Signs And Symptoms Of Anemia

Anemia is defined as haemoglobin concentration in blood below the lower limit of the normal range for the age and sex of the individual. In adults, the lower extreme of the normal haemoglobin is taken as 13 g% for males and 11.5% for females. New born infants have higher haemoglobin levels and therefore, 15% is taken as the lower limit at birth, whereas at 3 months, the lower limit is taken as 9.5%. Although haemoglobin value is employed as the only parameter for determining whether or not anemia is present, the red cell counts, haematocrit(PCV) and absolute values (MCV, MCH and MCHC) provide alternate means of assessing anemia.

The main reason for anemia is deficiency of iron in our body and the main signs of anemia are weakness and fatigue. Weakness and fatigue manifest themselves when the red blood cells in our body do not carry sufficient iron to the muscles. Lack of iron also has adverse effects on other parts of our body like fingernails and tongue. If there is prolonged deficiency of iron in our body, our tongue gets sore and swollen. Often with iron deficiency people get cracks on the sides of their mouths which can be quite painful. Iron deficiency causes our nails to grow abnormally and they end up getting a spoon-like appearance.

Many people experience hair loss because of low RBC count. This condition is known as anemia and usually iron deficiency leads to anemia. Many women have anemia and iron deficiency at varying degree. However, it might be worth noting that anemia and hair loss are a result of a more serious underlying medical problem.

Types & causes of Anemia

1) Macrocytic anemia: Macrocytic anemia can be further divided into "megaloblastic anemia" or "non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia". The cause of megaloblastic anemia is primarily a failure of DNA synthesis with preserved RNA synthesis, which result in restricted cell division of the progenitor cells.

2) Microcytic anemia: Microcytic anemia caused due to hemoglobin synthesis failure or insufficiency. Iron deficiency anemia is the common type of anemia so it has many causes. RBCs often appear hypochromic (paler than usual) and microcytic (smaller than usual) when viewed with a microscope

Signs and Symptoms

When one has anemia involving the red blood cells various types of fatigue, weakness, headache, dizziness, fainting, thirst, irregular heartbeat, feeling cold, sleepiness, bad memory, paleness, backache, depression, loss of appetite, and constipation can be ubiquitous. If extreme blood loss is involved then one may experience shock. However, if one is suffering with pernicious anemia they may experience general weakness, numbness, or tingling of the extremities, soreness in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

In anemia, there is either a reduction in the number of red blood cells in circulation or a decrease in the amount or quality of hemoglobin. There are many causes of anemia, including severe blood loss, genetic disorders, and serious diseases. (See iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia [vitamin B12related], and sickle cell anemia.) Anyone with unexplained anemia should have the cause determined by a qualified doctor.

Anemia goes undetected in many people, and symptoms can be vague. Most commonly, people with anemia report a feeling of weakness or fatigue, general malaise and sometimes a poor concentration. People with more severe anemia often report dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion. Very severe anemia prompts the body to compensate by increasing cardiac output , leading to palpitations and sweatiness, and to heart failure . Other useful signs are cheilosis and koilonychia .