What Are The Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Anemia?

What is anemia?

In people with anemia blood carries not enough oxygen. Therefore there will be enough oxygen in organs and tissues.

What are the signs and symptoms of anemia?

You can get different symptoms, including:

1. fatigue and a weak sense;
2. pale skin;
3. dizziness;
4. tinnitus;
5. shortness of breath;
6. brittle, hollow nails;
7. painful cracks in the skin next to the mouth;
8. a smooth, red tongue

In a severe form of anemia can cause heart problems. This is because the heart must work harder to pump blood through the body.

How do you get anemia?

1. Some people get anemia because their body produces too few red blood cells. This is what happens to iron deficiency.
2. For other people, the red blood cells are to be rapidly degraded. This is called hemolytic anemia.
3. There could be something wrong with the hemoglobin in the blood. That is so in thalassemia and sickle cell disease.
4. Finally, anemia can also be caused by bleeding.

A doctor can determine with a simple blood test that you have anemia. The treatment you receive depends on the cause.

What causes anemia?

Anemia can have several causes:

1. The body makes too few red blood cells by an iron deficiency. This form of anemia is the most common. An iron deficiency can be caused by long-term blood loss, lack of iron in feed, or by a damage of the small intestine, for example, after surgery or in celiac disease.
2. The body makes too few red blood cells by a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folic acid.
3. The bone marrow makes too few red blood cells (aplastic anemia). This is often due to the use of drugs, such as in chemotherapy.
4. The body breaks down the red blood cells too quickly. Often this is due to an immune response, the body creates antibodies against the red blood cells. This is a rare side effect of certain medications. It also occurs in some diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
5. There is something wrong with the hemoglobin in the blood. This is a congenital defect. Examples include sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
6. Anemia also occurs frequently due to blood loss, such as after surgery or childbirth, or after a period of prolonged or heavy menstrual periods. You may also have bleeding without you noticing it. This can occur during a disease of the stomach or intestines, or if you have long used certain painkillers, such as ibuprofen. Acetaminophen does not cause anemia.

What is the treatment for anemia?

Most forms of anemia can be treated effectively. Whatever treatment you get depends on the cause. The doctor will always first try to remedy the cause.

Do you have iron deficiency anemia example? Then you get iron tablets. Anemia caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12? Then you should take vitamin B12.

The anemia is a consequence of an (inner) bleeding? Then the doctor encourages the bleeding and stop it. Sometimes, surgery is needed. For example, to stop a kidney bleeding. Probably you also get iron tablets.

In severe anemia may require a blood transfusion.