The doctors classify anemia in mild, moderate, and severe, according to the World Health Organization published hemoglobin levels. This average ranges of hemoglobin vary with age, sex, and pregnancy state. Also, different types of anemia exist. This division allows doctors to find the most probable cause of anemia with straightforward exams, such as complete blood count and blood smear.
Anemia is a disease that affects approximately a third of the world population. In this disease, there is a shortage of red blood cells or hemoglobin. The latter is the protein in charge of transporting the oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. The oxygen is essential for all the body functions. Its lack would end with multiple complications as it occurs in anemia.
More than a disease itself, it is an expression of an extensive list of ailments. Even though the most common cause is mild, and of easy resolution. It would depend on who is affecting and when. For example, pregnant women and children are more vulnerable to this disease and its complications, even if it is mild anemia.
What are signs and symptoms of anemia?
Anemia has its characteristics signs and symptoms, as we will see. However, it is essential to note that many others could appear because many diseases cause anemia. Therefore, slight differences among them would help with identification. Let us take a closer look.
The general anemia symptoms and signs are an expression of tissues without enough blood cells, hence oxygen. Most of the time, the patients are going to refer only as tired or with fatigue.
Furthermore, some symptoms could vary depending on the source of the anemia. Patients with iron deficiency anemia could have difficulty swallowing, chew or suck ice, brittle fingernails, erectile impotence, excessive fatigue, and out of proportion cramps in the calves because of climbing stairs.
Patients that have a deficiency in B12 could experience a painful sensation within the tongue, early graying of the hair, a tingling in the extremities, and a relative loss in the sense of body orientation. This last symptom is evident in patients that tumble in the dark.
Patients with folate deficiency could develop sore tongue, inflammation of the corners of the mouth, and floating stools, which do not sink when in the toilet.
Anemia has a wide array of signs. The list includes pallor in the skin and mucous membranes. Typically, these membranes are the eyelids and inside the mouth, which should have a vivid red color. There could be nail defects or yellow coloration of the mucous membranes too.
Sickle cell anemia has a different way to present itself. Besides the typical anemia symptoms, it has pain crises, which are horrendous for the patient to suffer. It can affect any part of the body and can last several hours. Also, frequently, patients with hemolytic anemia could have dark urination, abdominal pain, and leg ulcers.
Also, sometimes the source of anemia is severe or is indicating a malignancy, like cancer. The most common cause of anemia in the whole world is iron deficiency. Yet, the roots are too many.
The doctors classify anemia in mild, moderate, and severe, according to the World Health Organization published hemoglobin levels. This average ranges of hemoglobin vary with age, sex, and pregnancy state. Also, different types of anemia exist. This division allows doctors to find the most probable cause of anemia with straightforward exams, such as complete blood count and blood smear.
This tool is an anemia symptoms checker. It would help you to find out how likely it is that your symptoms are because of anemia. It is free, and it would only take a few minutes.
Originally Published on Symptoms.Care
