Know the Types and Symptoms Of Anemia

In America, around 20 million people are found to be anemic owing to unhealthy dieting habits. This condition occurs when the person does not have enough of red blood cells in the body and thus the level of hemoglobin lowers down. Red blood cells and hemoglobin are said to be the prime carriers of oxygen to the rest of the body and a deficiency can have a negative effect on the patient.

There are different types of anemia:

1. Genetically passed through: this type of anemia is passed from one generation to another. It is also of two types: thalassmia major and minor.

2. Aplastic Anemia: it is one of the rarest kinds of anemia but it can be very dangerous also. This occurs when the marrow bone responsible for producing red blood cells fails to work properly and thus, white blood cells attack the bone marrow.

3. Sickle Celled Anemia: This type of anemia can also be serious. It is caused to due to lack of hemoglobin deficiency in the body leading to red blood cells becoming sticky and stiff, they assume the shape of a curve and sickle and thus restricts oxygen supply to the rest of the body.

4. Iron Deficiency Anemia: This is perhaps the most common form of anemia and is caused due to deficiency of iron in the body. Iron is regarded as one of the most important minerals needed by our body to keep it healthy. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin in the body. Thus it is important you have a constant supply of iron in your body in order to make way for the formation of RBCs. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when your body is unable to make iron in the right amount needed. Due to lack of iron, there is lack of RBCs and ultimately lack of hemoglobin the body.

5. Pernicious Anemia: This types of anemia is caused due to deficiency of folate acid and vitamin B12 in the body. This happens due to excessive alcohol intake or due to too much intake of oral contraceptive pills.

The symptoms of anemia can be mild and severe because they are dependent upon a number of factors. If you have mild anemia then probably you would not be able to know even. The utmost signs of mild anemia includes tiredness, weakness, your skin tends to become yellow or pale. However if mild anemia is left untreated it may become worse and the symptoms might then increase also. You might suffer from faintness, dizziness, increased thirst. There is weak pulse rate.

Symptoms of severe form of anemia may include shortness of breath, leg cramps or various neurological disorders like brain damage. At times it may even become a cause of severe heart diseases like enlarged heart or heart failure. Overall, the prime and major symptoms of anemia include the following:

Fatigue: This is probably the most common symptom of anemia. If you are feeling tired of and on, even when you are not working hard or doing anything strenuous, then probably you are anemic. This happens due to less oxygen being transported to the rest of your body due to low count of red blood cells.

Weakness: As blood is not reaching all the parts of our body, so naturally nutrition level too suffers thus resulting in weakness.

Fainting and Dizziness: Our brain also requires a sufficient quantity of oxygen in order to function well but if there is inadequate oxygen supply due to lack of red blood cells (RBCs are the prime carriers of oxygen to brain) then fainting is likely to occur.

Shortness of Breath: Due to lack of oxygen present in the blood stream, it causes our lungs to breathe faster in order to make up for the lack of oxygen and thus leads to shortness of breath.

Difficulty Concentrating: At times iron deficiency might also lead to difficulties in concentration.