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When the Pain Hits: Understanding Sickle Cell Crisis Before It Hits You

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SemicHealth Pulse
November 28, 2025

Fresh health tips, inspiring stories, and more every Friday. Brought to you by SemicHealth

Hey there,

Welcome to this week’s edition of SemicHealth Pulse.

If you’ve ever cared for someone with sickle cell disease, or you live with it yourself, you already know this truth:

A sickle cell crisis doesn’t start with a warning.
It shows up suddenly, painfully, and at the worst moments.

Some describe it as a stabbing pain.
Others say it feels like fire inside their bones.
And for caregivers, it’s the fear of watching someone you love struggle again.

This week, we’re breaking down the different types of sickle cell crises, what triggers them, the symptoms you should never ignore, and practical ways to manage them at home and in the hospital.

In today’s newsletter, we’ll cover:

  • The different types of sickle cell crises

  • Common triggers and why they matter

  • What a crisis actually feels like

  • Daily habits that make a big difference

Why Sickle Cell Crisis Happens and What It Actually Feels Like

A crisis starts when sickle-shaped blood cells block tiny blood vessels.
Blood flow slows, oxygen drops, and pain hits fast, sometimes so suddenly it stops someone mid-step.

For some, crises happen a few times a year.
For others, they show up every month.
Stress, dehydration, infections, or even cold weather can turn a normal day into a painful one.

And the pain? People describe it like this:

  • “Like my bones are breaking from the inside.”

  • “It starts as a pulse… then spreads like fire.”

  • “You can’t sit, lie down, or get comfortable. You just endure.”

Some crises last hours; others stretch through the night.
The fear, frustration, and exhaustion can be just as heavy as the pain itself.

And perhaps the hardest part of all:
You never know when the next one will hit.

Types of Sickle Cell Crises (and How They Feel)

1. Pain Crisis (Vaso-occlusive Crisis): This is the most common, and often the hardest to live through. It hits the chest, back, arms, legs… sometimes all at once.
The pain can last hours or days, and for some, it’s the kind of pain that brings tears.

2. Hemolytic Crisis: Here, red blood cells break down too fast.
People feel extremely tired, weak, dizzy, and may notice yellow eyes or skin.

3. Splenic Sequestration Crisis: Blood gets trapped in the spleen.
It causes sudden anemia, stomach pain, and can be life-threatening, especially in children.

4. Hyper-Hemolytic Crisis: A severe, rapid breakdown of red blood cells.
This can cause extreme fatigue, jaundice, and dangerously low hemoglobin.

Each crisis can look different, but all of them are disruptive, painful, and frightening.

Freezing Winter Solstice GIF

Common Triggers and Why They Matter

Many people with SCD talk about how a crisis can be predicted before it happens.

“It was the cold weather,” one woman shared. “I stayed outside too long, and by evening my legs were on fire.” - Semichealth

For another, it’s stress, a long week, too little sleep, and suddenly the pain begins.

Triggers can be as simple as dehydration on a busy day or forgetting to take medication. Some people discover theirs after years of trial and error.

Once you know what sets off your crises, you can take back a bit of control, and that control matters more than most people realize.

Sometimes it feels like everything can trigger a crisis, and that’s what makes managing this condition so exhausting.

Healthy hydration at home

Daily Habits That Make a Big Difference

These lifestyle adjustments don’t cure sickle cell, but they do reduce the number of crises:

  • Drinking plenty of water

  • Avoiding very cold or hot temperatures

  • Managing stress

  • Sleeping well

  • Eating nutrient-rich meals (especially folic acid)

  • Avoiding alcohol & smoking

  • Exercising gently, without overdoing it

  • Getting regular checkups

Sometimes, it’s these small habits that give people more stable days and fewer painful nights.

Here’s what to read next!

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⚖️ Headache Types & When to Worry
Throbbing vs. stabbing pain? Decode headache causes and know when it’s ER time.

💥 Cancer Cells at Birth: Myth or Reality?
Are we really born with cancerous cells? The shocking truth about cancer origins.

Thanks for reading, and take care, friends! We’ll be back next week to talk about "The 8 Multivitamins Moms Swear By, And How to Choose the Right One for You" See you then!

Here’s your reminder to email [email protected] with any (general) health and wellness questions you’d like for us to answer in a future edition.