Anemia

Symptoms and treatment of anemia

Most people think of diseases as affecting organs or system of the body—for example, coronary artery disease affects the heart and Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects the digestive system—but blood is also susceptible to disease. Common blood diseases include hemophilia, a blood clotting disorder, and leukemia, which is essentially cancer of the blood. The most common blood disease, however, is anemia.

What Is Anemia?

Anemia is a condition of the blood defined by a lack of healthy red blood cells. In addition, anemia may be characterized by a deficiency in hemoglobin, the structures inside red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Although a common malady in a number of individuals, anemia is still a potentially dangerous disease. All human cells require oxygen to survive, so severe or untreated anemia can have rather extreme adverse effects.

Types of Anemia

There are a variety of anemic conditions that can arise within the bloodstream:

Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder in which the red blood cells assume a sickle (crescent) shape, decreasing their efficiency. This can lead to a number of complications and often results in a shortened lifespan (usually somewhere around 45 years).

Hemolytic anemia is anemia caused by hemolysis, the improper breakdown of red blood cells. Jaundice is a common symptom of this type of anemia.

Aplastic anemia occurs when red blood cells are not produced in the bone marrow. It is a serious illness, often fatal if left untreated. Bone marrow transplants are a common treatment in children.

Pernicious anemia results from a deficiency in vitamin B12 due to the lack of intrinsic factor, which is required for vitamin B12 absorption from food. Although there is no cure, B12 injections often prove an effective treatment.

Finally, iron deficiency anemia, also known as sideropenic anemia, is perhaps the best-known form of anemia. It is very common and also easily treatable. As its name suggest, this type of anemia is caused by a lack of iron, usually as a result of poor or unbalanced diet. It may also be an effect of menstruation in women.

Symptoms and Treatment of Anemia

There are many symptoms associated with this abnormality of the blood, and these will vary depending on the type of anemia. Some common anemia symptoms include fatigue or loss of energy and pale skin. In addition, the individual may experience dizzy spells, a rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath.

Anemia treatment begins with a visit to the doctor’s office for testing and diagnosis. Once a diagnosis of anemia has been made and the type determined, the treatment can range anywhere from a proper diet to the use of supplements to, in cases of aplastic or sickle cell anemia, a bone marrow transplant.