Hemophilia is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure at this time. However, it can be treated. With proper medical care, a person with hemophilia can look forward to a normal life into adulthood. The goals of treatment are early recognition of bleeding episodes and appropriate, timely intervention to prevent complications. The effects of untreated bleeding in a person's joints are debilitating.
Joint damage can be a major long-term problem for someone with hemophilia.
Von Willebrand Disease is generally inherited on an autosomal basis and thus occurs with equal frequency and severity in males and females. Symptomatic patients with von Willebrand Disease will usually present with bleeding from the mucous membranes, gastrointestinal tract, or urinary tract. They often have a history of easy bruisability, epistaxis, menorrhagia, or excessive bleeding after surgical or dental procedures. People with vWD rarely experience the joint and muscle bleeding frequently observed in people with hemophilia.