Signs and Symptoms of Anemia

Energy – With enough of it, life brims with joie de vivre, without it, it feels like a grind, depriving you from fulfilling your full potential. Do you tire very easily? Is your level of energy less than it should be? Do you feel washed out by 8 p.m.? If you’ve answered yes to those questions, anemia could be the culprit.

They say you have tired blood, if you have anemia. That is because one of the main symptoms of anemia – a condition wherein there isn’t enough hemoglobin, an oxygen carrying protein, or red blood cells in the blood – is tiredness.

There are many types of anemia, and each has its own cause. Some of them are Iron Deficiency Anemia, Hemolytic Anemia, Vitamin Deficiency Anemia, Aplastic Anemia, and Sickle Cell Anemia. There are various rarer types of anemia like those caused by defective hemoglobin and thalassemia. And sometimes, there is no apparent cause that can be identified.

The condition can be long term or temporary, and it can be mild to severe.

Just as we can play a better poker game if we know our opponent’s cards, likewise if we know the signs and symptoms of anemia, we can deal with it sooner and much better. Since anemia is caused due to the deficiency of iron in the body, the two major signs of anemia are weakness and fatigue.

These signs usually occur when the red blood cells lose their capacity to carry enough iron to working muscles. Lack of iron can also affect various other tissues like the tongue and the fingernails. When there is prolonged deficit of iron, certain changes take place in the tongue, causing it to become sore or swollen. Sometimes cracks may also occur in the sides of the mouth. As for the fingernails, they begin growing abnormally, becoming spoon-like in appearance.

In case somebody is slightly anemic, the main signs may be the skin getting mildly paler than usual and a decrease in the color of the lips and gums. Since these changes occur gradually, they are usually hard to detect. Some of the other usual signs and symptoms of anemia include: lightheadedness; rapid heartbeat; frequent infections; cold feet and hands; the nails becoming brittle; irritability; and enlargement of the spleen.

Depending on the cause of the anemia, the symptoms could also include: jaundice; the white of the eyes becoming yellow; and the urine getting a dark, tea colored tone.

Since the body’s stores of iron are usually depleted slowly, many people with iron deficiency may not show any signs and symptoms of anemia. As the condition progresses the above mentioned signs may be recognized. While mild anemia may have no obvious symptoms, certain specific types of anemia have specific recognizable symptoms, like the pain that accompanies sickle cell anemia. Or, as in the case of iron deficiency anemia, unusual cravings for nonfood stuff like dirt, ice, starch, or paint, which is a condition that is called pica.

Anemia is a fairly common disorder of the blood. People with certain chronic ailments and women are more susceptible to it. If you think you have anemia, it is advisable to consult with your doctor immediately, for anemia can also be a sign of some other underlying serious illness.