Anemia is condition that develops when your blood has too few red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body, according to WebMD. If your body has too few red blood cells, otherwise known as hemoglobin, your body's cells don't get the oxygen they need and therefore can't function properly.
This blood condition comes in many forms, each with its own individual cause. Anemia the most common blood condition in the country, affecting about 3.5 million Americans. The blood condition can be lifelong or temporary depending on the form — and it can range from mild to severe as well. If you recognize any of these signs or symptoms of anemia, it's important to speak with your doctor right away.
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Causes
Some forms of anemia are seen as common, or even natural — like the kind of anemia a woman can experience during pregnancy or her childbearing years. But the Mayo Clinic explains that other forms or causes of anemia are much more serious, and they can last a lifetime. Either way, if you are anemic, you need to undergo treatment.
The different types and risks of anemia and their causes causes include:
- Heredity, like sickle cell anemia
- Women in childbearing years, who are more susceptible to anemia because of loss of blood from menstruation and increased demand of blood supply during pregnancy
- Older adults, who are at a greater risk due to poor diet and other medical conditions
- Iron deficiency
- Vitamin deficiency, like a lack of B12
- Chronic disease, like cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, Crohn's disease and other chronic inflammatory diseases
- Aplastic anemia, a very rare and life-threatening disease that is caused when your body doesn't produce enough red blood cells
- Bone marrow diseases like leukemia, which causes anemia by affecting blood production in your body's bone marrow
- Hemolytic anemias, which is caused when your body can't produce red blood cells as fast as they're being destroyed
- Women in childbearing years, who are more susceptible to anemia because of loss of blood from menstruation and increased demand of blood supply during pregnancy
- Older adults, who are at a greater risk due to poor diet and other medical conditions
- Iron deficiency
- Vitamin deficiency, like a lack of B12
- Chronic disease, like cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, Crohn's disease and other chronic inflammatory diseases
- Aplastic anemia, a very rare and life-threatening disease that is caused when your body doesn't produce enough red blood cells
- Bone marrow diseases like leukemia, which causes anemia by affecting blood production in your body's bone marrow
- Hemolytic anemias, which is caused when your body can't produce red blood cells as fast as they're being destroyed
Symptoms of anemia
The signs and symptoms of anemia differ depending on the type of anemia you have, but generally, as the Mayo Clinic explains, symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
- Chest pain
- Cold hands and feet
- Headache
- Weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
- Chest pain
- Cold hands and feet
- Headache
Treatment
Treatment of anemia depends on why you developed anemia in the first place. If you have vitamin-deficiency anemia, you'll have to get your vitamin levels in check. If you developed anemia because of low iron, you'll be prescribed a regimen to get your body the iron it needs. But if you have aplastic anemia — which is caused when your body doesn't make enough red blood cells — you'll probably require transfusions.
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You can't diagnose anemia on your own, so if you feel unexplained weakness — or any of the symptoms above — it's important to see your doctor right away to get diagnosed. It's imperative to your health to get anemia under control, whether you have a mild or severe form of it.