Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Red blood cells explained Causes of anaemia Symptoms of anaemia Groups at high risk of anaemia Diagnosis of anaemia Treatment for anaemia Long-term outlook for people with anaemia Prevention of anaemia Where to get help. Anaemia is a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells in your body. Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body using a particular protein called haemoglobin.
Anaemia means that either the level of red blood cells or the level of haemoglobin is lower than normal. When a person has anaemia, their heart has to work harder to pump the quantity of blood needed to get enough oxygen around their body.
This blood condition is common, particularly in females. Some estimates suggest that around one in five menstruating women and half of all pregnant women are anaemic. Red blood cells explained Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and have a life span of about days. Symptoms of anaemia Depending on the severity, the symptoms of anaemia may include: pale skin fatigue weakness tiring easily breathlessness drop in blood pressure when standing from a sitting or lying position orthostatic hypotension — this may happen after acute blood loss, like a heavy period frequent headaches racing heart or palpitations becoming irritated easily concentration difficulties cracked or reddened tongue loss of appetite strange food cravings.
Groups at high risk of anaemia Certain people are at increased risk of anaemia, including: menstruating women pregnant and breastfeeding women babies, especially if premature children going through puberty people following a vegetarian or vegan diet people with cancer, stomach ulcers and some chronic diseases people on fad diets athletes. Diagnosis of anaemia Depending on the cause, anaemia is diagnosed using a number of tests including: medical history — including any chronic illnesses and regular medications physical examination — looking for signs of anaemia and a cause for anaemia blood tests — including complete blood count and blood iron levels, vitamin B12, folate and kidney function tests urine tests — for detecting blood in the urine gastroscopy or colonoscopy — looking for signs of bleeding bone marrow biopsy faecal occult blood test — examining a stool poo sample for the presence of blood.
Treatment for anaemia Treatment depends on the cause and severity, but may include: vitamin and mineral supplements — if you have a deficiency iron injections — if you are very low on iron vitamin B12 by injection —for pernicious anaemia antibiotics — if infection is the cause of your anaemia altering the dose or regimen of regular medications — such as anti-inflammatory drugs, if necessary blood transfusions — if required oxygen therapy — if required surgery to prevent abnormal bleeding — such as heavy menstruation surgery to remove the spleen splenectomy — in cases of severe haemolytic anaemia.
Anaemia: my doctor says I need more iron , Dietitians Association of Australia. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? If your doctor suspects that bleeding in your stomach or intestines is causing your anemia, you will have tests to determine the cause of the bleeding.
These may include:. If blood tests don't find the problem, you may need a test called a bone marrow aspiration. Bone marrow aspiration removes a small amount of bone marrow fluid through a needle inserted into the bone.
Because iron is stored in the bone marrow, this test can provide a good idea of how much iron is in the body. But bone marrow aspirations are not done very often.
Treatment for iron deficiency anemia focuses on increasing your iron stores so they reach normal levels and identifying and controlling any conditions that caused the anemia. If your anemia is caused by:. Taking iron supplement pills and getting enough iron in your food will correct most cases of iron deficiency anemia.
You usually take iron pills 1 to 3 times a day. To get the most benefit from the pills, take them with vitamin C ascorbic acid pills or orange juice. Vitamin C helps your body absorb more iron. Most people start to feel better within a few days of beginning treatment. Even though you feel better, you will need to keep taking the pills for several months to build up your iron stores. Sometimes it takes up to 6 months of treatment with iron supplements before iron levels return to normal.
You may need to get iron through an IV if you have problems with the iron pills or if your body doesn't absorb enough iron from food or iron pills. If your anemia is severe, your doctor may give you a blood transfusion to correct your anemia quickly and then have you start on iron supplement pills and a diet high in iron. Usually, people can eliminate iron deficiency anemia by taking iron as pills and adding iron in their diet.
If your anemia is not corrected with these treatments, your doctor might do more testing to look for other causes of your anemia, such as new bleeding or difficulty absorbing iron from pills. These tests may be the same as those initially used to diagnose your anemia. If you suspect you have iron deficiency anemia, do not take iron pills without consulting your doctor.
Taking iron pills could delay the diagnosis of a serious problem such as colorectal cancer or a bleeding ulcer. If the anemia is not due to iron deficiency, taking iron pills will not relieve the anemia and could cause poisoning iron toxicity. It could also cause an iron overload condition called hemochromatosis , especially in people who have a genetic tendency toward storing too much iron in their bodies.
In some people, iron pills cause stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and black stool. Iron is best absorbed if taken on an empty stomach. But if you are having stomach problems, you may need to take the pills with food. Do not take iron pills with milk, caffeinated drinks, or antacids. If the side effects of your iron pills make you feel too sick, talk to your doctor.
He or she may know of another type of iron pill you can take. If you get iron through an IV, there is a risk of an allergic reaction. If you have iron deficiency anemia, talk with your doctor about taking iron supplement pills and getting enough iron in your food each day. In some people, iron supplements can cause stomach discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and black stool.
If you think you have anemia, do not take iron pills without talking with your doctor. If the iron loss is from intestinal bleeding, taking iron pills may delay the diagnosis of a serious problem such as a bleeding ulcer or colon cancer. If the anemia is not due to iron deficiency, taking iron pills will not relieve the anemia and may cause poisoning iron toxicity or iron overload hemochromatosis.
You can prevent anemia in babies and children by following recommendations for feeding infants and by making sure babies and children get enough iron. If you are pregnant, your doctor will test your iron level at your first prenatal visit, and he or she will give you prenatal vitamins that include iron 30 mg a day.
If you are anemic, your doctor will give you a higher-dose pill to take. Current as of: September 23, Rhoads MD - Internal Medicine. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: E. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
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Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Iron Deficiency Anemia. Top of the page. Topic Overview What is iron deficiency anemia? What causes iron deficiency anemia? You might have low iron levels because you: Have heavy menstrual bleeding.
Are not getting enough iron in food. This can happen in people who need a lot of iron, such as small children, teens, and pregnant women. Have bleeding inside your body.
This bleeding may be caused by problems such as ulcers , hemorrhoids , or cancer. This bleeding can also happen with regular aspirin use. Bleeding inside the body is the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in men and in women after menopause. Cannot absorb iron well in your body. This problem may occur if you have celiac disease or if you have had part of your stomach or small intestine removed.
What are the symptoms? As anemia gets worse, you may: Feel weak and tire out more easily. Anemia is when the number of red blood cells in the body gets too low. Red blood cells carry hemoglobin pronounced: HEE-muh-glow-bin , a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body. Without enough of them, oxygen doesn't get to the body's organs. Without enough oxygen, the organs can't work normally. Sometimes doctors do tests on the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the spongy part inside the bone where blood cells are made.
For this test, the doctor puts a needle into the bone to take a small bone marrow sample. The sample is sent to the lab for special tests. If you have iron-deficiency anemia , your doctor will probably prescribe an iron supplement to take several times a day. Your doctor may do a follow-up blood test after you've been taking the supplement for a while. Even if the tests show that the anemia has improved, you might have to keep taking iron for several months to build up your body's iron stores.
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