Anemia
Precinct therapist
Savelyeva Olesya
Experience 23 year
District general practitioner, member of the Russian Scientific Medical Society of Physicians
Anemia is a pathological disorder in the structure of blood cells, in which the concentration of hemoglobin is reduced. At the same time, the number of red blood cells decreases. Anemia is characterized as a secondary disease and is a symptom of other ailments. Let us examine in detail what anemia is, what are the causes of its appearance and symptoms, how anemia can be cured.
Anemia: symptoms, how to treat
The disease has a second name - anemia. This is a clinical and hematological syndrome that occurs when there is a lack of iron in the body. By itself, anemia does not develop, but it accompanies a lot of diseases, ranging from viral and infectious diseases, ending with oncological tumors. Therefore, if you experience symptoms that indicate the presence of anemia, you should immediately consult a doctor. During the examination, the doctor will be able to understand the causes of the pathology, determine the condition of the blood and prescribe treatment.
Signs of anemia
Some people call anemia iron deficiency. These concepts can be considered related, but they are not identical. A deficiency of such a component as iron is in about 17% of men, 50% of women suffer from deficiency manifestations. But not everyone has iron deficiency anemia. The doctor makes this diagnosis if the level of hemoglobin in the blood is less than 120 g / l. At the same time, the content of erythrocytes in the blood should also be reduced to 3.8 million / μl.
It should be noted that such anemia is considered to be quite advanced. After all, blood reacts to iron deficiency in the last place, at first there are not enough components for organs and tissues. This means that negative processes have already begun in the body. Therefore, it is important to detect early signs of anemia and start fighting the disease. The main signs are:
- the occurrence of muscle weakness. This condition is often attributed to fatigue, but if you notice deterioration in health and weakness on a regular basis, this may indicate anemia;
- hair loss and brittle nails indicate the presence of a disease;
- the skin becomes yellow-pale;
- there is a burning sensation on the tongue, as if scalded. Altered taste buds are also a sign of disease;
- in women, the menstrual cycle may change due to blood loss.
The presence of these signs indicates the active development of anemia. It is necessary to urgently improve the quality of blood, contact a doctor who will help solve problems with anemia. We will tell you which doctor to contact for anemia below.
Anemia in adults and children
According to the WHO, about 2 billion people worldwide suffer from anemia. Among them, most of the patients are children. 47.4% of preschoolers have a similar diagnosis in one form or another, 25.4% of children are susceptible to the disease at school age. Adult anemia is also common. For whom is it more dangerous? It is difficult to judge, because children are at greater risk, but in adults, the treatment period is slightly longer.
One of the reasons for the onset of pathology in childhood is rapid growth. The body requires more nutrients, the mechanisms of hematopoiesis are not yet fully debugged. That is why some experts consider this pathology safe in childhood. But this is not so, because with a deficiency of such components as iron, appetite is lost, the immune system suffers. This leads to frequent illnesses of a different nature, slow weight gain, inactivity. Iron deficiency anemia makes a child whiny and irritable.
An adult with iron deficiency anemia may develop a hypoxic coma. With a large loss of blood, it is fatal. It is important to treat the disease on time. As soon as symptoms of anemia are found, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will diagnose, improve overall health, detect and eliminate hidden threats.
Symptoms of anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is not difficult to notice, but most patients go to the doctor at the later stages of the development of the disease. This is due to the fact that for some time anemia does not make itself felt or the symptoms are not particularly disturbing. But, as we have already said, blood damage occurs last, tissues and organs are affected first. Therefore, if symptoms are detected, we strongly recommend contacting a specialist, undergo an examination and eliminate the disease. The following factors are the symptoms of anemia:
- there is a general weakness of the body;
- performance is significantly reduced;
- high fatigue appears, even if a person is not loaded with active physical or mental work;
- a constant state of drowsiness;
- mood changes regularly;
- the level of irritability increases;
- there is a lack of vitamins, you constantly want something;
- headache occurs;
- ringing or extraneous noise may appear in the ears;
- flies appear before the eyes;
- there is a terrible desire to eat inedible items;
- the disease is characterized by the onset of dizziness, even to the point of loss of balance;
- shortness of breath periodically appears;
- hair and nails become brittle, their condition and appearance deteriorate;
- pain in the heart with anemia;
- muscle weakness appears;
- with the development of iron deficiency anemia, attacks of loss of consciousness occur.
These are the main symptoms, but the body can signal deficiencies of some components, especially iron, in a different way. Monitor your health, if signs of anemia appear, we recommend not to ignore them, but to consult a doctor, investigate the condition and determine methods to eliminate poor health.
In our clinic, you will receive quality medical care. Specialists will conduct the necessary research, check the tests, with the help of diagnostics, determine the type of anemia and eliminate the disease.
Causes of anemia
The reasons for the development of this disease are many factors. Each of them can provoke blood disorders, but in most cases they attack simultaneously. The complex effect on the body leads to the development of blood disorders and iron deficiency anemia. The most common causes of anemia are:
- nature of food. This is the most popular reason and at the same time the most insidious. The problem is that you can always get the food set up, but people think about it last. Lack of foods containing iron leads to illness;
- a number of diseases that provoke a violation of the production of erythrocytes in the bone marrow. Anemia is accompanied by renal pathology, endocrine insufficiency, protein depletion, some types of chronic infections, as well as oncological tumors;
- hemolysis. This is a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed in the blood, their life expectancy is significantly reduced. This can only be determined by blood tests. In a normal state, erythrocytes should live for 4 months. But with certain pathological processes, their lifespan is significantly reduced. Against this background, signs of anemia appear and the progression of the disease is observed;
- violation of the absorption process and problems with the digestive tract. During their research, scientists found that iron absorption occurs in the stomach as well as in the upper small intestine. With pathologies of these organs, processes can be disrupted, anemia appears;
- chronic blood loss. The most important cause of the disease is blood loss of various kinds. With frequent bleeding from the nose, gastrointestinal bleeding, with menstruation and similar phenomena, there is a shortage of blood. In this case, treatment of anemia is required, otherwise simple health problems will develop into serious pathologies.
These are some of the main causes that trigger iron deficiency anemia. It is worth starting to monitor your health as early as possible. Despite the fact that anemia is characterized as a phenomenon, and not as a separate type of disease, it leads to harmful consequences. The blood does not saturate the organs with useful components, and they begin to malfunction. Having determined the presence of an ailment, you need to go to the hospital for an examination. The doctor will investigate the symptoms, determine the type of anemia, and prescribe effective treatment.
Secondary causes of anemia
Despite the fact that the study of the disease made it possible to determine the obvious factors associated with the appearance of a deficiency of erythrocytes and hemoglobin, there are other manifestations of it. They are in a latent form, many patients do not even suspect that anemia is associated with these causes. It:
- fasting and refusal of protein foods. Anemia is common in people who decide to become vegetarians. The body must receive trace elements contained in meat, milk and similar products. If you do not use them, you should find a replacement for them;
- spleen diseases;
- pregnancy. In this state, the hormonal system of a woman is greatly altered; research has shown that women during pregnancy are at greater risk of developing a deficiency of certain trace elements, including iron;
- blood donation. It would seem that people help others, they are checked whether they suffer from diseases. But it is this category of people at risk, and quite often the tests show pathology;
- doing professional sports. Due to high physical exertion, athletes often receive this diagnosis during routine examinations. This is due to the fact that the muscles "eat" a large amount of iron, creating the basis for the development of the disease. But due to an active lifestyle, symptoms do not appear as actively. Only regular examinations will allow timely identification of such latent anemia.
If there are any signs, it is worth reacting immediately. The longer the body exists with a lack of iron, the higher the likelihood of getting pathological problems. Modern diagnostic methods allow a number of studies to be carried out and to understand why symptoms appeared, what type of anemia developed and what options for effective treatment to choose. Contact the medical center and they will help you.
Diagnosis of anemia
A person suffering from anemia must undergo a diagnostic procedure. With blood tests, the doctor will be able to clearly understand the general state of affairs, determine the type of anemia, and find out the reasons for its appearance. Of course, you will have to pass a lot of tests, but this is necessary for a detailed examination. This is the only way to stop the course of the disease. With initial signs, immediately go to the diagnostic room.
How is the diagnosis, and what tests are needed for treatment
Diagnosis of anemia involves a detailed examination of the blood and the whole organism as a whole. Effective diagnostic methods include:
- general clinical analyzes;
- detailed laboratory diagnostics of anemia;
- when examining the number of red blood cells in the blood, you can determine the type of anemia;
- determination of the number of reticulocytes;
- diagnostics of hemoglobin level;
- determination of hematocrit;
- study of the width of distribution of erythrocytes in the body;
- diagnostics of the average volume of erythrocytes;
- analysis to determine the concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte;
- tests to determine leukocytes;
- determination of the number of platelets;
- diagnostics, contributing to the study of iron metabolism processes;
- determination of ferritin, which is a marker of inflammatory diseases.
In addition to collecting tests, the doctor examines the patient. A general examination allows for superficial diagnostics to determine anemia and proceed with further methods of examining the body. In particular, during an external examination, doctors notice changes in the skin cover, with the help of palpation, an increase in the spleen can be noticed.
To clarify any analysis and confirm the diagnostic results, if anemia is suspected, the following procedures are prescribed:
- fibrogastroduodenoscopy. An analysis of the esophageal mucosa is carried out, the condition of the walls of the stomach and duodenum is studied;
- ultrasound analysis of the liver;
- Ultrasound of the kidneys;
- examination of the condition of the female reproductive organs by analysis using ultrasound;
- doctors use computed tomography methods;
- X-ray analysis of the lungs is performed.
With this diagnosis, doctors will be able to see the complete picture. You should be tested to find out the causes of anemia in any form. Don't worry, the procedure is simple.
Which doctor should I contact for anemia
People try to fight this disease, but do not know which doctors help in case of anemia. Many people think this way: "I will turn to doctors only when urgently needed." But do not forget that the disease is already there even at the first sign. Let's figure out who deals with this disease and the services of which doctor will be required.
Such ailments are characterized by disorders of the circulatory system. Hematologist is engaged in research of these issues, analysis, diagnostics. It is he who can determine the type of anemia, the level of component deficiencies in the body, identify the necessary markers and make a diagnosis. Also, the doctor determines the ways to eliminate anemia. He will tell you in detail about contraindications, treatment, how to prevent any type of anemia, what to eat for such diseases.
Our clinic employs highly qualified specialists who know how to treat anemia in adults and children. Call us and find out the prices for treatment, detailed information on the analysis, body studies and other details. Choose your doctor and make an appointment.
Treatment of anemia
It is imperative to treat anemia. The question is, what methods of treating the development of anemia to choose so that they are most effective. The specialists of our medical center will select an individual program for you and prescribe the necessary medications. Anemia can be eliminated simply if you follow the main rules and principles of getting rid of pathology.
Main principles of anemic disease treatment
The principles of treatment of anemia disease are as follows:
- the iron deficiency type is eliminated by using components containing iron;
- if there is a lack of B12, this drug is prescribed, sometimes it is injected;
- in children, anemia is often caused by parasites, then a specialist prescribes antiparasitic agents;
- pregnant women are allowed to use folic acid and some preparations containing iron;
- an important principle is the combination of medicinal effects and nutrition. The analysis showed that it is because of nutrition that such pathology as anemia is actively developing.
Observing these principles, you can restore health in a short time. This should only be done under the supervision of an experienced professional. Only a doctor can prescribe drugs, it is unsafe to take them on your own.
Anemia is not a sentence: how to improve treatment
To improve health and speed up the healing process, the patient can help himself. You should know that this pathology is not a sentence. You can quickly get rid of it if you properly establish nutrition. Here are some guidelines to make you feel much better:
- the diet should contain cream, meat, butter. They contain a large amount of amino acids, proteins;
- green vegetables contain folic acid, greens, salads help well;
- to improve blood formation, it is recommended to eat carrots, beans, peas, fish, liver, oatmeal, and corn. Tomatoes, lentils, apricots are also useful;
- iron-fortified foods are needed. These are bread, baby food, confectionery;
- so that iron is well absorbed by the body, we advise you to eat honey;
- 1 glass of plum juice contains 3 mg of iron. It is an excellent product for increasing the level of this component in the body;
- the use of apples, pineapple, strawberries, viburnum will also have a beneficial effect on health;
- natural pomegranate juice helps to increase the level of hemoglobin;
- it is worth limiting yourself in the use of flour products and fats;
- tea and coffee can also adversely affect health in such a pathology;
- exclude dishes containing vinegar, pickle, and alcohol.
- These recommendations will allow you to establish nutrition in case of pathology. The doctor will help you make the right menu, call us and make an appointment.
Can anemia be treated with folk remedies? We treat correctly
Many are interested in the question of whether anemia is eliminated by folk remedies. It is worth remembering that this is only a manifestation of other ailments, so you should initially get rid of them. Doctors help to eliminate pathology, but also recommend folk remedies.
However, there are a number of limitations: they can only be used under the supervision of a specialist. Observe the dosage exactly and not get carried away with herbal medicine. It will not replace a full recovery course. But it will still help relieve a number of unpleasant sensations, reduce signs of pathology, and improve blood circulation. Here are some guidelines:
- three times a day it is worth using the infusion of shepherd's purse. It is important to prepare the component correctly, your doctor will tell you in detail about this;
- helps infusion of stinging nettle. It is easy to cook it at home, it costs half a glass to drink, 2 doses are taken a day;
- wild strawberry helps, both fruits and leaves. It can be used in various ways, even just brewing a light broth in the form of tea;
- spinach and dandelion leaves also improve the functioning of the circulatory system. You can safely add young leaves to the salad, and in a later period, make decoctions and drink instead of tea;
- field horsetail also allows you to cope with this ailment.
The doctor will tell you in detail about the use of medicinal components of herbal medicine. Of course, they will not replace the main course, but they can complement it quite well. But it is allowed to do this only under the supervision of a specialist.
Indications for treatment
There are many indications for treatment and complete elimination of anemia. Iron deficiency must be replenished, otherwise health will gradually deteriorate. The indications for prescribing the treatment of anemia are as follows:
- well-being worsens without visible changes in lifestyle;
- an addiction to eating chalk, raw meat and other inedible ingredients has appeared;
- the sense of smell has changed, I constantly want to smell paint, substances with a pungent smell;
- the skin has become pale;
- there is a feeling of lack of sleep;
- there are cracks in the corners of the lips;
- when analyzing health during a doctor's visit, problems were found;
- headaches occur;
- the disease is characterized by loss of concentration, memory impairment;
- sometimes fainting occurs, a constant state of weakness;
- the reason for the treatment of anemia is increased irritability, mood swings;
- during examinations, heart problems, shortness of breath, arrhythmia are found.
These changes indicate that anemia is developing. You should pass a urine, blood test and undergo a recovery course as soon as possible. Iron deficiency pathology is quite dangerous, so it is not worth delaying treatment. But there are certain contraindications in which the standard method of eliminating anemia is not suitable.
Contraindications for anemia
There are a number of contraindications that make the treatment of anemia more difficult. The fact is that for a certain type of anemia, a set of pharmacological preparations is used. This is a great way to quickly restore health. Iron deficiency pathology is eliminated with folic acid and similar means. If a person is allergic to the drug, then there are contraindications for the recovery course.
But in any of the clinics you will be offered an alternative treatment for the development of anemia. Within the walls of our clinic, you will receive professional help from experienced specialists. Through research, the doctor will find an effective way to eliminate anemia.
Nevertheless, there are a number of other contraindications that make it difficult to eliminate any type of anemia. The main contraindications for anemia are as follows:
- allergic reactions to drugs against anemia (they will be determined by a special analysis);
- during pregnancy, the doctor selects alternative methods for stopping anemia;
- children's pathology is characterized by completely different factors, the doctor treats it in a special way.
In most cases, stopping anemia is easy. The correct diet, selection of drugs and lifestyle are paying off. If you are faced with a sign indicating an illness, the doors of our clinic are open for you. We will help with treatment.
Treatment prices
Many people are interested in the price of anemia treatment. It is different for all clinics, depending on the quality of service, staff experience, and the level of pathology analysis. The price in our medical center varies depending on the services provided. You can find out the cost on the website, as well as by calling us by phone.
Advantages of the clinic of JSC "Medicine"
In our clinic, anemia is quickly eliminated. This is possible thanks to the equipment that performs fast analysis and the specialists involved in research. The advantages of JSC "Medicine" are as follows:
- We have been dealing with anemia for a long time, modern equipment is used in the research and analysis of pathology.
- Experienced staff, highly qualified doctors.
- We make a quick and accurate analysis of the pathology. The price of the analysis depends on a number of prescribed procedures.
- Choosing the best treatment principles.
- We work on holidays and weekends.
- We conduct consultations, tell in detail about how to deal with anemia.
By choosing our clinic, you are choosing an excellent quality of service and good health. Call us and make an appointment with a specialist. Ask all questions to our consultant.