Help

Health experts like the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree with this advice. They also warn about another amoeba called Acanthamoeba. If you or someone you know starts to have a headache, fever, confusion, or vomiting soon after rinsing your sinuses or nasal passages, it's crucial to get medical help right away.

A new study has revealed a sharp rise in cases of a rare cancer—appendiceal adenocarcinoma—particularly among younger generations. Generation X and millennials are seeing significantly higher rates of this cancer than previous generations, prompting concern among experts.

What Is Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma?

Appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) is a rare form of cancer that originates in the appendix, a small pouch attached to the large intestine. While appendix cancers are not commonly diagnosed—about 3,000 new cases per year in the U.S.—they appear to be rising at an alarming rate among younger adults.

Generational Surge in Cases

According to a new paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the rate of AA has tripled among Generation X and quadrupled among millennials compared to those born in the mid-20th century. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center used data from the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program, which tracked cancer cases from 1975 to 2019.

The numbers are telling: the study found that for people born in 1985, the incidence of appendix cancer is four times higher than for those born in 1945. For individuals born in 1980, it is about three times higher.

A Broader Gastrointestinal Trend

Experts say this rise mirrors trends in other gastrointestinal cancers—such as colorectal and stomach cancer—which are also being diagnosed more frequently in adults under 50. Between 1975 and 2019, the researchers recorded 4,858 cases of appendix cancer, with a noticeable uptick in recent decades.

Possible Causes: Lifestyle and Diet

Although the exact reasons for this generational increase remain unclear, researchers suggest that lifestyle and environmental factors may be playing a major role. The consumption of ultra-processed foods, sugary beverages, and processed meats has increased sharply in recent decades. Additionally, obesity and metabolic syndrome—both risk factors for various cancers—are more prevalent among younger people today than in past generations.

Lead researcher Dr. Andreana Holowatyji highlighted that the increase in cases is not due to more appendectomies being performed. Surgical removal rates of the appendix have remained largely stable over time, suggesting that other factors, possibly related to diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposure, are contributing to the spike in cases.

The Challenge of Early Detection

One of the major hurdles in combating appendiceal adenocarcinoma is the lack of clear early symptoms. Many of the signs—such as bloating, appetite loss, and changes in bowel habits—are vague and can easily be mistaken for more common digestive issues. This often leads to delayed diagnoses and limited treatment options.

Urgent Need for Research

With no definitive causes identified, scientists are calling for more research into environmental exposures, genetic factors, and molecular changes that might contribute to the development of appendix cancer. Understanding these elements could help in early detection and potentially lower the rising risk among younger populations.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, over 1.2 billion people ages 30 to 79 have hypertension. The number has increased from 650 million in 1990 to 1.2 billion in 2021. This increase is attributed to many factors, including lifestyle factors, which include salty indulgence, stress, and screen time which has been increased. These three impact your blood pressure levels, know how.

What Are The Three S Worsening Your Blood Pressure?

Salt

As per the Harvard Heart Publishing, an average American consumes the equivalent of about 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt per day, which is 50% more than the recommended amount.

About a third of healthy people and about 60% of people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive.

How does salt affects blood pressure?

When you consume too much sodium, your body holds on to extra water to balance the sodium levels. This added fluid increases the volume of blood in your vessels, which in turn raises your blood pressure and forces your heart to work harder. High sodium intake can also reduce the effectiveness of certain blood pressure medications. For example, diuretics help eliminate excess sodium and water, while vasodilators work by relaxing the blood vessels. However, a high-sodium diet makes your body retain fluid again, refilling those relaxed vessels and undoing the medication's effects.

Stress

As per the official publication of State Medical Society of Wisconsin, stress can cause hypertension through repeated blood pressure elevations as well as by stimulation of the nervous system to produce large amounts of vasoconstricting hormones that increase blood pressure. Factors affecting blood pressure through stress include white coat hypertension, job strain, race, social environment, and emotional distress.

As per National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, around 50 million American adults live with hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure over 139 mm Hg or diastolic pressure over 89 mm Hg. In about 95% of these cases, the condition is classified as "essential" hypertension, meaning there’s no single identifiable cause. However, experts agree that multiple factors—including stress—can contribute to rising blood pressure in these individuals.

Screentime

As per a 2024 study published in Cureus, hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. The study links the increased accessibility of smartphones with the increasing hypertension.

This study explored the relationship between screen time and blood pressure (BP) among young adults.

The study also noted that higher screen time was more common among individuals using multiple devices. The prevalence of elevated BP in the sample was 35.8%, aligning with national data and raising concerns about the cardiovascular health of young adults.

Previous studies support these concerns. For instance, Nang et al. and Martinez-Gomez et al. linked prolonged TV viewing to higher BP and an adverse cardiovascular risk profile in adolescents. However, these relied on self-reported data. Other risk factors, such as age, gender, obesity, inactivity, and substance use, have also been linked to hypertension.