Anemia Early Symptoms In Women

What Does Anemia Fatigue Feel Like?      

        Anemia is the most common blood condition in the United State. It affects almost 6% of the population. Anemic is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues. Having anemia can make you feel tired and weak.

There are many types of anemia, each with its own cause. Anemia can be temporary or long term, and it can range from mild to severe. See your doctor if you suspect that you have anemia. It can be a warning sign of serious illness.

Treatments for anemia range from taking supplements to undergoing medical procedures. You might be able to prevent some types of anemia by eating a healthy, varied diet.

What Is Anemia?

Anemia is defined as a low number of red blood cells. In a routine blood test, anemia is reported as a low hemoglobin or hematocrit. Hemoglobin is the main protein in your red blood cells. It carries oxygen, and delivers it throughout your body. If people have anemia, their hemoglobin level will be low. If it is low enough, your tissues or organs may not get enough oxygen. Symptoms of anemia -- like fatigue or shortness of breath -- happen because your organs aren't getting what they need to work the way they should.

Women, young children, and people with long-term diseases are more likely to have anemia. Important things to remember are:

- Certain forms of anemia are passed down through your genes, and infants may have it from birth.

- Women are at risk of iron-deficiency anemia because of blood loss from their periods and higher             blood supply demands during pregnancy.

- Adults have a greater risk of anemia, because they are more likely to have kidney disease or other chronic medical conditions.

There are many types of anemia. All have different causes and treatments. Some forms -- like the mild anemia that happens during pregnancy -- aren’t a major concern. But some types of anemia maymay reflect a serious underlying medical condition.

Are there different kinds of anemia?

There are several different types of anemia, but each of them causes the number of red blood cells in circulation to drop. Red blood cell levels are low due to one of the following reasons:

- Your body makes hemoglobin, but the hemoglobin doesn't work correctly.

- Your body cannot make enough hemoglobin (low hemoglobin).

- Your body breaks down red blood cells too quickly.

- Your body does not make enough red blood cells.

Some types of anemia that you may have heard of include iron-deficiency anemia and sickle cell anemia.

Symptoms of Anemia

To make sure your body’s getting enough iron, know what symptoms to watch for.

1. Chest Pain

When you don’t have enough red blood cells, your heart has to strain to move oxygen through the blood. Chest pain or shortness of breath is usually a sign of anemia that has become more severe. If you have chest pain, talk with your doctor right away. It’s a warning sign there may be a life-threatening anemia complication. Left untreated, anemia symptoms can lead to more serious conditions such as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and heart failure.

2. Fatigue

When you have fatigue, it’s hard to do everyday activities. Feelings of fatigue or weakness are among the most common signs of anemia, and anemia is the most common blood disorder in the United States. However, feeling chronically tired doesn’t automatically mean you’re anemic; many other conditions and lifestyle habits can cause fatigue. These include anxiety, depression, diabetes, low physical activity, and unhealthful eating habits. To help determine if anemia is causing your fatigue, your doctor can perform a simple physical exam and order a blood test.

3. Pale Skin

Pale skin in people with anemia is the result of a lack of red blood cells and a lack of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. When the number of red blood cells becomes severely low, there are not enough cells to reach the skin’s surface.

With the red blood cell count being so limited, the body compensates by funneling more blood to the vital organs and depriving other parts, including the skin.5 As a result, the skin may appear pale, gray, or ash colored.

4. Unusual tiredness

Feeling very tired is one of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency. This symptom is common in people who don’t have enough iron.

This fatigue happens because your body lacks the iron it needs to make a protein called hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen around the body.

Without enough hemoglobin, less oxygen reaches your tissues and muscles, depriving them of energy. Your heart also has to work harder to move more oxygen-rich blood around your body, which can make you tired.

Since tiredness is often considered a normal part of a busy, modern life, it’s difficult to diagnose iron deficiency with this symptom alone.

People with iron deficiency experience low energy alongside weakness, feeling cranky, or having difficulty concentrating.

5. Headache

When you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body, less oxygen makes it to the brain. The arteries nearby swell, causing headaches. If you have anemia, you may also feel dizzy or lightheaded or have trouble concentrating. Talk with your doctor about ruling anemia out. Know that if you are diagnosed with anemia, many effective treatment options are available, including lifestyle changes, medications to increase your iron levels, and vitamin injections.

6. Shortness of breath

Hemoglobin enables your red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body.

When hemoglobin levels are low during iron deficiency, oxygen levels will also be low. This means your muscles won’t receive enough oxygen to do normal activities, such as walking.

So, your breathing rate will increase as your body tries to get more oxygen. This is why shortness of breath is a common symptom.

If you find yourself out of breath doing normal, daily tasks that you used to find easy, such as walking, climbing stairs, or working out, iron deficiency could be to blame.

Treatment of Anemia

Similar to the symptoms, treatment of anemia also depends on its cause. Your doctor will run a blood test to look at components of your blood: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This will give your doctor additional information about the size and shape of your red blood cells and help the doctor determine the type of anemia to be concerned about and what further testing may be necessary.

Conclussion

Anemia occurs when a low number of RBCs are circulating in the body. This reduces the person’s oxygen levels and can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, pale skin, chest pain, and breathlessness.

There are over 400 types of anemia. Common causes are blood loss, reduced or impaired RBC production, and the destruction of RBCs.

The most common type is iron-deficiency anemia. It sometimes develops due to a diet lacking in nutrients, Crohn’s disease, or the use of certain medications.

A doctor can use a CBC blood test to help detect anemia. Treatment varies, depending on the type, but it may include iron or vitamin supplements, medications, blood transfusions, and bone marrow transplants. However, for some people with anemia, dietary changes can resolve the issue.