Among the many blood related syndromes people suffer from, Anaemiais a significant one. In this disorder, the blood haemoglobin count falls below the regular level. This haemoglobin molecule performs the task of carrying oxygen in the body. It stays in the red blood cells. When a person turns anaemic, his body tissues get lesser amount of oxygen. The consequence is fatigue, listlessness and a host of other medical complications in due course of time.
Causes of Anaemia
To produce haemoglobin, iron is required. The deficiency of iron is the most dominant factor that causes anaemia. However, the deficiency of iron is not the limiting factor and there may be several reasons behind it. It can stem from sudden blood loss or even for following an improper diet. Usually women after conceiving a child suffer from iron deficiency that eventually leads to anaemia. At times, like in the cases of homozygous E disease, the causes of anaemia might also be genetic.
Symptoms of Anaemia
One may be surprised to know that people suffering from anaemia often do not show any prominent symptoms for a long time. However the people suffering from this blood disorder often complain of weakness, lethargy, dizziness etc. When the disease reaches an acute stage, some other perceptible signs appear. These include palpitations, short breath, sourness of gums and mouth and headaches. In some cases, the skin color appears to be pale.
As a matter of fact, almost anybody can fall prey to this menace. Usually pregnant women are susceptible to this disorder. However anaemia can also affect elderly men and women, teenagers and even children. In most of the cases, it is seen that the affected people followed a diet that did not have adequate nutrients like vitamin B12, iron as well as folic acid.
Types of Anaemia
Apart from the regular kind of anaemia that is usually caused by iron deficiency there are many variants of the disease. The bone marrow of human body creates the red blood cells. If these get damaged by any chance, the generation of healthy red blood cells is thwarted. This leads to the development of a rare type of Anaemia and it is known as aplastic anaemia.
The red blood cells have a natural life cycle. If they are created and destroyed quicker than usual then it causes haemolytic anaemia. This variant of the disease has a record of being carried forward through generations in a family. Some people suffering from persistent ailments like inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and kidney failure may also develop anaemia.
Prevention and Recovery
Generally, newborn kids do not suffer from the menace but in cases of haemorrhage it may occur. If the blood groups of the mother and her child are dissimilar this disease can happen. Iron deficiency is the root cause of the ailment with kids and teenage girls. The treatments for anaemia are largely dependent on the causes. If the disease has stemmed from a deficiency of iron intake then eating food imbued with iron will be a good idea.
There are some food and vegetables that are rich in iron. Examples include eggs, red meat, dried apricots, spinach, sardines and wholemeal bread. One should also consume foods rich in Vitamin B12 like poultry, eggs, fish, meat, cheese and milk etc. Apart from these, broccoli, pulses, wheat germ etc needs to be taken since they have folic acid that helps in iron absorption. Often, taking iron supplements can prove to be beneficial. Vitamin C rich foods can also help the iron absorption by the body. In severe cases of the disease, blood transfusion becomes mandatory
