Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatment

Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common types of anemia. As the name suggests, it is a condition caused due to deficiency of iron in the body. This leads to lack of healthy red blood cells, that carry oxygen, in the body. People suffering from this disease experience lack of energy and suffer from weakness due to lack of oxygen. This condition is commonly found in women. However, due to advanced treatment methods, it is possible to overcome the condition completely.

Causes of Iron Deficiency Anemia

As mentioned above and as the name suggests, this condition is caused when a person suffers from deficiency of the mineral iron. Iron is one of the most important component of hemoglobin and hence, lack of it can lead to anemia. Heavy blood loss due to injury, surgery, etc. is also one of the major causes of anemia. At the same time, having a diet lacking in iron or suffering from a disorder that lead to lack of iron absorption in the body, pregnancy, etc. are also some of the other iron deficiency anemia causes.

Signs and Symptoms

Lack of energy, constant feeling of tiredness and weakness, paleness of skin, etc. are the most common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia in men and women. Apart from these, one can also observe the following low iron symptoms due to this condition:

• Pica
• Rapid heartbeat
• Low blood pressure
• Brittle finger nails
• Fainting
• Sore tongue
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Brittle hair
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Low immunity
• Susceptibility to infections
• Sleep disorders
• Pain in abdomen

Treating Iron Deficiency Anemia

Before treating the deficiency, the doctor will try to correct the problem that gave rise to the condition. For e.g., if it is caused due to blood loss, necessary arrangements will be made to reverse the condition. Secondly, if it is caused due to lack of diet, the doctor will advise the person to have a diet high in iron to correct the deficiency. Similarly, if the condition is caused due to pregnancy, the women should take supplements, as iron is required as source of hemoglobin for the growing fetus. In case iron deficiency is caused due to bleeding ulcers, tumor or fibroid; the doctor will prescribe medication or may even suggest a surgery.

In most of the cases, making changes in the diet and having high iron foods helps in iron deficiency anemia treatment. There are several foodstuffs that are high in iron and help correct the deficiency. However, in some cases, treating the condition only with dietary changes may not help. In that case, the doctor may advise you to go for iron supplements which are available in different forms. Iron supplements help in correcting deficiency faster than the diet. Supplements are also prescribed to pregnant women to get rid of iron deficiency during pregnancy. The dosage of supplements depends on the severity of the disease, the age of the person; and varies accordingly.

It should be noted that complete cure requires a lot of time, as the deficiency cannot be treated merely in a couple of days or weeks. However, if proper treatment is taken, it is possible to cure the condition completely. Take care!