Anemia is a disease characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, which can have several causes, from genetic alteration to poor diet, which usually produce similar symptoms such as dizziness, paleness, headache, weakness, dry skin and mucous membranes.
To identify and confirm the diagnosis of anemia, your doctor usually orders a blood test to evaluate the amount of hemoglobin, considered anemia when the value is less than 12 g/dL in women or 13 g/dL in men.other tests, such as hemoglobin electrophoresis, reticulocyte count, or stool tests, are needed to identify the correct type of anemia and begin appropriate treatment.
- Whatever the individual’s anemia.
- It needs treatment; if not treated.
- It can develop complications that lead to irreversible brain damage.
- Such as dementia.
- Stroke and cardiovascular problems.
- For example.
- Thalassemia is also a type of anemia.
- But it is genetic.
- And doesn’t cure Find out how to identify thalassemia.
Macrocytic anemias are those in which erythrocytes are larger than normal, usually seen in the VCM (Average Corpuscular Volume) test above the reference value, which is between 80 and 100 fl. The main types of macrocytic anemia are:
It is a type of anemia characterized by abnormal red blood cell size and a decrease in white blood cells and platelets, caused by low intake of vitamin B12, more common in vegetarians.In addition to classic symptoms, there may be stomach pain, hair loss., fatigue and mouth sores, for example.
How to treat: Increased consumption of foods containing vitamin B12, such as oysters, salmon and liver fillet or the use of vitamin B12 supplements, purchased from pharmacies, to better understand how treatment is done.
It is another type of genetic anemia characterized by abnormal red blood cell size and a decrease in white blood cells and platelets, caused by vitamin B12 deficiency.Symptoms include stomach pain, hair loss, fatigue and mouth sores, for example.
How to treat: Treatment usually begins with the use of corticosteroids, but blood transfusions and even a bone marrow transplant may be necessary in the most severe cases. More information about the types of treatment.
This is a type of megaloblastic anemia that occurs when the person ingests vitamin B12 but the body is unable to absorb it, which can cause severe neurological damage if adequate treatment does not exist.
How to treat: Due to the difficulty of absorbing vitamin B12, treatment should be done with vitamin injections directly into the vein throughout the year.Learn how to identify and treat pernicious anemia.
Learn more about pernicious anemia in the following video
Microcytic anemias are those in which erythrocytes are smaller than normal, with decreased concentration of CMV and hemoglobin in erythrocytes. The main microcytic anemias are:
This is one of the most common types of anemia, which is caused by low consumption of iron-containing foods, such as red meats, eggs or spinach; however, this type of anemia can also occur after severe bleeding or menstruation, due to iron loss in the blood.
How to treat it: It is usually treated with an iron-rich diet and iron supplements, only one blood transfusion is needed in the most severe cases, more information about this type of anemia and how to treat it.
Thalassemia is a type of microcytic anemia caused by genetic changes that cause defects in the hemoglobin synthesis process, which can cause fatigue, irritability, stunted growth, lack of appetite and weakening of the immune system, for example.
Thalassemia can be classified into certain types based on the hemoglobin chain whose development has been altered, which can cause the person’s symptoms to be less or more severe, learning to identify each type of thalassemia.
How to treat: it is important to identify the type of thalassemia at the start of treatment and thus you can prevent the progression of the disease, in addition, it is important that adequate nutrition is performed to improve the quality of life and ensure a sense of well-being Discover how to feed for thalassemia.
Normocytic anemias are those in which the size of red blood cells is normal, resulting in CMV and HCM approaching normal or showing little variation from normal values. The main types of normocytic anemia are:
This type of anemia produces antibodies that destroy blood cells, is more common in women than in men and causes symptoms such as paleness, dizziness, violet marks on the skin, dry skin and eyes and other symptoms of this type of anemia.
How to treat: Fortunately, this anemia is curable and can be obtained with the use of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive medications.In some cases, surgery may be needed to remove part of your spleen.
It is a genetic anemia caused by the destruction of red blood cells that causes symptoms such as jaundice, swelling of hands and feet and pain throughout the body.
How to treat: Treatment is done with medications to relieve the symptoms of each person, since there is no treatment capable of curing this type of anemia.Learn more about sickle cell anemia and the different treatments used.
It is an autoimmune disease in which the bone marrow slows blood cell production, causing symptoms such as skin bruising, frequent bruising, and bleeding that takes too long to stop.Better understand this type of anemia, diagnosis and treatment.
How to treat: Your treatment is done through a bone marrow transplant and a blood transfusion, when not treated properly, can result in death in less than a year.