Lifestyle and home remedies

To avoid excessive bleeding and protect your joints:

• Exercise regularly. Activities such as swimming, bicycle riding and walking can build muscles while protecting joints. Contact sports — such as football, hockey or wrestling — are not safe for people with hemophilia.
• Avoid certain pain medications. Drugs that can make bleeding worse include aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Instead, use acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), which is a safer alternative for mild pain relief.
• Avoid blood-thinning medications. Medications that prevent blood from clotting include heparin, warfarin (Jantoven), clopidogrel (Plavix), prasugrel (Effient), ticagrelor (Brilinta), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), edoxaban (Savaysa) and dabigatran (Pradaxa).
• Practice good dental hygiene. The goal is to prevent tooth and gum disease, which can lead to excessive bleeding.
• Get vaccinations. People with hemophilia should receive recommended vaccinations at the appropriate ages, as well as hepatitis A and B. Requesting use of the smallest gauge needle and having pressure or ice applied for 3 to 5 minutes after the injection can reduce the risk of bleeding.
• Protect your child from injuries that could cause bleeding. Kneepads, elbow pads, helmets and safety belts all help prevent injuries from falls and other accidents. Keep your home free of furniture with sharp corners.