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.

Cancer deaths in the United Kingdom have dropped to their lowest recorded levels, according to new data from the charity Cancer Research UK. The figures show that cancer death rates have fallen by 11 per cent in the past decade, reflecting progress in early detection, screening, treatment and prevention.

Researchers estimate that around 247 people in every 100,000 in the UK now die from cancer each year. This is a significant decline from the peak recorded in 1989, when about 355 people per 100,000 died annually from the disease. Overall, that represents a 29 per cent reduction over the past few decades.

Experts say this steady improvement is the result of sustained scientific progress, improved healthcare systems and public health measures that target risk factors such as smoking.

Major Declines In Several Common Cancers

The new data highlights falling death rates across several major cancers. Ovarian cancer deaths have dropped by 19 per cent over the past ten years, up to 2024. Lung cancer deaths have fallen by 22 per cent during the same period, reflecting the long-term impact of reduced smoking rates and better treatment options.

Deaths from stomach cancer have seen one of the most dramatic improvements, dropping by 34 per cent in the past decade. Bowel cancer deaths have decreased by six per cent, while breast cancer deaths have fallen by 14 per cent.

Other cancers have also seen notable declines. Cervical and prostate cancer deaths have both dropped by 11 per cent. Deaths from leukemia are down by nine per cent, while esophageal cancer deaths have fallen by 12 per cent.

Experts say improved diagnosis, new therapies and better awareness are playing a key role in these trends.

Screening And Vaccination Making A Difference

One of the biggest public health successes has been the decline in cervical cancer deaths. Since the 1970s, deaths from cervical cancer have fallen by around 75 per cent in the UK. Health experts attribute much of this progress to the national cervical screening programme run by the NHS.

Screening helps detect abnormal cells early, allowing treatment before cancer develops or spreads.

Another major contributor is the human papillomavirus vaccine, commonly known as the HPV vaccine. The vaccine protects against the virus responsible for most cervical cancer cases. It is routinely offered to schoolchildren in the UK, and since its introduction in 2008, at least 6.5 million young people have received it.

Public health experts believe the vaccine will continue to reduce cervical cancer rates in the coming decades.

Some Cancer Death Rates Still Rising

Despite the overall progress, the data also shows worrying increases in deaths from certain cancers. Gallbladder cancer deaths have risen by 29 per cent, while deaths from eye cancer have increased by 26 per cent.

Liver cancer deaths are up by 14 per cent, and kidney cancer deaths have risen by five per cent. Meanwhile, death rates for thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer and melanoma have remained largely unchanged.

Another important trend is that the total number of people dying from cancer continues to rise. This is largely due to population growth and an ageing population, as cancer risk increases with age.

Calls For More Research And Clinical Trials

Experts say the long-term decline in cancer deaths reflects decades of medical research and innovation. However, they stress that continued investment is necessary to sustain progress.

Cancer Research UK researcher Dr Sam Godfrey said the figures show the impact of scientific breakthroughs over many years. He has called on the government to support more clinical trials and ensure that NHS staff have enough time and resources to take part in life saving research.

Public health policies such as smoking bans, along with screening programmes and vaccines, are also credited with helping drive down cancer deaths across the country.

Are you in the habit of catching up on social media or news updates while sitting on the pot? A new study shows you may be "unintentionally" spending extra time and increasing your risk of developing painful hemorrhoids by 46 percent.

The study, published in the open-access journal PLOS One, explained that getting distracted by news or social media can increase pressure on sensitive anal tissues, which leads to hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen and inflamed veins around your anus or in your lower rectum.

"Using a smartphone while on the toilet was linked to a 46 percent increased chance of having hemorrhoids. We're still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health,” Trisha Pasricha, from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the US.

“It's possible that how and where we use them -- such as while in the bathroom -- can have unintended consequences," she added.

For the study, the researchers examined data from colonoscopies of 125 adults in America, and conducted an online survey to understand their lifestyle habits and behavior while using the toilet.

Two-thirds of the participants reported using their smartphones while on

the toilet. Compared with those who did not, endoscopists found that they had a 46 percent higher risk of hemorrhoids.

Longer Toilet Time And Mobile Scrolling

More than a third of bathroom smartphone users reported spending more than five minutes there during a single visit -- reading news (54.3 percent), or browsing social media (44.4 percent).

In comparison, just 7.1 percent of non-users reported staying that long.

"Smartphone use may unintentionally extend the time people spend sitting on the toilet. Sitting for longer periods could increase pressure on tissues in the anal region, which may contribute to the development of hemorrhoids,” the researchers said.

Pasricha suggested individuals leave smartphones outside the bathroom to understand the actual time it takes for a bowel movement.

"If it's taking longer, ask yourself why. Was it because having a bowel movement was really so difficult, or was it because my focus was elsewhere?" she said, calling for more studies.

Hemorrhoids: The Symptoms, Risk Factors

Studies estimate that hemorrhoidal disease affects 40% of people all over the world, and it is one of the most common diseases in the anorectal region.

The two types of hemorrhoids are:

• external hemorrhoids -- under the skin around the anus
• internal hemorrhoids -- in the lining of the anus and lower rectum

• bright red rectal bleeding during bowel movements,
• anal itching or irritation, pain or discomfort (especially while sitting),
• swelling or hard, tender lumps around the anus

• straining during bowel movements
• sitting on the toilet for too long
• chronic constipation or diarrhea
• eating low fiber foods
• older age >50
• pregnancy
• lifting heavy objects

• consume 25-35g of fiber daily,
• drink 6-8 glasses of water,
• avoid straining,
• limit toilet time to under five minutes
• do not delay bowel movements,
• maintain hygiene.

Iran's capital Tehran was engulfed in a black cloud of toxic smoke. This also unleashed a black rainfall on Sunday after overnight Israeli strikes on several fuel depots caused fires to burn for hours. Images have come from across the city of Tehran. These images show thick black smoke from the fires hanging over it. Residents have also reported difficulty breathing and oil-tainted rainfall staining everything around them.

As per a TIME report, Iran's Red Crescent Society warned the residents of Tehran and the surrounding region that the rainfall after the strikes could be "highly dangerous and acidic", and could cause "chemical burns of the skin and serious damage to the lungs".

Many have complained about breathing problems, along with headache, feeling dry and sore lips, and feeling like burn in the eyes and constant itch in the throat.

What Does The Toxic Rain Fall Contain?

Iran's Red Crescent Society issued statements on Telegram that the rain could be contaminated with "toxic hydrocarbon compounds" as well as "sulfur and nitrogen oxides".

What Are The Health Risks?

As per a report by The Conversation, people exposed to the black smoke in Iran could experience headaches or difficulty in breathing, especially if they have asthma or a lung disease.

People who are more prone to health issues are older people, young children, anyone with disabilities and pregnant women. This could also lead to lower birth weights.

Since the thick black cloud from all the burning could increase the PM2.5 or the ultrafine particles, known as particulate matter, it could also increase cancer risks, along with neurological conditions and cardiovascular conditions.

The toxic rain could further pollute the natural waterways and drinking water sources. A photo shared by Iran's Red Crescent shows a healthcare worker's uniform covered in black droplets from the rain.

The "rain drops" are tainted with oily residue and could lead to skin problems, and if inhaled, it could also lead to serious medical crisis, noted Jim NR Dale, a senior meteorologist at British Weather Services.

It may also carry carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) along with heavy metals that are released when construction materials burn and then remain suspended in the air.

As acidity increases, natural water bodies such as rivers and lakes can become too hostile to support life. When the pH of water drops below 5, most fish cannot survive, and at pH 4, a lake is often described as a “dead water body” because almost no living organisms remain.

Acid rain also harms the soil. It reduces calcium levels, an important nutrient for plants, and makes it easier for toxic aluminium to leach into water sources, further threatening ecosystems.