Possible Sickle Cell Trait Symptoms

Rarely, people with SCT experience health complications from their condition. Here are the symptoms to look out for if you’re living with SCT.

Blood in the Urine

Sickle cell disease can cause injury to the kidneys that leads to blood in the urine. Doctors refer to this as hematuria. In rare cases, people with SCT may also experience this symptom.

When there are red blood cells in the urine, they can cause it to change color. You may notice red or pink urine or blood clots. Though it can be unsettling to see, bleeding doesn’t usually cause pain, but passing blood clots can hurt.

Anyone with blood in their urine should see a healthcare provider for an evaluation. For people with SCT, this includes checking for a rare form of kidney cancer called renal medullary carcinoma, which has been linked to SCT. Another possible cause is damage from blocked blood flow to a part of the kidney called the renal papilla.

There can also be other reasons for blood in the urine. Other health conditions that can cause this symptom include:

Muscle Pain or Weakness

In rare cases, people with SCT develop complications during intense exercise that cause muscle soreness or weakness. These symptoms can feel like a dull ache, cramping, or overall weakness.

Reduced blood flow to muscles may contribute to these symptoms during intense exercise. Symptoms can begin within minutes of starting the activity.

Having SCT also raises your risk of developing exercise-related rhabdomyolysis. This is when muscle cells break down and die, releasing muscle proteins into your blood.

Sometimes called rhabdo, this can cause symptoms like painful, swollen, weak, or stiff muscles, as well as dark-colored urine that may appear brown or red.

Rhabdo symptoms can range from mild to severe. They often appear between one and three days after a muscle injury. People may also feel sick to their stomach or dehydrated or notice that they’re making less urine than normal.

Rhabdo can lead to kidney damage and can be life-threatening if not treated. Seek medical care immediately if you develop severe or unusual muscle pain, swelling, weakness, or dark urine during or after physical activity.

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath can mean that your body isn’t getting enough oxygen. It can also indicate extra stress on the heart or lungs. When people with SCT are in physically stressful situations, such as at high altitudes or during intense exercise, they can sometimes develop sudden or unusual shortness of breath.

Often, shortness of breath has nothing to do with SCT. There are many other reasons you might have this symptom, such as asthma, a lung infection, or a strenuous activity such as climbing stairs. However, SCT is also associated with a higher risk of blood clots in the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath or chest tightness.

Having SCT doesn’t mean that every episode of breathlessness is dangerous. But unusual shortness of breath can sometimes be a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical care if you develop shortness of breath that is sudden or severe, or that occurs with warning signs such as:

Fatigue

SCT doesn’t usually cause ongoing fatigue like SCD. However, people with SCT may experience exertional fatigue (extreme tiredness during physical activity). One possible explanation is that, under extreme physical stress, red blood cells can temporarily take on a sickle shape and reduce blood flow to muscles.

Exertional fatigue can feel like overwhelming exhaustion rather than normal tiredness. If you’re exercising and suddenly feel exhausted, stop what you’re doing and rest in a cool place. Drink water and get medical help right away, especially if you also have muscle pain, weakness, or trouble breathing.

Dizziness

Like fatigue, SCT doesn’t usually cause everyday dizziness or lightheadedness. This means that if you’re feeling dizzy regularly, there’s likely another cause.

Dizziness during exercise is a warning sign to stop and rest. Seek medical care if dizziness doesn’t resolve, recurs, or is severe. Get emergency care for new, severe dizziness with symptoms such as a severe headache, confusion, or a rapid heartbeat.

Collapse

If you’re exercising, don’t try to push through muscle pain, exhaustion, or dizziness. These symptoms can sometimes come before collapse during intense exercise.

Reported signs of exercise collapse associated with sickle cell trait include:

Collapse during activity can also happen due to serious complications of SCT. These may involve the spleen, such as splenic infarction (tissue damage from blocked blood flow to the spleen), kidneys, or lungs. Call 911 if someone collapses during exercise, regardless of their temperature or whether they remain conscious.