Anemia

Navigating Your Diagnosis

Anemia is the most common blood disorder, and is defined as having a low count of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body. When the blood is unable to provide enough oxygen, it often leads to feeling weak or fatigued.

Types Of Anemia

Microcytic anemia

This type of anemia has red blood cells, don’t have enough hemoglobin, resulting in smaller-than-normal red blood cells.

Normocytic anemia

This type of anemia is typically accompanied by a chronic disease, and results in not having enough red blood cells to meet the body’s needs.

Macrocytic anemia

This type occurs when bone marrow creates larger-than-normal blood cells.

What you need to know

From recognizing the symptoms to diving into treatment options, here is what you need to know in order to stay informed about your health:

Prevention

The main ways to prevent anemia include changing your diet to include food rich in iron, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and vitamin C as it helps absorb iron, and taking supplements as instructed by your healthcare provider.

Risk Factors

There are several risk factors to anemia, such as: a diet lacking the proper vitamins and minerals, problems with small intestine, having a menstrual period, pregnancy, chronic conditions, family history, and age.

Symptoms

The possible symptoms of anemia include: tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, pale or yellowish skin, irregular heartbeat, dizziness or lightheartedness, chest pain, cold hands and feet.

Diagnosis

In order to diagnose anemia, your provider might have you undergo blood tests to check red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, or mean corpuscular volume (MCV) count. Or they might have you undergo bone marrow tests to ensure the bone marrow is healthy and creating a normal amount of red blood cells. However, please note your healthcare provider might order more exams to ensure they are accurately finding the cause of the anemia.

Treatment

Treatment is directed at the cause of the anemia, and can vary from being prescribed supplements or medications. In more severe cases, you may require a blood transfusion, a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, or surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is anemia?

Answer: Anemia is a type of blood disorder that affects how your blood carries oxygen throughout the body.

What are common variations of blood disorders like anemia?

Answer: Common blood disorders include anemia, hemophilia, blood clots, and cancerous conditions such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

How are blood disorders like anemia tested?

Answer: Blood disorders are often tested using a complete blood count (CBC), which checks for abnormal blood cell levels.

How is anemia treated?

Answer: Treatment depends on the specific type and severity. Schedule an appointment to discuss a treatment plan that works best for you.