Anemia

You may have heard of people who have to get vitamin B12 shots because of a condition called pernicious anemia. What is this, how is it different from other anemia, and what are the symptoms?

Pernicious anemia is a deficiency of the B12 vitamin. Vitamins do not provide nutrition to the body on their own, rather they work with food or other elements in the body such as bacterias and enzymes to help the body work properly. Their absorption is also affected by other substances in the body, some that are already there, and some that people may ingest. In order to absorb vitamin B12, the body uses a substance called intrinsic factor, which is produced by the stomach. Some people’s bodies either do not produce intrinsic factor at all, or they do not produce enough to effectively process vitamin B12 taken through food sources (like milk) or oral supplements.

Older people may suffer from pernicious anemia even if they did not have it earlier in life, because as we age, our bodies produce less intrinsic factor. Also, more women than men suffer from it. People with pernicious anemia have to receive B12 by injection, because this form does not require combination with intrinsic factor to be absorbed by the body. People can also suffer from B12 deficiency unrelated to intrinsic factor problems, and this is called macrocytic anemia. It can be caused by poor diet, alcoholism, or metabolic disorders.

Symptoms of pernicious anemia include fatigue, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, and shortness of breath. While these symptoms fit a large range of maladies, people with pernicious anemia may also exhibit the Babinski reflex. When you stroke the bottom of the foot, the big toe flexes up and the other toes fan out. It is a reflex present in newborns and usually disappears by the age of 2, as the nervous system matures. When the reflex exists in older people, it can be a sign of nerve damage. It can be inherited, and is rarely diagnosed until age 30. All anemia is characterized by lower than normal numbers of red blood cells. There are several different types of anemia with different causes.

Common anemias you may be familiar with are anemia caused by iron deficiency, and sickle cell anemia, where red blood cells are sickle, or crescent moon shaped and can stick together, causing fatigue and other symptoms. In pernicious anemia, patients have a low red blood cell count, but the red blood cells they do have are abnormally large, and their white blood cells have abnormally large nuclei. Further tests for antibodies against intrinsic factor can be performed to make a diagnosis of pernicious anemia.

By Linda Polansky

Labels: anemia, anemia causes, anemia symptoms, anemia treatment, iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, what anemia

Sickle cell anemia is a lifelong, chronic disease that affects over 72,000 people in the United States. In most cases, there are not continual symptoms but periodic painful attacks. It can also weaken the immune system and cause other complications such as strokes. People with sickle cell anemia also typically have a shortened life span. There is no cure for this disease but treatment options are available.

It is essential to seek a consultation with a medical profession if symptoms of this disease are present. Even if a person is not currently experiencing pain or symptoms, continual treatment is necessary. Treatment will help reduce the frequency of episodes and delay the time in between them. Children with this disease are often hospitalized and given intravenous antibiotics. These help prevent bacterial infections commonly seen in children. They also generally continue to take oral antibiotics until they are five years old.

Advances in science are producing newer drugs to help combat symptoms, but the drug hydroxyurea is the most commonly prescribed. There have been indications that this drug may increase the risk of acquiring leukemia but no concrete evidence to this effect is yet to be shown. There are also common side effects to this drug such as painful urination and back pain.

Treatment for pain is necessary for people with this disease. Those experiencing mild, short lived episodes may be prescribed a variety of non-narcotic pain medications. However, acute pain may require use of narcotic drugs to help control it. These are valuable in lessening symptoms and leading a more comfortable life, but they can be addictive.

It is also important to maintain health with proper diet and exercise. In addition to a well balanced diet, a regular exercise routine should be implemented. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and breathing exercises are helpful to reduce stress and can also be used as pain relief. Ensure adequate bed rest and a good night’s sleep.

Blood transfusions are often implemented to increase the quantity of normal red blood cells. These treatments can be performed regularly with low risk. In more extreme cases a bone marrow transplant may be recommended. However, this is rarely used due to the high risk and low probability of finding a suitable donor.

Continual treatment and monitoring of this disease is essential in keeping complications at bay. Although this disease generally lowers life expectancy, with proper treatment most people suffering from this disease can lead full lives. Over the past thirty years, there has been an increase in the life expectancy for people suffering from sickle cell anemia.

By Gray Rollins

Labels: anemia, anemia aplastic, anemia causes, anemia symptoms, anemia treatment, aplastic anemia, ferritina, iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, sickle cell anemia, symptoms of anemia, what anemia

Anemia, though sounds a simple disease to have, could actually get fatal. It is therefore extremely important to identify anemic cases so that proper treatment can be done on time.

Anemia is a case where the blood of the patient lacks the normal level of RBC cells in it. It could also be caused due to a deficiency in iron which lowers the hemoglobin level of the RBC cells. Since these cells are the carriers of oxygen in the body, lack of RBCs or weak RBCs can actually lead to starvation of the whole body from oxygen.

Anemia can be traced to a number of causes and several different types. However, the most important and persistent cause of the disease remains the intake of an unbalanced diet that lacks in iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin C that helps the body to absorb iron.

Normocytic anemia is caused when the hemoglobin level of the body falls, without any change in the RBC level. Such cases can offer when the body loses a large amount of blood or there is a failure in the red bone marrow or when the body is suffering from a major and chronic disease. Failure in synthesis of hemoglobin or insufficiency of iron in the body can cause Microcytic anemia. The RBCs in this case are a lot paler in color and shrink to an abnormal size.

Megalosblastic anemia occurs due to a failure of DNA synthesis with the synthesis of RNA in the patient’s body restricting the division of the progenitor cells. Megaloblastic anemia and non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia together form a group, called macrocytic anemia. Often Heinz bodies which may include some prescribed drugs could lead to RBCs in the body taking an abnormal shape and thus causing Heinz body anemia.

Symptoms of anemia, though vague can subtly be observed as the following:

-Excessive restlessness and easy tiring out of the body

-Fatigue due to insufficient oxygen supply throughout the body

-Increased pulse rate

-Difficulties in breathing

-Lack in concentration

Treatment of anemia is a lot tougher than it may seem, especially when the cause is the lack of iron in the body. The treatment should be done keeping in mind the cause of the disease. In acute cases, blood transfusion may be necessary to save an anemic patient. In some cases however, EPO can be injected in to the patient’s bloodstream. In fact, EPO treatments are found to reduce the need for blood transfusion to almost 50%.

Recently, some Ayurvedic herbal treatments of anemia are also being talked about. The proponents claim that patients might get considerable relief following some simple things like:

-Having bath with cold water twice a day

-Professional massages to flush out body toxins

-Practicing deep breathing exercises for ten minutes a day

-Practicing yoga and involving oneself in vibrant exercises

However, as we all know, prevention is better than cure, you should indulge yourself to a healthy diet. Even on noticing the slightest of symptoms, consult a doctor and investigate the cause so that a proper treatment regimen can be taken on time.

By James S. Pendergraft

Labels: anemia, anemia aplastic, anemia causes, anemia symptoms, anemia treatment, aplastic anemia, blood anemia, ferritina, iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, sickle cell anemia, symptoms of anemia, what anemia

Anemia during pregnancy is most commonly caused by an iron deficiency. Being tested for anemia early in your pregnancy is a good idea, but may not be enough, since anemia may still develop as your pregnancy progresses.

Although anemia is caused by an iron deficiency in your body, you will not need to worry too much about your baby, since he will be sure to get as much iron from you as he needs. Your baby will only be in danger of suffering from anemia if the situation is completely ignored.

How will I be able to tell if I am anemic?

Anemia should be easily identifiable in the blood tests that you take frequently throughout your pregnancy. The baby will start drawing on your iron reserves much more heavily around week 20, so you may develop anemia later in your pregnancy.

Common symptoms of anemia during pregnancy include:

* Feeling exhausted or weak
* Pale or light skin
* Fainting spells
* Palpitations
* Breathlessness

Who is most at risk?

Pregnant women who have poor nutrition, due to nausea and vomiting or simply bad habits, are more at risk of developing anemia. Also, women who are carrying multiple fetuses may be at a higher risk, as two babies will deplete iron stores twice as much. Women who have two or more pregnancies relatively close together may be at risk for similar reasons.

How much iron should I be getting?

The recommended daily allowance of iron is around 15mg for women trying to conceive. Pregnant women will need to consume about twice that much each day. Your health care provider may advise you to start taking an iron supplement, although these are known to cause constipation, nausea, and vomiting. It may be wise to simply try and include many iron rich foods such as spinach, dried fruits, or liver in your diet.

Keep in mind that your choice of beverages and other foods will affect your rate of iron absorption. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C along with the iron rich foods will facilitate absorption, while consuming caffeine will hinder it.

By Susan Tanner

Labels: anemia, anemia aplastic, anemia causes, anemia hemolytic, anemia pernicious, anemia treatment, aplastic anemia, blood anemia, ferritina, pernicious anemia, sickle cell anemia, talasemia, what anemia