What Are the Symptoms Of Anemia?
The symptoms of anemia can vary, depending on the type of anemia a patient has. In most cases, anemia has a slow onset, and the body will compensate for lack of iron, masking the symptoms in the early stages and making anemia hard to identify. The condition can be diagnosed with the assistance of a blood test to check hematocrit levels, and if patients are experiencing any signs or symptoms of anemia, they should be sure to mention them to their doctors during medical exams.
Many symptoms of anemia can be seen in all cases, regardless of the cause. Pale skin, fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, weakness, shortness of breath, a sense of feeling light headed, chest pain, dizziness, fainting, and cold skin are all signs of anemia. Patients can also experience changes in stool color, nausea, and heart attacks. The longer the anemia persists, the more severe the symptoms will become.
If anemia is caused by iron deficiency, patients can experience strange food cravings, caused by the body's attempt to up its iron intake. B12 anemia can be accompanied by clumsiness, numbness, tingling, and dementia, while anemia caused by lead poisoning is accompanied with vomiting and a classic blue to black line on the gums known as a lead line. If anemia is the result of red blood cell destruction, patients can develop jaundice, dark urine, and leg ulcers. Sickle cell anemia is classically associated with susceptibility to infection, delayed growth, and fatigue.
Sometimes, anemia is associated with another medical condition, and the symptoms of that condition may present before the symptoms of anemia occur. Growing children, pregnant women, and people with a poorly balanced diet are at increased risk of becoming anemic. Patients who develop the symptoms of anemia should make time to visit the doctor to receive a blood test and medical exam to determine whether or not the patient is anemic and what the causes might be.
Treatment for anemia can vary, depending on the cause. Increasing iron intake is usually an important part of treatment to get the patient stabilized, so that the doctor can address the underlying cause. People who are anemic may be asked to refrain from donating blood and to reschedule surgeries, if possible, until their hematocrit levels rise. These precautions are intended to help the patient avoid complications of anemia which can be caused by dangerously low iron levels in the blood.
Written by S.E. Smith
