Contents:
- Medical Video: Symptoms & Causes of Anemia
- How to treat anemia based on the type of anemia
- Anemia due to blood loss
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anemia
- Anemia due to chronic disease
- Anemia caused by offspring
Medical Video: Symptoms & Causes of Anemia
Anemia is one of the common health problems, especially in women. Unfortunately not many people realize that they suffer from anemia. Symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue, are sometimes considered normal by some people. However, anemia needs to be overcome. If left unchecked, symptoms can develop into more serious things. But wait a minute. Do not carelessly look for ways to overcome anemia. False symptoms can get worse. Anemia must be addressed according to what is the cause.
How to treat anemia based on the type of anemia
Many things can cause anemia, for example a lot of blood loss, decreased red blood cell production, or damaged red blood cells. Each cause can cause different symptoms, so the handling will also be different. The doctor will find out in advance the causes of anemia that you experience to be able to overcome anemia.
Anemia due to blood loss
Large amounts of blood loss or bleeding can cause you to experience anemia. This can occur due to various causes, such as problems in the stomach and intestines, the use of long-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that cause stomach inflammation, heavy menstruation, or heavy bleeding during childbirth.
In this condition, you may need to be treated to be given a transfusion of blood, fluids, oxygen and iron to deal with anemia quickly. This is done to help the body produce new red blood cells.
Iron deficiency anemia
This is a type of anemia that is common in many people, especially in women who experience heavy menstruation. Iron deficiency anemia is caused by a lack of iron in the body, so the body is unable to produce enough red blood cells. Therefore, to overcome this you need to increase your iron intake from food or even need to take iron supplements.
Examples of food sources that contain high iron are red meat, egg yolk, seafood, wheat, and nuts. You also need to add food sources of vitamin C in your diet to help your body absorb iron.
Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anemia
Anemia can also occur because the body lacks vitamin B12 and folate. These two nutrients are also needed by the body to make healthy red blood cells. To overcome this, you certainly need to increase the intake of foods that contain vitamin B12 (such as meat, liver, fish, oysters, shellfish, milk, cheese and eggs) and folate (such as green vegetables and milk). In addition, your doctor may give you vitamin B12 injections or vitamin B12 supplements and folate supplements.
Anemia due to chronic disease
Anemia can be caused by chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease and cancer (after chemotherapy). However, this can be overcome by giving erythropoietin injections or blood transfusions, in addition to treating the disease that is the cause. Erythropoietin is a hormone produced by the kidneys, whose function is to stimulate the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Anemia caused by offspring
There are two groups of anemia caused by heredity, namely hemolytic anemia (where red blood cells die too quickly) and anemia associated with the bone marrow. Thalassemia and sickle cell anemia belong to the group of hemolytic anemia. Meanwhile, aplastic anemia is included in the anemia group associated with bone marrow.
Thalassemia and sickle cell anemia can generally be treated with blood transfusions, administration of folic acid supplements, or bone marrow transplants (replacing your bone marrow with healthy bone marrow from a donor). In addition, removal of the spleen (splenectomy) can also be done to treat thalassemia.
Meanwhile, aplastic anemia can also be treated with blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants if the bone marrow is problematic so it cannot make healthy red blood cells. Treatments for treating thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and aplastic anemia vary greatly depending on the condition and severity of the symptoms.
