What is anemia?

Anemia is due to lack of haemoglobin in the blood which is below the normal level or due to less than normal levels of red blood cells in blood.

The haemoglobin helps carry oxygen in blood. Lack of haemoglobin thus causes deficiency of life giving oxygen to vital organs. (1-4)

Types of anemia

There are various causes of anemia. It could be due to:

Decreased production of RBCs in blood
Increased blood loss OR
Excessive destruction of RBCs
Causes of anemia
Anemia most commonly occurs due to nutritional problems. This includes lack of iron in the diet.
Iron deficiency is the commonest form of anemia.
In the United States 7% of toddlers ages 1 to 2 years old and 9-16% of menstruating women suffer from iron deficiency.
The poorer nations 30-70% of the people have iron deficiency anemia.
Iron and anemia

Since iron is needed for the manufacture of haemoglobin in the body its deficiency can lead to anemia.
Iron is found in meat, dried fruit and some vegetables.
Lack of iron may be caused due to bleeding especially in stomach ulcers or within the intestines.
Women before menopause commonly suffer from iron deficiency anemia due to heavy periods and increased demands during pregnancy.
Vitamins and anemia

Certain vitamins like vitamin B12 and folic acid or folate are also essential in the normal production of RBCs in blood. Their lack in diet may lead to anemia.
Both vitamin B12 deficiency and folate deficiency are more common in older people, affecting around 1 in 10 people above the age of 75.
There is an inherited condition called Pernicious anemia where patients find it difficult to use the vitamin B 12 in diet for production of healthy RBCs. This is a rare condition and affects 1 in 10,000 people in northern Europe.
Other causes of anemia

Increased blood loss due to surgery or major trauma may lead to anemia.
Excessive destruction of RBCs may occur due to certain conditions called haemolytic anemias. These are often inherited and include Sickle cell anemia, Thalassemia etc. Anemia can also occur in severe infections, cancers and due to exposure to a drug or toxin.
For example, the RBCs are made in bone marrow. If there is cancer in the marrows a shortage of good red blood cells results. This is called aplastic anaemia and may also occur with blood cancers like leukaemia.
Symptoms

Anemia signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause of your anemia. They may include:

Fatigue
Weakness
Pale or yellowish skin
Irregular heartbeats
Shortness of breath
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Chest pain
Cold hands and feet
Headache
At first anemia can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. But symptoms worsen as anemia worsens.

Treatment of anemia

Treatment depends on the cause of the anaemia. If the anaemia is due to a lack of iron, eating iron-rich food or iron supplements may be given. If, however, the cause of anemia is deeper like internal bleeding or cancers, the cause should be explored before treatment. When the anaemia is more severe, a blood transfusion may be prescribed.

Anemia - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Of It!

The lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood is termed as anemia. You may also be diagnosed as anemic is your red blood cells do not have a high enough hemoglobin count. Since hemoglobin is responsible for the amount of oxygen in our blood, being anemic results in a decreased flow of oxygen in the blood. 

There are 5 different types of anemia. These are:
1. Iron deficiency anemia: when the iron levels of the blood are lower than normal. 
2. Sickle cell anemia: when the red blood cells are shaped like a'sickle' and hence more fragile. This is an inherited condition. 
3. Thalassemia - when the body does not produce enough red blood cells or hemoglobin. This is also an inherited condition.
4. Megaloblastic anemia - when the blood does not have enough vitamin b12 and hence cannot transport hemoglobin through the body. 
5. Hemolytic anemia - when the red blood cells are rapidly removed from the blood due to an infection, medication or disease. 

Lack of oxygen can have a serious effect on the organs of the body. Hence the symptoms of anemia are also the effects of the disease. 
Some of these are: 
Lack of energy
Fatigue
Dizziness
Chest pain
Difficulty breathing
Abnormal heartbeat
Reduced attention span
Numbness of the hands and feet. 

Anemia can also lead to a number of major health problems such as:
1. Heart disease: anemia is directly linked to heart disease. When the blood carries less oxygen, the heart needs to work harder to pump it to the rest of the body. Thus, people who are anemic are at a higher risk of having a heart attack than a non anemic person. Anemia can also lead to arrhythmia or a condition where the person suffers from an irregular heartbeat. 

2. Pregnancy complications: one of the first and most vital supplements prescribed to a pregnant woman is iron. Iron is essential not only for a healthy baby, but also for your own body. Anemia caused by a lack of iron can result in premature birth and a number of other complications at the time of pregnancy. 

3. Increased risk of infections: lack of oxygen in the blood can affect your immune system by lowering its ability to fight infections. This makes the body vulnerable to diseases. 

4. Cognitive damage: anemia in children can result in a greatly reduced attention span and weaken their memory. Sometimes, even when treated, this can result in permanent scarring and reduced iq levels. 

Fighting anemia is not hard. Consult your doctor instantly if you recognize any of its symptoms and start eating food rich in iron to fight this disease.

Anaemia and How It Can Affect Your Health

Anemia makes you go low on energy. It is usually because your Haemoglobin is lower than normal. Normal range for females is 12- 14 gm & for males 13 - 15 gm. This technically means that the count of your red blood cells is abnormally low, so it can't carry enough oxygen to all parts of your body. This causes paleness and symptoms like generalized weakness, fatigue, low concentration, giddiness, and palpitations .
 
Follow these 7 home remedies to beat Anemia- 

1) Remember the ‘Apple a day’quote - it is more true for an Anemic than for anyone else.
2) Not just Apple, consume a ripe banana with 1 tbsp of honey twice a day. Honey helps in increasing the haemoglobin in blood. It is rich in iron, copper and manganese.
3) Soak handful of currants (munakka) for 4 hours. Remove seeds and have it every morning.
4) Mix a cup of beetroot juice, a cup of apple juice with honey and have it once a day. 
5) Have lots of green, leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage. Tomatoes are very good too.
6) Consume fruits rich in iron such as watermelons, raisins, grapefruits, tomatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries and avocados.
7) Non vegetarian sources are rich in vitamin B12, which also increases HB. Have egg yolk, meat, seafood like tuna, clams, catfish, salmon, oysters and sardine.

Click on consult privately to ask me any questions that you might have on Anemia. Wishing you good health.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones.


Anemia - It's more common than you think it is.

Anemia, as known to many, is a medical condition triggered by low hemoglobin levels. More than often, iron deficiency acts as a catalyst giving rise to anemia. While fatigue, headache, palpitations, skin pallor, and dizziness are characteristic of anemia, many people also suffer from hair loss. Here too, the iron deficiency acts as contributing factor interfering with the healthy growth cycle of the hair. In some cases, the hair loss may mimic the male and female pattern baldness as observed in the case of Alopecia. While anemia and the related hair loss can affect anyone irrespective of their age and sex, women of reproductive age, as well as teenagers, are more susceptible to this. In this article, we will discuss the anemia and iron deficiency induced hair loss in brief and the preventive measures to deal with the situation.

Anemia-related Hair Loss
In anemia, there is a significant fall in the hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin acts as an oxygen carrier to different body cells and tissues, including those of the hair follicles to ensure healthy cell growth and repairment. Low hemoglobin levels result in inadequate oxygen supply, one of the prime factors responsible for hair loss.

Ferritin, a storage protein (cellular protein) for iron contributes significantly towards a healthy growth cycle of the hair (stimulates the anagen or the growth phase). In the case of anemia, to meet the iron requirements of the vital organs such as the heart, the body starts utilizing the ferritin stored in hair bulb and other non-essential tissues. This dip in the ferritin level affects the hair growth. A ferritin blood test often helps in the diagnosis of iron deficiency and anemia.

Preventive measures to deal with anemia related hair loss
With the iron deficiency and the associated symptoms being taken care of, the anemia triggered hair loss can be controlled and reversed. In addition to the medications and treatment, one also needs to take care of their general health and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Never go for self-medication. It will only worsen the situation. Two individuals can have the same medical problem but triggered by different factors. Always consult a doctor before trying any medicines.
Follow a healthy diet: People dealing with anemia and iron deficiency should enrich their diet with foods rich in iron such as lean meat, liver, spinach, beetroot, nuts and dry fruits (walnuts, almonds), prunes, parsley, broccoli (the florets), to name a few. Foods rich in vitamin C, almonds, are known to promote hair growth.
Avoid drinking tea between meals as this unhealthy practice is known to interfere with the absorption of iron.
Maintain a healthy hair care routine
Oil massage your hair at least twice a week.
Be gentle while combing the hair.
Try and use a mild shampoo (or as the doctor recommended).
Avoid excessive use of hair styling products and chemicals.

Anaemia And Hair Loss - What Should You Do?

Thalassemia is a genetic (which is passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder. People with Thalassemia disease are not able to make enough hemoglobin, which causes severe anemia. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When there is not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells, oxygen cannot get to all parts of the body. Organs then become starved for oxygen and are unable to function properly.

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the type of thalassemia:

Thalassemia Minor: Thalassemia minor usually doesn t cause any symptoms. If it does, it causes minor anemia.
Beta-thalassemia: Beta-thalassemia comes in two serious types, which are thalassemia major, or Cooley s anemia, and thalassemia intermedia. The symptoms of thalassemia major generally appear before a child s second birthday. The severe anemia related to this condition can be life-threatening. Other signs and symptoms include:
fussiness
paleness
frequent infections
a poor appetite
failure to thrive
jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
enlarged organs
This form of thalassemia is usually so severe that it requires regular blood transfusions.

Alpha-thalassemia: Alpha-thalassemia also has two serious types, which are hemoglobin H disease and hydrops fetalis. Hemoglobin H disease can cause bone issues. The cheeks, forehead, and jaw may all overgrow. Hemoglobin H disease can cause:
jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
an extremely enlarged spleen
malnourishment
Hydrops fetalis is an extremely severe form of thalassemia. It occurs before birth. Most individuals with this condition are either stillborn or die shortly after being born.

Thalassemia - Symptoms Based on Types of Thalassemia 

What do we mean by the term Anemia?

It is described as a decrease in the total number of red blood cells, or hemoglobin in the blood, or a decreased oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.

How to know if an individual has Anemia?

An individual with anemia may show one or more of the following signs or symptoms:
Shortness of breath, chest pain, and headache are especially seen with exercise as the oxygen supply decreases
Difficulty in concentration which is mostly seen in children
Easy tiredness, fatigue, and loss of energy
Dizziness because of low blood volume leading to hypotension
Hair loss especially while combing, washing hair. Also, hair becomes brittle and dry due to anemiaInsomnia (lack of sleep)
Cramps in legs especially calf muscle 
Rapid heartbeat with exercise as the demand for oxygen increases during exercise, so your heart beats faster than usual
Craving for indigestible substances, such as pica, paper, mud, ice, dirt, etc.
Koilonychia (spoon-shaped nails or upward curvature of the nails)
Soreness and cracks at the corners of the mouth
Very heavy menstrual periods or irregular bleeding because of low hemoglobin count
Pale skin is especially seen over the palms of your hands and under your nail beds. Also, the conjunctiva looks pale
Anemia due to Deficiency of Vitamin B12 Dementia (loss of memory)
Tingling sensation in the hands or feet
Loss of the sense of touch
Difficulty in walking
Stiffness in the arms and legs
Delayed growth and development in children
Swelling of the hands and feet
Episodes of severe pain in the joints, abdomen, and limbs as the red blood cells obstruct capillaries
Anemia by Chronic Red Blood Cell Destruction/Hemolytic anemia

Jaundice (yellowish or greenish pigmentation of skin and sclera of the eyes)
Brown or red colored urine due to the destruction of red blood cells
Fever due to the destruction of red blood cells
Small bruises under the skin
Abdominal pain because of enlargement of the spleen and liver
Black stools due to the destruction of the red blood cells
Anemia Caused by Chronic Lead Poisoning
Level of lead in blood is higher than 50  g/dLA blue-black line is seen on the gums. It is also known as a lead line
Abdominal pain
Constipation
Vomiting
Investigations 

Complete blood count: This test will help an individual know the percentage of hemoglobin in blood as well as red blood cell count. Also, mean cell volume (MCV) is used to categorize anemia.
Serum Ferritin Test: Ferritin levels below 15 20 micrograms/L in a person confirms iron-deficiency anemia.
Total Iron-Binding Capacity: It measures the blood's capacity to bind iron with transferrin.

How Can Anaemia Be Diagnosed?

Don't wait any longer, manage your Megaloblastic Anemia online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Megaloblastic Anemia - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES