If you suspect you might have an anemic disorder, check yourself for the following symptoms and call your doctor for further advice. A sudden lack of energy and chronic fatigue are warning signs that you might be lacking enough iron.
Other health conditions: Chronic (long-term) kidney disease, inflammation from an infection, cancer, or an Autoimmune disease can cause your body to make fewer red blood cells. Certain medicines or treatments such as chemotherapy for cancer can also raise your risk of anemia.
Fatigue. Tiring easily, and waking up tired even after a good night's sleep, are common and potentially serious symptoms of anemia. This is due to reduced and compromised red blood cells that naturally cannot carry the required levels of oxygen to the organs – which, in turn, cannot function efficiently.
There are several different types of anaemia, and each one has a different cause. Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type. Other types of anaemia can be caused by a lack of vitamin B12 or folate in the body – read more about vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia.
The cancers most closely associated with anemia are: Cancers that involve the bone marrow. Blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma interfere with or destroy the marrow's ability to make healthy blood cells. Other cancers that spread to the bone marrow can also cause anemia.
Types of cancer most often associated with low hemoglobin include blood cancers, bone cancer, colon cancer, and cervical cancer.
People who do not get enough iron or certain vitamins and people who take certain medicines or treatments are also at a higher risk. Anemia may also be a sign of a more serious condition, such as bleeding in your stomach, inflammation from an infection, kidney disease, cancer, or autoimmune diseases.
What are the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia? People with mild or moderate iron-deficiency anemia may not have any symptoms. More serious iron-deficiency anemia may cause common symptoms of anemia, such as tiredness, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Symptoms can include: tiredness and lack of energy. shortness of breath. noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
There is no evidence that low iron causes blurred vision. However, low iron can cause retinal changes leading to anemic retinopathy. Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids.
Pernicious anemia causes the tongue's surface to look smooth and appear red instead of the pinkish color of a normal tongue. The tongue might also appear thick or beefy in texture. Some tongues might even be swollen or seem to have cracks.
As anemia worsens, your body can experience visible physical changes — your skin could become pale, your nails brittle and cuts may take longer to stop bleeding. Other symptoms associated with anemia include: Shortness of breath. Irritability.
Differences. Leukemia is a type of cancer, while anemia is a blood disorder. Leukemia can affect all types of blood cells, while anemia affects red blood cells. Anemia can be caused by a deficiency in iron or vitamin B12, chronic diseases, and inherited blood disorders.
Although aplastic anemia is not a type of cancer, it is sometimes associated with leukemia. It can also result from common cancer treatments, such as high-dose chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which can potentially damage healthy stem cells.
The connection between low iron, body weight, and hemoglobin is apparent when low energy makes exercising and burning calories difficult, causing weight gain. Conversely, iron deficiency anemia may contribute to decreased appetite, resulting in weight loss.
The last stage is iron deficiency anemia. It is characterized by a low hemoglobin concentration with small (microcytic), pale (hypochromic) RBCs. Symptoms include fatigue upon exertion, weakness, headaches, apathy, pallor, poor resistance to cold temperatures, low physical work capacity, and poor immune function.
Anemia occurs when there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your body's organs. As a result, it's common to feel cold and symptoms of tiredness or weakness.
Sustained stress is another cause of anaemia. Excessive stress hinders the manufacture of hydrochloric acid in your body, which is very important for the integration of iron and proteins. The deficiency of iron is equal to lack of haemoglobin and thus, anaemia.
What to do if you have anemia. If your red blood cell count is low, you should: Save your energy. Rest when you are tired.