Anemia: Symptoms, causes and treatment

Anemia is a blood disorder that is created when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. These cells are the main transporters of oxygen to organs. If red blood cells are also deficient in hemoglobin, then your body is not getting enough iron.

Anemia is usually detected or at least confirmed by a complete blood cell (CBC) count. It is the common blood disorder. There are several kinds of anemia, produced by a variety of underlying causes. Anemia can be classified in a variety of ways, based on the morphology of RBCs. It is found in the person when the number of red blood cells in your blood is low. For this reason, doctors sometimes describe anemia as having a low blood count

Symptoms of anemia:

• Feeling of restless and loss of energy.
• Fatigue -- occur because organs aren't getting enough oxygen.
• Unusually rapid heart beat, particularly with exercise.
• Shortness of breath and headache in exercise also
• Difficulty in concentrating on something

Types & causes of Anemia

1) Macrocytic anemia: Macrocytic anemia can be further divided into "megaloblastic anemia" or "non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia". The cause of megaloblastic anemia is primarily a failure of DNA synthesis with preserved RNA synthesis, which results in restricted cell division of the progenitor cells.

2) Microcytic anemia: Microcytic anemia caused due to hemoglobin synthesis failure or insufficiency .Iron deficiency anemia is the common type of anemia so it has many causes. RBCs often appear hypo chromic (paler than usual) and microcytic (smaller than usual) when viewed with a microscope

3) Normocytic anemia: Normocytic anemia causes when the overall Hb levels are decreased, but the red blood cell size (MCV) remains normal. Causes include:

• Accurate blood loss
• Anemia of chronic disease
• Bone marrow failure Aplastic anemia
• Hemolytic anemia

4) Heinz body anemia: Heinz bodies are an abnormality that forms on the cells in this condition. This form of anemia may be brought on by taking certain medications; it is also triggered in cats by eating onions or acetaminophen (Tylenol). It can be triggered in dogs by ingesting onions or zinc and in horses by ingesting dry Red Maple leaves.

There are more than 400 types of anemia found in the medical science, which are divided into 3 groups

• Anemia caused by decreased or faulty red blood cell production
• Anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells
• Anemia caused by blood loss

5) Dimorphic anemia: When two causes of anemia act simultaneously, e.g., macrocytic hypo chromic due to hookworm infestation leading to deficiency of both iron and vitamin B12or folic acid or following a blood transfusion more than one abnormality of red cell indices may be seen

Treatments of Anemia

To over come the problem of anemia,

1) A proper diet including green vegetables is must

2) Consult with doctor or physician to diagnose the type of anemia and treatment options

3) Take proper nourishments, vitamins and nutritional supplements - Iron, B12 or folic acid

4) infections treatment , inflammations or malignancies

5) Blood transfusions provide red blood cell transfusions for bleeding and/or severe chronic anemia’s can save the life of a person.

6) Red cell transfusions are the old mainstay, which offers the quickest relief for anemia’s provided proper consultation should be taken as several risks are associated with transfusion.

The blog contains main information about anemia, to know more about pernicious anemia visit http://www.peoples-health.com/pernicious_anemia.htm and sickle cell anemia visit http://www.peoples-health.com/sickle_cell_anemia.htm and find more on several other blood diseases on complete online health guide -http://www.peoples-health.com/blood-diseases.htm

Blood Diseases-Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Blood is the life-maintaining fluid that circulates through the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries. Because the blood performs many and complex functions, there are many disorders related to blood that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional. These conditions include aplastic anemia, bleeding disorders, as well as cancers of the blood.

Certain factors may cause Blood Diseases, diseases that affect the cells in the blood (blood cells) or proteins in the blood clotting or immune systems. Laboratory tests of blood samples are recommended to diagnose and monitor blood diseases. Because the liquid portion of the blood (plasma) carries so many substances essential to the functioning of the body, blood tests can be used to find out what is happening in many parts of the body.

There are a number of Blood Disorders prevailing these days. Some of them are Anemia, Pernicious Anemia, Sepsis, Sickle Cell Anemia, Hypoglycemia, Iron Deficiency Anemia and Leukemia.

Different type of Blood Disorder shows different symptom. Symptoms of blood disorders are often vague and nonspecific, that is, they could indicate a disorder of almost any part of the body. However, although no single symptom unmistakably indicates a blood disorder, certain groups of symptoms suggest the possibility. Such groups of symptoms most commonly relate to decrease in blood cells, such as a reduced number of red blood cells (anemia), a reduced number of white blood cells, a reduced number of platelets (thrombocytopenia) or increased numbers of blood cells

Disorders of substances (factors) responsible for normal blood clotting may result in insufficient blood clotting (manifesting as excessive bruising or bleeding or as small red or purple spots on the skin) or in the formation of abnormal blood clots (producing warm, painful areas in the legs or sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, or both). These problems may arise because the body does not produce enough of these factors, the factors are abnormal, or the body is using up the factors too quickly.
Doctors may prescribe different treatment options according to the type and stage of Blood Disorder.
A number of treatment options are being suggested like bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, Blood Transfusion, Chemotherapy etc.
When you think of a transplant, you may have an image of a major surgical procedure to replace a diseased organ. But stem cell transplants do not involve surgery. And the "organ" involved is bone marrow — not a solid organ such as a liver.
A stem cell transplant is the infusion of healthy stem cells into your body. If all goes well, these healthy stem cells take hold in your body and begin normal production of blood cells.

Treatment becomes less complex if the disorder is diagnosed at an early stage.


Author is running a health information site Peoples-health.com where information on several diseases like allergies, blood disorders, cancer, children’s health, digestive disorder, liver diseases etc. and tips on dieting, nutrition and improving lifestyle has been provided. To know more about symptoms, causes, treatment and types Blood Diseases