Signs and Symptoms of Anemia

Signs and Symptoms of Anemia

Anemia is a condition where there is a decrease in red blood cells in the body specifically the hemoglobin. The hemoglobin is the one responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Anemia may be due to an underlying condition that a person might have, or maybe the primary problem of the patient.

Anemia signs and symptoms can be seen physically when the patient is weak-looking or when they experience body malaise. Sometimes, because of the lack of oxygen in the body, the patient will experience dyspnea or difficulty in breathing especially when exerting an effort. However, in worse cases, palpitations may occur because of the increased cardiac output that compensates to the needed oxygen in the body. Thus when the patient is assessed, it is noted that the nail beds are pale as well as the skin color and mucosal lining (look at the back of the eye). But very reliable information that the patient has anemia is when the blood was withdrawn, a significant decrease of hemoglobin once the results are given.

Picture 1 : Difference between normal blood and anemic blood

Image source : Adam Inc.

Picture 2 : symptoms of anemia

Image source : wikimedia.org

Signs and Symptoms of Anemia in Children

Anemia can also happen in children. Most pediatricians will say that anemia is more of a symptom of a disease rather than the disease itself. Anemia in children may be due to conditions like infection, poor nutrition, medications taken and others. Usually, the signs and symptoms of anemia in children is the same with the adults. But in children, their signs and symptoms are quite noticeable. For instance, children are usually irritable, they experience dizziness or vertigo, easily gets tires and lacks energy. Sometimes, in ladies who are experiencing menstruation, they may have amenorrhea or absence of menstruation or irregular menstruation.

When children are assessed thoroughly, the physician may notice some spleenomegly or hepatomegaly, pale mucosal lining and pale nail beds. The patient may present as tachycardic or increased heart rate and even impaired wound healing.

Usually, the physicians would treat children with anemia by changing the child’s diet, adding vitamins and minerals, blood transfusion (in severe cases), and resolving the underlying problem that leads to anemia.

Signs and Symptoms of Anemia in Adults

In adults, anemia may happen due to underlying problems. for instance, it can be due to active bleeding. This is one of the reasons why women experience anemia. Because of heavy menstruation, anemia  may occur. Gastrointestinal ulcers can cause anemia there are stoma in the gastric lining wherein bleeding may occur. Other causes may be related to pregnancy, end-stage renal disease or chronic renal failure, heavy wound bleeding, poor nutrition and many others.

Signs and symptoms for anemia in adult can also be easily detected. Pail nail beds and late capillary refill (when the nail beds are pressed and the redness won’t lasts more than 3 seconds), rapid heart rate, shortness of bread, body weakness, headache, lack of energy which can lead to fainting, low blood pressure, sometimes, jaundice skin may also be noticed.

Signs and Symptoms of Anemia in Women

According to studies, there are about 400 million women that are affected with anemia. This is one of the most under-recognized and under-treated problems of women. There are more women affected with anemia than men because women are prone to dieting especially in women who are vegetarians that does not eat foods high in iron like spinach, liver and red meat. Also women experience menstrual cycle and they use contraceptives like IUD or intrauterine device that can aggravate heavy bleeding.

Signs and symptoms of anemia in women may include fatigue, dizziness, headache, sometimes having cold feet and hands, having pale complexion, delayed capillary refill, and having heavy menstrual bleeding. A woman can tell that her menstrual bleeding is heavy because their sanitary pads or tampons are always full to the point that they will need to change their sanitary pads at night. Along with these, there are blood clots notices their menstrual period will last longer than seven days.

Moreover, it is very important for women to know that the signs and symptoms of anemia in women is that this problem doesn’t happen overnight. The signs and symptoms develop gradually. Body weakness will be experienced everyday only that it may worsen as days pass by especially if the underlying cause of anemia is not treated.

Signs and Symptoms of anemia During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, anemia is one of the common problems women encounter. This happens because the hemoglobin demand is higher because of the growing fetus. Before pregnancy, the normal demand for iron is at 15 milligrams per day. However, during pregnancy, the need for iron is twice as much. The 30 mg of iron needed is not achieved by eating red meat every day. With that, there is a deficit in the needed iron which leads to anemia.

The typical signs and symptoms of anemia during pregnancy is when a pregnant woman experiences weakness, excessive fatigue, delayed capillary refill, pale complexion and mucosal lining. Palpitations and tachycardia, dizziness or lightheadedness may be experienced.  Thus, a confirmation of a patient with anemia will be through blood samples when these women will have their pre-natal check-up. When taking their complete blood count, their hemoglobin is lower than usual. With that, the OB-GYNE will do the proper treatment of correcting anemia. Pregnant women should always remember that untreated anemia during pregnancy can lead to complications which can be fatal.

Severe Anemia Symptoms

Anemia can range from mild to severe. Aside from the pale skin, tachycardia or fast heartbeat, headache and body malaise, severe anemia symptoms would include cognitive problems like forgetfulness or memory loss, chest pains, loss of appetite, sore tongue, diarrhea and even weight loss.

Pernicious Anemia Symptoms

Pernicious anemia is also called the vitamin b12-deficiency anemia. Large and immature cells are the ones that circulate in the blood but do not act as blood cells. In adults, pernicious anemia symptoms are linked with nerve damage. Patients will experience numbness and tingling sensation on upper and lower extremities. Body weakness is also experience as well as their loss of body reflexes. The patient is also prone to fracture; as well as feeling out of balance, and have trouble walking. Neurological problems will also include confusion and depression.

Pernicious anemia also affects the gastrointestinal tract. The patient will feel nauseated, may have episodes of vomiting, bloating feeling, diarrhea or constipation and loss of appetite.

Iron deficiency Anemia Symptoms

Iron deficiency anemia is due to a lack of iron, an important mineral in the body that decreases the hemoglobin count. In patients with iron deficiency anemia, the patient may experience paleness of skin color, pale mucolsa lining, lack of energy and body malaise, swollen tongue and even pica (the desire to eat unusual substances and even dirt).

Sickle cell Anemia Symptoms

Sickle cell anemia is a type of anemia that is hereditary. This usually affects the infants wherein they inherit hemoglobin S, a type of gene from both parents. This condition may be seen mostly in African-American infants and the symptoms will no show until the child is 4 months and above. Sickle cell anemia symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue delayed growth in children, delayer puberty.  The child will also experience joint pains, ulcers in the lower leg, bloody urination, priapism and even infertility

Aplastic Anemia Symptoms

Aplastic anemia is a type of anemia wherein it involves the blood marrow. Blood marrow is responsible for the formation of blood cells and when it is affected, hemoglobin is affected leading to anemia. Patients with Aplastic anemia symptoms will experience shortness of breath, pale skin, gums, delayed capillary refill, chest pain and palpitations. The patient is also prone to infection since the white blood cell production is affected

References:

http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/hematology/anemia.html

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/anemia/page3_em.htm#Anemia Symptoms

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/prnanmia/prnanmia_signs.html

http://www.umm.edu/blood/aneiron.htm