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Anemia

Anemia: Help, Support and Overcome

Anemia Overview

Anemia is a disease that occurs due to the lack of red blood cells (RBCs) and lower hemoglobin count in blood. Hemoglobin molecules help to bind the oxygen to the blood which helps in good energy circulation. So, lack of RBCs and hemoglobin molecules affects the overall physical development and leads to various hemoglobin deficiency diseases. Hemoglobin molecules inside the RBCs carry oxygen from lungs to various tissues, a decreased RBC count initiates disease like hypoxia in organs since all the cells depend upon oxygen to survive and work.

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Anemia can be grouped into various types depending on morphology of RBCs, etiologic mechanisms and discernible clinical spectra. The main causes of anemia include: excessive blood loss, excessive blood cell destruction and deficient RBC formation. Anemia is mostly found in women, people suffering from chronic disorders, people having low hemoglobin count, pregnant women, and older people. Being anemic also depends on the genetic history.

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Anemic people feel tired, dizzy and short of breath. A person suffering from anemia can be seen to have a pale skin hue, and he/she might suffer from chest pain and persistent headaches. Anemia sometimes lead to irregular heartbeats called arrhythmia, in which the cardiac muscle might completely get destroyed forever.

Help and Support for Anemia

Anemia is caused by three main reasons. The first is anemia due to blood loss. Red blood cells are lost during profuse bleeding. If this occurs regularly and persists for a long time, then anemia might be the result. Secondly, anemia can caused due to faulty or decreased RBC production. At times, body produces less number of RBCs and some RBCs also do not function properly. This results in anemia. A decrease in RBC production can happen due to vitamin deficiency and lack of minerals in the body. Thirdly, anemia can be caused due to the destruction of red blood cells. When RBCs become fragile due to the circulatory motion in the blood, they are not able to withstand the pressure. So, they get ruptured prematurely. This might happen at the birth or it might develop later.

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Anemia can be diagnosed by observing the following symptoms: lethargy (sluggishness, apathy, a feeling of laziness), tiredness, dyspnea (lack of breath), malaise (a vague feeling that one is not well), palpitations (unpleasant irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart), poor concentration, chest pain, sensitivity to cold temperatures, headaches and hair loss.

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Anemia can be prevented by taking some initiatives to include adequate quantities of vitamins, minerals, iron, folic acid etc in the daily diet. Anemia can be diagnosed by getting a proper RBC and hemoglobin count through a blood test. Information on diet, medications, family history, menstrual cycle, blood donation also help to diagnose the disease.

Overcome Anemia

Anemia can be treated and overcome by certain treatments like blood transfusion; medications that support immunity, especially medications like erythropoietin help the bone marrow to produce more blood cells; maintaining a regulated diet that contains Vitamin B12, iron, folic acids, other vitamins, and minerals; and artificial oxygen delivery to the tissues in extreme cases.

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