Are you the one who feels unusual tiredness with shortness of breath? Have you ever felt your heart is pounding in your chest or throat? Do you have headaches routinely? Then keep this in your mind, it’s not NORMAL! Your body always shows signs and symptoms when something wrong is going on inside it. And these symptoms are showing a connection with iron deficiency anemia.
Iron is essential for our body to make a protein- hemoglobin in our red blood cells. And this hemoglobin is responsible for oxygen transport to every tissue of our body. If your body lacks iron, you become deficient of hemoglobin and as a result of this, your oxygen transport system is affected. This leads to a condition known as anemia.
Women and children are more likely to have iron deficiency anemia than men. You can consult your doctor for the proper diagnosis and treatment of anemia. You can find the best general physicians in Islamabad through Marham. And for general knowledge about this deficiency, you should read this article.
Now let’s find out some important facts about iron deficiency anemia.
Causes
- There are various causes behind this condition. But the main two reasons are, you are not taking the iron-rich diet, or your body is not absorbing the iron from your diet. Women need a more iron-rich diet as compared to men.
- Some conditions like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis hinder the iron absorption in your small intestine.
- Injuries, surgeries, and diseases in which blood loss takes place can also become the cause of iron deficiency anemia
- You can also become anemic in pregnancy. Because your baby needs iron for growth and development. So, your body needs more iron to consume.
- Medicines like aspirin may cause gastric bleeding and become the cause of anemia. Acidity controlling medicines affects the absorption of iron in the intestine. So, their long-term use can also lead to anemia
Symptoms
Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia are;
- Lethargic and tiredness
- Pale skin
- Dry hair and hair loss
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations
- Cold feet and hands
- Headaches
- Brittle nails
- Restless legs while sleeping
- Dizziness
Diagnosis
Physical examination and blood tests are required for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. The doctor advises the complete blood count (CBC) test for this.
Treatment
First, your doctor diagnoses the cause behind anemia. So that it can be treated first. Meanwhile, doctor recommends iron supplements. The dose is recommended according to your iron levels. Doctors also advise taking vitamin C to enhance iron absorption.
Similarly, food rich in iron can be taken in this condition. Like, beef, liver, green leafy vegetables, fruits like apples, dry fruits, etc.
But sometimes, if the deficiency is so high, you may also need iron infusions to overcome the deficiency.
Iron deficiency anemia may lead you to other health issues like developmental delays in children, problems with pregnancy, high risk for infections, heart problems, etc. That’s why it is not advisable to ignore iron deficiency and its symptoms.
If you feel any symptoms that are mentioned above, you should consult your doctor. Marham provides you easy access to your health providers. You can consult the best general physicians in Islamabad through Marham.
And if you are not willing to step out of your house in this pandemic, now you can consult your doctors online through Marham mobile app or website. Stay home, Stay safe!
