Anemia is a condition in which number of red blood cells or the hemoglobin concentration within them is lower than the normal.
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It is a medical condition in which your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to adequate oxygen to your tissues.
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body.
It mainly affects women and children. In severe cases, It can cause poor cognitive and motor development in children. It can also cause problems for pregnant women and their babies.
There are many forms of it. Each has its own cause. It can be short term or long term. It can range from mild to severe. It can be a warning sign of serious illness.
Types:
Aplastic Anemia – A rare condition in which bone marrow fails to produce enough red blood cells.
Iron deficiency Anemia – Caused by a lack of iron in the diet or blood loss.
Sickle cell Anemia – An inherited disorder that changes the shape of red blood cells.
Thalassemia – Genetic blood disorder in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin.
Vitamin deficiency Anemia – Due to low levels of vitamin B12
Signs and Symptoms:
Anemia symptoms depend on the cause and how bad the disease is. It can be so mild that it causes no symptoms at first. But symptoms usually then occur and get worse as the anemia gets worse. It is an indicator of poor nutrition and other health problem.
Common and nonspecific symptoms of anemia include:
- Tiredness
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
- Cold hands and feet
- Headache
- Shortness of breath, specially upon exertion
Severe anemia can cause more serious symptoms include:
- Pale mucous membranes (in the mouth or nose)
- Pale skin and under the fingernails
- Rapid breathing and heart rate
- Dizziness when standing up
- Bruising more easily Â
Causes:
Anemia occurs when the blood doesn’t have enough hemoglobin or red blood cells. This can happen if:
- The body doesn’t make enough hemoglobin or red blood cells.
- Bleeding causes loss of red blood cells and hemoglobin faster than they can be replaced.
- The body destroys red blood cells and the hemoglobin that’s in them.
What red blood cells do?
The body makes three types of blood cells. White blood cells fight against infections, platelets help in blood clotting and red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body.
Red blood cells have an iron rich protein that gives blood its red color, called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin lets red blood cells carry oxygen from the lings to all parts of the body and it lets red blood cells carry carbon dioxide from other parts of the body to the lungs to be breath out.Â
Spongy matter inside many of the large bones, called bone marrow, makes red blood cells and hemoglobin. To make them, the body needs iron, vitamin B-12, folate, and other nutrients from foods.
Causes of anemia:
Different types of anemia have different causes. They include:
Iron deficiency anemia: Too little iron in the body cause this common type of anemia. Bone marrow needs iron to make hemoglobin. Without enough iron, the body can’t make enough hemoglobin for red blood cells.
Pregnant women can get this type of anemia if they don’t take iron supplements during pregnancy. Blood loss can also be the reason of anemia. Blood loss might be in the form of heavy menstrual bleeding, an ulcer, cancer or regular use of some relievers, especially aspirin.
Vitamin deficiency anemia: Besides iron, the body needs folate and vitamin B-12 to make enough and healthy red blood cells. A diet that doesn’t have enough of these and other key nutrients can result in the body not making enough red blood cells.
Also, some people can’t absorb vitamin B-12. This can lead to vitamin deficiency anemia, also called pernicious anemia.
Anemia of inflammation:Â Diseases that because ongoing inflammation can keep the body from making enough red blood cells. Examples are cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease.
Aplastic anemia: This rare, life threatening anemia occurs when the body doesn’t make enough new blood cells. Causes of aplastic anemia include infections, certain medicines, autoimmune diseases and being in contact with toxic chemical channels. Â
Sickle cell anemia: This inherited and sometime serious condition is a type of hemolytic anemia. An unusual hemoglobin forces red blood cells into an unusual crescent shape, called a sickle. These irregular blood cells die to soon. That causes an ongoing shortage of red blood cells.
Risk Factors:
These factors can increase the risk of anemia.
A diet that doesn’t have enough of certain vitamins and minerals. Not getting enough iron, vitamin B-12 and folate increases the risk of this disease.
Problems with the small intestine. Having a condition that affects how the small intestine takes in nutrients increases the risk of this disease. Examples are Crohn’s disease and celiac disease.
Menstrual periods. In general, having heavy periods can create a risk of it. Having periods causes the loss of red blood cells.
Pregnancy. Pregnant people who don’t take a multivitamin with folic acid and iron are at an increased risk of this disease.
Ongoing, called chronic, conditions. Having cancer, kidney failure, diabetes or another chronic condition increases the risk of anemia of chronic disease. These conditions can lead to having too few red blood cells.
Family history. Having a family member with a type of anemia passed through families, called inherited, can increase the risk of inherited anemias, such as sickle cell anemia.
Age. People over age 65 are at increased risk of this disease.
Other factors. A history of certain infections, blood diseases and autoimmune conditions increases the risk of anemia. Drinking too much alcohol, being around toxic chemicals, and taking some medicines can affect the making of red blood cells and lead to it.
Diagnosis:
To diagnose this disease, your health care provider is likely to ask you about your medical and family history, do a physical exam, and order blood tests. Tests might include:
Complete blood count CBC:
A CBC is used to count the number of blood cells in the sample of blood. For this disease, the test measures the amount of red blood cells in the blood, called hematocrit, and the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
A test to show the size and shape of the red blood cells:
This test looks or determine the size, shape and color of red blood cells.
Other diagnostic tests:
If you get a diagnose of this severe disease, you might need more tests to find the cause. Sometimes, it can be necessary to study a sample of bone marrow to diagnose it
Treatment:
The treatment of this disease depends on the cause:
Iron deficiency anemia: Treatment for this form of anemia usually involves taking iron supplements and changing the diet. If the cause of iron deficiency is loss of blood, finding the source of the bleeding and stopping it is needed. This might involve surgery.
Vitamin deficiency anemia: Treatment for folic acid and vitamin B-12 deficiency involves dietary supplements and increasing these nutrients in the diet.
Anemia of chronic disease. Treatment for this type focuses on the disease that’s causing it. If symptoms become severe, treatment might include getting blood, called a transfusion, or shots of a hormone called erythropoietin.
Aplastic anemia. Treatment for this type can include blood transfusions to boost levels of red blood cells. A bone marrow transplant might be needed if bone marrow can’t make healthy blood cells.
Sickle cell anemia. Treatment might include oxygen, pain relievers, and hydration with fluids given through a vein, called intravenous, to reduce pain and prevent complications. Receiving blood, called a transfusion, and taking folic acid supplements and antibiotics might be involved.
Thalassemia. Most forms of thalassemia are mild and need no treatment. More-severe forms of thalassemia generally require blood transfusions, folic acid supplements, medicines, a blood and bone marrow stem cell transplant, or, rarely, removing the spleen.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.