Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder caused by a genetic defect. It prevents the blood from forming a suitable clot, so patients with this disorder will bleed longer than other people. They may experience symptoms such as easy bruising, bleeding gums, unexplained nosebleeds, heavy menstrual bleeding, excessive bleeding after surgery, or internal bleeding.

Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is a rare bleeding disorder also caused by a genetic defect. It affects about 3.2 million people in the United States, making it the most common bleeding disorder. People with vWD are not able to form a suitable clot because there is an insufficient amount of von Willebrand factor in their blood or it does not work properly. This results in similar symptoms to hemophilia.

Hemophilia can be treated with medication that is given into the vein to replace the missing clotting factor. People with hemophilia A may have an option to use an injected medicine, similar to getting a shot at the doctor’s office. Depending on the type of vWD, it is treated with medication that is given orally or medication that is given into the vein to replace the missing clotting factor. Medication for vWD and hemophilia is provided by a specialty pharmacy, such as Paragon. Bleeding disorders can also be managed through proper nutrition and exercise.