Causes of Anemia – What are the causes of Anemia? Symptoms of anemia in the body, treatment of anemia, Tests to detect anemia, tests to be done to know the status of anemia, What are the causes of anemia? Why does anemia occur? What are the causes of anemia in the body? Etc. In this article, we are trying to answer all the questions.
There can be many reasons for the lack of blood in the body i.e. anemia disease, such as lack of iron in the body, lack of vitamin B, lack of blood due to any disease like cancer, not enough production of red blood cells by the body. Loss of blood due to injury, destruction of red blood cells by the body, etc. In women, there is a lack of blood due to periods, while the elderly are more prone to anemia.
Keep reading this article for more information about this.
What is Anemia?
Anemia or lack of blood is a condition in which there is a lack of sufficient number of healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to the tissues of your body. Anemia means also called deficiency of hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is the main protein in the red blood cells present in your blood. Its function is to take oxygen and transport it through the blood to your whole body. If you have anemia, your hemoglobin level will also be low. If it is low enough, your tissues or organs may not get enough oxygen and you may experience symptoms of anemia – such as fatigue or shortness of breath. The amount of hemoglobin should be between 12-16% in men and 11-14% in women.
Symptoms of Anemia in the body
The symptoms of anemia are so common and mild that it is very difficult to diagnose anemia by recognizing them. Let us know the symptoms of anemia:-
- Dizziness, or feeling weak.
- Fast or abnormal heartbeat.
- Headache.
- Pain in your bones, chest, abdomen, and joints.
- Developmental problems in children and adolescents.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Skin turning yellow.
- Cold hands and feet.
- Fatigue or weakness.
Causes of Anemia | Causes of lack of blood in the body.
There can be many reasons for anemia in the body. webmd.com According to this, there can be more than 400 reasons for anemia, and to understand and treat them, they have been divided into three groups:-
- Lack of blood due to anemia
- Anemia caused by decreased production of red blood cells or malfunctioning red blood cells
- Anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells
1. Lack of blood due to anemia
There can be many reasons that can cause anemia in your body, including many diseases, medicines or physical conditions. Due to this, the blood keeps coming out of your body for a very long time, and you may not even notice it. These reasons include:
- Certain diseases such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, gastritis (inflammation of your stomach), and cancer.
- Certain types of anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen, which can cause ulcers and gastritis.
- The timing of a woman’s periods.
- Post-trauma or surgery.
2. Anemia caused by a decrease in the production of red blood cells or a defect in red blood cells
In this type of anemia, your body may not be able to make enough blood cells, or there may be something wrong with the red blood cells that are produced, causing them to not work as they should. One of the reasons for this can also be the lack of minerals and vitamins in your body. Reasons for this reason for having anemia:
- Bone marrow and stem cell problems (aplastic anemia) – Bone marrow and stem cell problems can prevent your body from producing enough red blood cells. Some stem cells develop into red blood cells in the marrow at the center of your bones. If there aren’t enough stem cells, if they don’t work properly, or if they are replaced by other cells, such as cancer cells, you can have anemia.
- Iron deficiency anemia – Iron deficiency anemia is caused by a lack of iron in your body. Your bone marrow needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of the hemoglobin red blood cell that carries oxygen to your organs. Iron deficiency can also cause anemia.
- Sickle cell anemia – Sickle cell anemia is a disorder in which your red blood cells, which are usually round in shape, become crescent-shaped because of a problem in your genes. The problem of anemia arises when the red blood cells of the crescent form break down early, due to which oxygen does not reach your organs. Crescent red blood cells can also become trapped in small blood vessels and cause pain.
- Vitamin deficiency anemia, especially B12 or folate – Vitamin deficiency anemia problems arise when you are not getting enough vitamin B12 and folate. You need these two vitamins to make red blood cells. Include foods in your diet that provide adequate amounts of vitamin B12 and folate.
Anemia caused by other chronic diseases usually occurs when your body does not produce enough hormones to make red blood cells due to chronic illness. Diseases that can cause this type of anemia include:
- kidney disease
- hypothyroidism
- old age
- Chronic diseases such as cancer, infection, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis
3. Anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells
When red blood cells are weakened due to autoimmune hemolytic disturbances in the body, they can burst during their function of carrying oxygen to the organs in the body, which is called hemolytic anemia. In this anemia, the body’s immune system starts attacking and destroying red blood cells. Sometimes, the causes of hemolytic anemia are unclear, but in most cases diseases such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can be the cause.
Tests done to know the status of anemia
A complete blood count (CBC) test will check your red blood cells, hemoglobin and other parts of your blood. Your doctor will ask about your family history and your medical history after the CBC. Some more tests can also be done.
- to count your white blood cells
- to check the size of your red blood cells
- to look for abnormal cells
- Reticulocyte count to check for immature red blood cells
Treatment of anemia
Your treatment will depend on the type of anemia you have and its cause. There are many causes, so there are many treatments available.
- If you have hemolytic anemia, you may need medicine that stops your immune system from attacking red blood cells.
- If it is due to anemia, then you need to get treatment for the diseases that cause anemia.
- If you have iron deficiency anemia, you will probably need to take an iron supplement and change your diet.
- Sickle cell anemia treatment includes pain relievers, folic acid supplements, intermittent antibiotics or oxygen therapy.
- If you have a deficiency of Vitamin B12 or Folate in your body, then you need to include such Ahara in your diet, which can be used to overcome their deficiency in your body.
- To overcome the problem of anemia caused by diseases, consult your doctor and take medicines to treat those diseases.
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