D74.0: Congenital methaemoglobinaemia
Blood is made up of a liquid part and different blood cells, among other things. The blood cells include the red blood cells, the white blood cells and the platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Red blood cells contain the red hemoglobin that gives blood its color. This pigment is important for carrying oxygen in the blood.
The changed red hemoglobin is no longer able to transport oxygen in the blood. The blood usually only contains a small amount of this changed red hemoglobin. If the proportion of changed red hemoglobin is bigger than usual, though, the blood as a whole contains less oxygen. The skin may turn blue-gray as a result.
If the disorder is congenital, the other symptoms can vary widely. You can get headaches and breathlessness from physical exertion. If only a little red hemoglobin has changed, you may have hardly any symptoms. If a larger amount of red hemoglobin has changed there may be disruptions in the nervous system, for example. The nervous system controls many functions in the body.
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For a complete understanding of your condition and what the diagnosis means for you, please speak directly with your doctor.