ANEMIA CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT:

 

anemia causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment



DEFINITION:

When the body doesn’t produce enough healthy red blood cells, it has anemia. Body tissues receive oxygen from red blood cells.

 

anemia



TYPES OF ANEMIA:

Anemia can have several forms, including:

  • a lack of vitamin B12 causes anemia
  • Folate (folic acid) deficiency causes anemia
  • Anemia brought caused by a lack of iron
  • chronic diseased anemia
  • Anemia hemolytic
  • Aplastic anemia idiopathic
  • Anemia megaloblastic
  • Chronic anemia
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Thalassemia

 

The most typical type of anemia is iron deficiency anemia.

CAUSES:

Although several areas of the body contribute to the production of red blood cells, the bone marrow is where most of the work is done. The soft tissue in the middle of bones called bone marrow aids in the production of all blood cells.

Red blood cells in good health have a lifecycle of 90 to 120 days. Then, various bodily parts flush out old blood cells. Your kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin, which instructs your bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.

The protein that carries oxygen inside red blood cells is called hemoglobin. Red blood cells get their color from it. Hemoglobin levels in those with anemia are insufficient.

For the body to produce enough red blood cells, specific vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are required. Among the most crucial are folic acid, iron, and vitamin B12. 

The following reasons the body might not have enough of these nutrients:

  • Abnormalities to the stomach or gut lining that impact how well foods are absorbed (for example, celiac disease)
  • Bad diet
  • surgery to remove a portion of the intestines or stomach
  • Anemia may have various root causes, such as:
  • deficit in iron
  • B12 vitamin insufficiency
  • Folate shortage
  • certain medications
  • Earlier than usual red blood cell senescence (which may be caused by immune system problems)
  • Long-term (chronic) illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, ulcerative colitis, or chronic renal disease
  • Several types of anemia, including thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, can be inherited.
  • Pregnancy
  • Bone marrow issues caused by aplastic anemia, lymphoma, leukemia, myelodysplasia, or multiple myeloma
  • Gradual blood loss (for example, from heavy menstrual periods or stomach ulcers)
  • sudden, significant bleeding.


SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

Symptoms If the anemia is minor or if the issue arises gradually, there may be no symptoms. Possible initial symptoms include:

  • Feeling less strong or energetic than normal, especially after exercise
  • Headaches
  • difficulty focusing or thinking
  • Irritability
  • reduced appetite
  • tingling and numbness in the hands and feet
  • Symptoms that could appear as the anemia worsens include:
  • the whites of the eyes are blue.
  • broken nails
  • demand for ice or other non-food items (pica syndrome)
  • feeling dizzy when you stand up
  • light skin tone
  • breathlessness even during light activity or while at rest
  • Inflamed or sore tongue
  • oral sores
  • abnormal or excessive bleeding during a woman’s period
  • loss of male sex desire

 

sign and symptoms of anemia



DIAGNOSIS:

The doctor will do a physical examination, and they might discover:

  • cardiac murmur
  • Low blood pressure, particularly after standing up
  • Mild fever
  • White skin Quick heartbeat
  • Other abnormalities on a physical exam could be caused by some kind of anemia.

The following blood tests may be performed to identify some common kinds of anemia:

  • Blood levels of additional vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron
  • Thorough blood count
  • Count of reticulocytes

To identify medical conditions that may result in anemia, additional tests might be performed.

 

TREATMENT:

To treat anemia, one should focus on its underlying causes

  • Transfusions of blood
  • Corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medications
  • Using the drug erythropoietin, your bone marrow can produce more blood cells.
  • Iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, or other vitamin and mineral supplements.

COMPLICATION: 

Heart failure can result from severe anemia because it lowers the oxygen levels in important organs like the heart.