Anemia A Common Health Disorder!

Anemia is one of the most common blood disorders found in human beings. Blood is made up of red blood cells (rbc) which consists of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from lungs to various organs of the body. It is a protein. When the level of hemoglobin falls, the supply of oxygen decreases. Due to lack of supply of oxygen, the heart has to work harder to deliver the blood to other organs. in short, lack of hemoglobin in blood is termed as anemia.
? What are its symptoms?
There are many symptoms for anemia. The first symptoms of this blood disorder are paleness of the skin, decrease in the pinkness of the lips and nails. Depression, sleeplessness, fatigue, rapid heart beat, short of breath, dizziness, feeling cold/shivering, decreased appetite is the other common symptoms. The symptoms of anemia are very much similar to those of other serious diseases. So, it’s better to see a doctor and conduct a blood test. The count of RBC may indicate whether there is a decrease in RBC than the normal number.

What are the causes of anemia?
Anemia is caused by several reasons. The important causes of anemia are: - Loss of blood: blood loss is one of the reasons for anemia. It may be due to several reasons like heavy menstrual periods in girls and women, excessive bleeding due to injuries/accident, diseases like inflammatory bowel disease which causes long-term of blood loss may also be a reason for anemia.
Less production of RBC: bone marrow is responsible for producing red blood cells. When bone marrow fails to make enough red blood cells, anemia is caused. This type of anemia is called as aplastic anemia. Certain chronic diseases are responsible for low production of RBC in bone marrow. Iron is another source of hemoglobin. Because of iron deficiency, body cannot produce enough red blood cells. This is called as iron deficiency anemia. The other causes are, poor diet, vitamin deficiency etc...
? How to diagnose anemia?
the best way of diagnosing anemia is to run a blood test like, complete blood count(cubic) or blood smeared test, where in the blood is smeared on a slide of glass and the red blood cells are examined under the microscope to know the amount of hemoglobin. Biopsy is done to know whether the production of RBC is normal in the bone marrow. Biopsy is the only test to diagnose aplastic anemia. Iron tests are done to know whether the anemia is because of iron deficiency in the body.
? How the disease is treated?
Anemia may turn to be worse if not treated in time and may result in blood transfusion. The treatment of anemia depends on the cause. Those females who are anemic because of heavy menstrual periods are prescribed a birth control pill to regulate the bleeding. Folic acids and vitamin b12 supplements are prescribed to those who are anemic because of nutrition deficiency. The bone marrow is stimulated to make more red blood cells by bone marrow transplantation.
? How to prevent anemia?
Food items that contain iron, like iron-fortified grains and cereals, red meat, egg yolk, potatoes, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, poultry and fish if taken in required quantities anemia can be prevented. Anemia caused by any of the physical ailments mentioned above is to be properly treated.