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Types of Anemia and their causes

Excessive tiredness can be a sign of Anemia, so great care must be taken if this symptom persists for a long time.

Anemia is defined as low level of red blood cells, which are very necessary to transport oxygen throughout the body. The drop in the level of blood cells may be due to the following causes:

  • Blood loss from wounds, parasites and even very long menstrual cycles
  • The body does not make enough blood cells due to a disease in the bone marrow
  • Low production of the hormone Erythropoietin, which is formed in the kidneys, so kidney damage can also cause Anemia

Excessive tiredness can be a sign of Anemia

In daily life there are episodes of temporary discomfort such as mild headaches, dizziness and fatigue, which occur due to sleeping few hours, stress or poor diet. These symptoms usually disappear when we rest adequately and improve our eating habits and hydration, but when they cannot be completely overcome, it is time to go to a Specialist.

Excessive tiredness can be a sign of Anemia, so great care should be taken if this symptom persists for a long time. Next, we will explain what Anemia consists of, what its signs are, the treatment to follow and possible complications.

Recognizing the symptoms is not an easy task

This disease has the peculiarity of being able to present symptoms or not give any concise sign, so when it is suspected that you suffer from Anemia, studies are the only ones that can provide a true result.

The most recurrent symptoms are:

  • Dizziness
  • Chest pain
  • Pale skin
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Cold intolerance

Types of Anemia and studies to detect it

  • Iron deficiency anemia: this occurs as a consequence of a lack of iron in the body, it is the most common of all and the one that presents the least severe symptoms at first.
  • Anemia due to Vitamin B12 deficiency: this is the vitamin that produces red blood cells
  • Pernicious Anemia: when the stomach does not produce the enzyme that absorbs Vitamin B12, this type of Anemia occurs.
  • Anemia due to folic acid deficiency (megaloblastic): occurs when red blood cells increase in size due to deficiency in the absorption of this substance.
  • Anemias caused by Chronic Diseases: chronic infections, Cirrhosis either Cancer can greatly affect the production of red blood cells
  • Hemolytic Anemia: the immune system itself is what destroys red blood cells
  • Idiopathic Aplastic Anemia: the cause is not known because the stem cells that are responsible for the production of blood cells in the body are damaged. marrow I mean
  • Thalassemia: occurs as a result of a defect in the genes that control the production of the two components of hemoglobin, alpha and beta globins. It can be hereditary

The tests that Specialists must carry out to properly detect the type of Anemia consist of checking the levels of iron in the blood, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid among other vitamins and minerals.

You should also check the levels of Hemoglobin and Reticulocytesor red blood cells that have not reached the proper maturity.

Treatment and possible complications

The treatment depends entirely on the type of Anemia suffered.. In the case of blood loss, a simple transfusion can stabilize the patient. For those caused by a deficiency in iron or vitamins, it is indicated to take supplements that compensate for the deficiency. deficiency of these substances and thus help the body to produce red blood cells.

When Anemia is caused by a kidney problem, it is extremely important to treat the problem in that area so that the levels of the hormone Erythropoietin are normalized on their own or with the help of controlled doses of it. When Anemia is a sign of Cancer, a liver transplant can be used. Bone marrow.