Once the reason you have anaemia has been found for example, an ulcer or heavy periods the GP will recommend treatment. If the blood test shows your red blood cell count is low, you'll be prescribed iron tablets to replace the iron that's missing from your body. The prescribed tablets are stronger than the supplements you can buy in pharmacies and supermarkets. Drinking orange juice after you've taken a tablet may help your body absorb the iron.
Try taking the tablets with or soon after food to reduce the chance of side effects. It's important to keep taking the tablets, even if you get side effects. Your GP may carry out repeat blood tests over the next few months to check that your iron level is getting back to normal. Keep iron supplement tablets out of the reach of children. An overdose of iron in a young child can be fatal. If your diet is partly causing your iron deficiency anaemia, your GP will tell you what foods are rich in iron so you can eat more of them.
Anemia may be associated with postpartum depression. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
While many people who are obese or overweight have a hard time losing weight, being underweight can cause health…. Strabismus is an eye disorder. It affects the muscle control in your eyes. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More. Fever in Infants and Children. Vomiting and Diarrhea. Home Diseases and Conditions Anemia. Table of Contents. What is anemia? There are a few other types of anemia, including: Aplastic anemia.
This occurs when your bone marrow has damaged stem cells. Your body fails to produce enough new blood cells. The condition affects your red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes it is called bone marrow failure. Hemolytic anemia. This occurs when your body destroys red blood cells before they should. The normal lifespan of red blood cells is days. Normocytic anemia. This occurs when your red blood cells are normal in size, but low in count.
Pernicious anemia. This occurs when your body lacks vitamin B It causes a shortage of healthy red blood cells. Sickle cell anemia a form of sickle cell disease. This is a genetic disease that affects your red blood cells.
It occurs when you are born with 2 abnormal hemoglobin genes. Symptoms of anemia Mild forms of anemia may not cause any symptoms. Anemia can produce other symptoms, such as: Paleness Shortness of breath Cold hands and feet Headaches Dizziness Fast, slow, or uneven heartbeat Brittle nails or hair loss Strange food cravings known as pica Contact your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. What causes anemia? There are three main reasons why anemia occurs.
Diet Your body may not produce enough red blood cells if you lack certain nutrients. Pregnancy People who are pregnant or breastfeeding can get anemia. The following factors may increase your risk of anemia during pregnancy: Vomiting a lot from morning sickness Having a diet low in nutrients Having heavy periods before pregnancy Having 2 pregnancies close together Being pregnant with multiple babies at once Becoming pregnant as a teenager Losing a lot of blood from an injury or surgery Growth spurts Children younger than 3 years of age are prone to anemia.
Normocytic anemia Normocytic anemia can be congenital from birth or acquired from a disease or infection. Your body destroys red blood cells early and faster that they can be replaced. You have blood loss that creates a shortage of red blood cells. Other reasons for blood loss include: Cancer Surgery Trauma Taking aspirin or a similar medicine for a long time. How is anemia diagnosed? Can anemia be prevented or avoided? Foods high in iron include: Red meat Seafood Organ meats such as liver Whole grains Dried fruits Nuts Beans especially lima beans Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli Iron-fortified foods like breads and cereals check the label Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron.
Foods high in vitamin B12 include: Meat and poultry Organ meats such as liver Fish and shellfish Eggs, milk, and dairy products Some fortified cereals, grains, and yeasts check the label Foods high in folic acid folate include: Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli Asparagus Beans Peas Lentils Bananas, oranges, and orange juice Pregnant people may be tested for anemia or take an iron supplement to help prevent it.
To help prevent your child from getting iron deficiency anemia, you can: Use iron-fortified formula Use iron-fortified cereal starting around 4 months of age Limit your child to less than 24 oz. Anemia treatment There are many treatment options for anemia. Examples include: Erythropoietin shots to treat normocytic anemia these can help your bone marrow produce more red blood cells Hormone medicines to treat heavy periods Antibiotic medicines to treat infections Medicines to help prevent your body from damaging or destroying red blood cells Other forms of anemia require intense treatment.
Read more about the causes of iron deficiency anaemia. Treatment for iron deficiency anaemia involves taking iron supplements to boost the low levels of iron in your body. This is usually effective, and the condition rarely causes long-term problems. You'll need to be monitored every few months to check the treatment is working and your iron levels have returned to normal.
The underlying cause will need to be treated so you don't get anaemia again. Increasing the amount of iron in your diet may also be recommended. Read more about treating iron deficiency anaemia. If iron deficiency anaemia is left untreated, it can make you more susceptible to illness and infection, as a lack of iron affects the body's natural defence system the immune system.
Severe iron deficiency anaemia may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs, such as an abnormally fast heartbeat tachycardia or heart failure , where your heart is unable to pump enough blood around your body at the right pressure. Pregnant women with severe or untreated anaemia also have a higher risk of complications before and after birth. Read more about the complications of iron deficiency anaemia. Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when the body doesn't have enough iron, leading to the decreased production of red blood cells.
Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. A lack of iron can be caused by several factors. Some of the most common causes of iron deficiency anaemia are outlined below.
Usually, only women with heavy periods develop iron deficiency anaemia. If you have heavy bleeding over several consecutive menstrual cycles, it's known as menorrhagia. This is because your body needs extra iron to ensure your baby has a sufficient blood supply and receives necessary oxygen and nutrients.
Some pregnant women require an iron supplement, while others may need to increase the amount of iron in their diet. Read more about vitamins and minerals in pregnancy.
The gastrointestinal tract is the part of the body responsible for digesting food. It contains the stomach and intestines. Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract is the most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia in men, as well as women who've experienced the menopause when monthly periods stop.
Most people with gastrointestinal bleeding don't notice any obvious blood in their stools and don't experience any changes in their bowel habits. If your GP thinks your medication is causing gastrointestinal bleeding, they can prescribe a less harmful medicine. However, don't stop taking a medicine you've been prescribed unless your GP advises you to. The acid in your stomach, which helps your body digest food, can sometimes eat into your stomach lining.
When this happens, the acid forms an open sore an ulcer. This is also known as a stomach ulcer or a peptic ulcer. Stomach ulcers can cause the stomach lining to bleed, which can lead to anaemia. In some cases, the bleeding can cause you to vomit blood or pass blood in your stools.
However, if the ulcer bleeds slowly, you may not have any symptoms. In a few cases, gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by cancer, usually stomach cancer or bowel cancer. If your GP suspects cancer, you'll be referred to a gastroenterologist a specialist in treating digestive conditions for a more thorough examination.
This means that if cancer is found, it can be treated as quickly as possible. If you're 60 years old or over and have iron deficiency anaemia, your GP should refer you to a specialist to rule out bowel cancer. Your appointment with the specialist should be within two weeks of your GP referring you. Gastrointestinal bleeding can also be caused by a condition called angiodysplasia.
This is the result of abnormal, fragile superficial blood vessels in the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause bleeding. People with chronic kidney disease CKD often develop iron deficiency anaemia. Most people with CKD who have iron deficiency anaemia will be given iron supplement injections, although daily tablets may be tried first. Other conditions or actions that cause blood loss and may lead to iron deficiency anaemia include:.
Malabsorption is when your body can't absorb iron from food, and is another possible cause of iron deficiency anaemia. This may happen if you have coeliac disease , a common digestive condition where a person has an adverse reaction to gluten, or surgery to remove all or part of your stomach gastrectomy.
Unless you're pregnant, it's rare for iron deficiency anaemia to be caused solely by a lack of iron in your diet. However, a lack of dietary iron can increase your risk of developing anaemia if you also have any of the conditions mentioned above.
Some studies suggest vegetarians or vegans are more at risk of iron deficiency anaemia because of the lack of meat in their diet.
If you are vegetarian or vegan, it is possible to gain enough iron by eating other types of food, such as:. If you're pregnant, you may need to increase the amount of iron-rich food you consume during pregnancy to help prevent iron deficiency anaemia.
Read more about vegetarian and vegan diets. See your GP if you experience symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia , such as tiredness, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Your GP may also carry out a physical examination and ask you a number of questions to help determine the cause of your anaemia.
To diagnose iron deficiency anaemia, a blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm and a full blood count is made. This means all the different types of blood cells in the sample will be measured. Your GP may also test for a substance called ferritin, a protein that stores iron. If your ferritin levels are low, it means there isn't much iron stored in your body and you may have iron deficiency anaemia.
Read more about blood tests. If your GP thinks your anaemia may be the result of a vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, the levels of these substances may be tested. Folate works with vitamin B12 to help your body produce red blood cells. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia is more common in people who are over the age of To determine the underlying cause of your anaemia, your GP may ask questions about your lifestyle and medical history.
For example, they may ask you about:. Iron deficiency anaemia is common during pregnancy. If you're pregnant, your GP will usually only look for an alternative cause if a blood test has identified a particularly low haemoglobin level, or if your symptoms or medical history suggest your anaemia may be caused by something else.
A physical examination will usually only be needed if the cause of your iron anaemia deficiency hasn't been identified by examining your medical history and asking you about your symptoms. A rectal examination is usually only needed if you're bleeding from your bottom. It's a common procedure that can help your GP find out if there's something in your gastrointestinal tract that's causing bleeding.
A rectal examination isn't something to be embarrassed about, as it's a procedure your GP will be used to doing. It shouldn't cause significant pain, but it may cause some slight discomfort — this will only last for a minute. Women may have a pelvic examination if their GP thinks heavy menstrual bleeding menorrhagia may be the cause of their anaemia.
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