6 Characteristics of Leukemia to Watch Out for, One of the Signs of Joint and Bone Pain

4. Fatigue

Fatigue and fatigue are the most common features of leukemia. These features of leukemia are often caused by anemia or a lack of red blood cells, which only adds to physical exhaustion. In chronic and acute cases, a person may experience a range from slight fatigue to extreme physical weakness, but in all cases, the symptoms only worsen over time.

5. Bruises Appear

Other characteristics of leukemia are the appearance of a rash or red spots on the skin, bruising, or bleeding suddenly and the cause is not known. This bleeding can occur as nosebleeds or gums. Sufferers can also experience prolonged bleeding from wounds, heavy menstruation, or blood in the urine or stool. This is because leukemia has interfered with the bone marrow’s ability to produce the platelets that the body needs. There are enough platelets in the body to help blood clot.

6. Joint and Bone Pain

Bone marrow is a spongy tissue that resides within bones and contains stem cells that develop into all types of blood cells. When leukemia occurs, the buildup of abnormal white blood cells causes the bone marrow to enlarge and this puts pressure on the nerves within the bone tissue, causing pain. The characteristics of leukemia are quite often felt in the long bones of the arms and legs or in the ribs and breastbone.

–