Anaemia

Anaemia : Symptoms, Types, Causes & Treatment

Anaemia is a lack of Hemoglobin and red blood cells in the body. Red blood cells and hemoglobin, the molecules in red blood cells that make them red, are important because they carry oxygen from the lungs to other body parts.

Oxygen is very important to us and our body parts. So It is very important to find and treat the cause of the anemia as well as the anemia itself. Might be you have no symptoms of Anemia.

Symptoms of Anaemia

Anemia signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause and severity of anemia. Depending on the causes of your anemia, you might have no symptoms.

  1. You will be short of breath and feel tired, even when doing things you could usually do easily.
  2. You may also have a fast or irregular heartbeat.
  3. Have cold feet or hands.
  4. Look pale.
  5. Having fatigue.
  6. Chest pain.
  7. Feel dizzy or faint.
  8. Having headaches.

Types of anemia

There are three types of anemia

  1. Mild hemoglobin in the body is around 10 to 11 g / dL which is called mild anemia.
  2. Moderate- Hemoglobin is 8 to 9 g / dL it is called moderate anemia.
  3. Severe -Severe anemia hemoglobin is less than 8 g / dL. This is a serious condition, in which it is also the turn of blood transfusion according to the condition of the patient.

Different types of anemia have different causes. They include:

Iron deficiency

Iron deficiency occurs as a result of a deficiency in the mineral iron in your body. It requires the production of hemoglobin, the component of the red blood cell that transports oxygen to your organs. Anemia due to a lack of iron can cause a variety of factors, including:

  • The diet, particularly in infants, children, teenagers, vegans, and vegetarians
  • Certain medications, meals, and caffeinated beverages
  • Crohn’s disease, or if a part of your stomach or small intestine has been removed, donating blood Endurance training Pregnancy and breastfeeding use up iron in your body
  • Your menstrual cycle
  • Chronic slow bleeding, mainly from the gastrointestinal tract, is a prevalent reason

Vitamin deficiency

When you don’t get enough vitamin B12 and folate, this can happen. These two vitamins are needed for the production of red blood cells. The following factors might cause this form of anemia:

  • Vitamin B12 deficiency: If you eat little or no meat, you may be deficient in this vitamin. You may not receive enough folate if you overcook veggies or don’t consume enough of them.
  • When you don’t get enough vitamin B12, folate, or both, you get megaloblastic anemia.
  • When your body doesn’t absorb enough vitamin B12, you get pernicious anemia.
  • Medications, alcohol misuse, and intestinal illnesses such as tropical sprue are further causes of vitamin insufficiency.

Anemia of inflammation

When your body doesn’t have enough hormones to generate red blood cells, this happens. This form of anemia is caused by the following conditions:

  • Kidney disease has progressed to an advanced stage.
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Long-term disorders such as cancer, infection, lupus, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis affect people as they get older.

Aplastic anemia

When your body stops making enough new blood cells, you get aplastic anemia. You’ll feel exhausted, and you’ll be more susceptible to infections and uncontrollable bleeding as a result of the disease.

  • Aplastic anemia is a rare and dangerous illness that can strike at any age. It can happen all of a sudden or gradually deteriorate over time. It can range from minor to severe.
  • Medication, blood transfusions, or a stem cell transplant, often known as a bone marrow transplant, may be used to treat aplastic anemia.
  • Anaemias associated with bone marrow disease plastic anaemia causes harm to stem cells. As a result, the bone marrow is either empty (aplastic) or contains a small number of blood cells (hypoplastic) (hypoplastic). The most common cause of aplastic anemia is from your immune system attacking the stem cells in your bone marrow.

Hemolytic anemia

  • Hemolytic anaemias Anemia of this sort is caused by inherited or acquired illnesses that cause the body to produce malformed red blood cells that die too soon. (An acquired disease is one that was not present at birth.)
  • Hemolytic anemia can result from toxic substances or drug responses if it is not inherited.

Sickle cell

  • Sickle cell anaemia Sickle cell anaemia is one of the diseases that make up sickle cell disease. Anemia is an inherited red blood cell condition in which the body’s supply of healthy red blood cells is insufficient to transport oxygen throughout the body. The flexible, spherical red blood cells travel across blood vessels.

Pernicious anemia

  • Pernicious anemia Vitamin B12 anemia is known as pernicious anemia. Vitamin B12 must for the production of red blood cells in the body. Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy products are all good sources of this vitamin.
  • Vitamin B12 is bound by a unique protein called intrinsic factor (IF), which allows it to be absorbed in the intestines.

When weak red blood cells can’t survive the stress of passing through your body, they can burst, resulting in hemolytic anemia. It’s possible that you were born with this condition, or that it developed later. The causes of hemolytic anemia are sometimes unknown, although they can include:

As with lupus, your immune system is against you. This can happen to anyone, including a newborn or a baby still in the womb. This is well-known as infant hemolytic disease.

Anemia Caused by Destruction of Red Blood Cells

When weak red blood cells can’t survive the stress of passing through your body, they can burst, resulting in hemolytic anemia. It’s possible that you were born with this condition, or that it developed later. The causes of hemolytic anemia are sometimes unknown, although they can include:

  • As with lupus, your immune system is against you. This can happen to anyone, including a newborn or a baby still in the womb. This is well-known as infant hemolytic disease.
  • Sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura are all conditions that can pass on through your genes (TTP).
  • Spleen enlargement. In rare situations, this can trap red blood cells and cause them to be destroyed prematurely.
  • Infections, medicines, snake or spider venom, or particular foods can all place a burden on your body.
  • Toxins are created when a person has advanced liver or kidney disease.
  • Vascular grafts, prosthetic heart valves, malignancies, severe burns, exposure to specific chemicals, severe hypertension, and coagulation problems are all things that might cause a clotting issue

Risk factors

You’re more likely to get anemia if you have these factors:

A vitamin and mineral deficiency in the diet

Anemia is more likely if your diet is persistently deficient in iron, vitamin B-12, folate, and copper.

Intestinal disorders

Anemia can develop if you have an intestinal problem that prevents nutrients from absorbing in your small intestines, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease.

Menstruation

Iron deficiency anemia is more common in women who haven’t gone through menopause than in men and postmenopausal women. Its cells are lost during menstruation.

Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant and don’t take a multivitamin with folic acid and iron, you’re more likely to develop anemia.

Chronic conditions

You may be at risk for chronic disease anemia if you have cancer, kidney failure, or another chronic ailment. Red blood cell shortages can occur as a result of certain situations. Iron deficiency anemia is caused by slow, chronic blood loss from an ulcer or other source within your body depleting your body’s reserve of iron.

Family history

If your family has a history of hereditary anemias like sickle cell anemia, you may be at a higher risk of developing the disease.

Other factors

Anemia is more likely if you have a history of certain illnesses, blood diseases, or autoimmune disorders. Anemia can be caused by a variety of factors, including alcoholism, harmful chemical exposure, and the use of certain drugs.

Age

Anemia is more common in people over the age of 65.

Complications

Anemia, if left untreated, can lead to a variety of health issues, including:

Extreme fatigue-Severe anemia might leave you exhausted and unable to conduct daily duties.

Pregnancy complications-Pregnant women suffering from folate deficiency anemia are more likely to experience difficulties, such as early birth.

Heart problems– A rapid or erratic heartbeat can be caused by anemia (arrhythmia). Anemia causes your heart to pump more blood to compensate for the shortage of oxygen in your blood. This can lead to cardiac failure or an enlarged heart.

Death– Some inherited anemias, like sickle cell anemia, can have life-threatening consequences. Acute, severe anemia can be lethal if a large amount of blood is lost quickly. It is linked to an increased risk of death in the elderly

Anaemia Effects

Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable, with a higher risk of maternal and child mortality. Globally, the prevalence of anemia remains high, particularly in low-income countries, where an estimated one-third of young children and women of reproductive age are anemic.

Anemia caused by iron deficiency has been demonstrated to influence children’s cognitive and physical development, as well as adults’ productivity.

Anaemia is a sign of poor nutrition as well as bad health. It’s bad enough on its own, but it has the potential to exacerbate other global nutritional issues including stunting and wasting, low birth weight, and childhood overweight and obesity due to a lack of energy to exercise. Anemia, poor school performance in children, and reduced work productivity in adults can have further social and economic consequences for the individual and family.

If you have any of these symptoms, then It is very important to meet your doctor otherwise anemia can worsen with worsening symptom

One can become anaemic if:

  1. when our body doesn’t make enough healthy red blood cells in our bone marrow – this can be due to a bone marrow disease or inherited disease.
  2. lose red blood cells through bleeding, whether that be heavy periods, one so slow, or a fast bleed you didn’t even notice it.
  3. If a person has a disease that destroys red blood cells.
  4. lack of the nutrients required to make hemoglobin, such as iron.

Diagnosis of Anemia:

Anemia is usually diagnosed with a blood test. If you have anemia, your doctor will talk to you and examine you to work out how severe the anemia is, and what the cause could be. The doctor might ask you for more tests depending on your condition.

Your red blood cells, hemoglobin, and other components of your blood will be measured in a complete blood count (CBC) test. Following the CBC, your doctor will inquire about your family history and medical history. They’ll almost certainly conduct certain tests, including:

  • Count your white blood cells, assess the shape of your red blood cells, and look for atypical cells with a blood smear or differential.
  • Check for immature red blood cells with a reticulocyte count.

Causes of anaemia

Anemia can occur for a number of reasons.

  • Stomach ulcers or inflammation can cause anemia.
  • Women become anemic due to excessive bleeding during menstruation.
  • Lack of vitamins in the body can cause anemia.
  • An excessive amount of iron in the body causes anemia.
  • A person suffering from kidney disease may have anemia.
  • Chronic diseases like diabetes, lupus, and infection cause anemia.
  • Due to old age, anemia occurs in the body (lack of blood).
  • Due to the disease of hemorrhoids, the person complains of anemia in the body.
  • Repeated pregnancies.
  • Bleeding with defecation, vomiting, cough
    Bleeding from the body (excessive bleeding in accidents, injuries, wounds, etc.)

Treatment of anemia:

The treatment depends on the cause. But there are usually two parts:

  1. Treating the anemia itself.
  2. Treating the cause of the anemia.

Anemia is treated depending on the type of anemia.

  • If anemia has occurred due to vitamin deficiency, then doctors advise patients to take a diet rich in vitamins. In some cases, doctors recommend injecting patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. This injection may take 1 month or a lifetime depending on the patient’s condition.
  • If anemia has occurred due to iron deficiency, then the doctor advises the patient to take iron-rich substances in the diet. If the bleeding did not occur due to menstrual bleeding or due to some other reason, then the doctor decides to perform surgery.
  • To treat aplastic anemia the doctor advises the patient to exchange blood to increase red blood cells.
  • To treat sickle cell anemia, oxygen, painkillers, doses of some medicines to reduce pain complications and some injections are given intravenously.
  • Anemia related to bone marrow is treated by medication, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation.
  • Severe anemia can treated by blood transfusions or removal of the spleen.
  • For the treatment of anemia caused by a long-running disease, doctors will first try to treat the disease. In severe cases, blood will be exchanged or synthetic erythropoietin is a type of protein that can be injected into the kidneys to produce.
  • The person should be treated for the infection before anemia can be treated. So that the infection does not contaminate the blood.
  • Special care should be taken to keep the body clean at all times. So that more diseases cannot enter the body.

Prevention of anemia:

Certain types of anemia, such as hereditary anemia, are unavoidable. Iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, and vitamin B9 deficiency can all cause anemia, however, eating a nutritious diet can help prevent this. This involves eating a diet rich in iron- and vitamin-rich meals, as well as vitamin C-rich foods, to help with absorption. Check to see if you are receiving enough water. Several studies have demonstrated that this aids in the maintenance of hemoglobin levels.

Consuming foods with iron

Eating foods with high levels of iron, such as lean meat, chicken, dark leafy vegetables, and beans can increase iron levels.

Ensuring enough vitamin C

Drinks and foods with vitamin C like orange juice, strawberries, and broccoli can help the body absorb iron. These also help increase iron absorption.

Balanced diet

Iron can be obtained through a well-balanced diet.

Limiting coffee or tea with meals

If you drink coffee and tea with meals, they can make it difficult for your body to absorb iron.

Treating blood loss

Blood Loss Causes Anemia Fluids, a blood transfusion, oxygen, and maybe iron may help your body generate new red blood cells if you lose a substantial amount of blood suddenly.

If you’re worried about obtaining enough vitamins and minerals from your diet, talk to your doctor about taking a multivitamin.

You can reduce your chances of getting anemia by:

  • Vitamin C-rich foods increase iron absorption. Some rich sources of vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, papaya, spinach, broccoli, and dark green leafy vegetables.
  • If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about your diet and whether or not supplements are necessary.
  • If you should take vitamin C, consult your doctor or a nutritionist. Vitamin C increases stomach acidity, which may help you absorb more iron from select iron-fortified cereals and breads.
  • Carefully follow safety guidelines if your occupation involves work with lead-containing materials such as batteries, petroleum, and paint.
  • Ask your doctor or local public health authorities about getting your dishes and other eating utensils tested for lead. your food.
  • Decrease your consumption of caffeinated products and tea. These substances can decrease iron absorption. Other offenders include fiber, large amounts of calcium, and the phytates found in some vegetables.
  • Select iron-fortified cereals and breads.
  • Carefully follow safety guidelines if your occupation involves work with lead-containing materials such as batteries, petroleum, and paint.
  • Ask your doctor or local public health authorities about getting your dishes and other eating utensils tested for lead.

Healthy diet.

Making healthy food choices is critical when you have anemia. When you eat junk food, you’re receiving calories but not nutrition. When making food selections, you must also consider any other medical concerns you may have.

Iron absorption has been demonstrated to be hampered by certain factors. Calcium and iron supplements should not be taken at the same time. You may also wish to avoid or limit the following items:

  • Beef
  • Poultry
  • Dark, Leafy Greens
  • Fish
  • Shrimp and Oysters
  • Vegetarian Delights
  • Cereal
  • Eggs
  • Syrup Surprise
  • Nuts and Dried Fruit
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Chocolate
  • Dried fruits, including apricots, raisins, and prunes

In general,

You should eat foods that are high in iron and vitamins B12, B9, and C. This means that whether you eat meat or not, you may enjoy plenty of nutritious cuisines. Plant sources of iron include lentils, spinach, and pistachios. Iron is found in protein sources such as lean beef and turkey. B vitamins are found in whole grains and dark leafy greens. Some meals are even iron-fortified.

Citrus fruits:

berries, and other vitamin C-rich foods, such as peppers and tomatoes, help to increase iron absorption. When you have anemia, it’s a good idea to seek guidance from your healthcare professional or a qualified dietitian about the best foods to eat. Also, be sure grapefruit does not interact with any drugs you’re taking.

It’s critical to educate yourself on how to take the best possible care of yourself. It’s also critical that you and your healthcare practitioner work together to determine what’s best for you. If you need assistance designing a diet to help with iron consumption, ask for a referral to a qualified dietitian. Make sure you ask all of your questions so you can move forward with confidence.

2. If you are feeling unusually tired then consult with your doctor.

If you’re tired and don’t know why make an appointment with your doctor.

Fatigue can be caused by a variety of factors other than anemia, so don’t assume that if you’re tired, you’re anemic. When people donate blood, they may discover that their hemoglobin is low, indicating anemia. Make an appointment with your doctor if you’ve been told you can’t donate because of a low hemoglobin level.

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