Iron deficiency anemia is usually a minor health problem, but if left untreated for long enough, becoming anemic can turn out to be very serious threat. This blood disorder affects many women around the world, and the numbers of anemic individuals are alarming.
The symptoms of an anemic individual tend to be very similar to stress, so anemia can go unnoticed and untreated. Many women go for a long time without realizing they are at risk, or that the disorder is already in progress; they have no idea how to identify anemic symptoms.
Anemia (often referred to as having “tired blood”) is a condition where an individual doesn’t have enough red blood cells capable of carrying the required amount of oxygen to the tissues of the body. Anemia doesn’t usually stand on its own as a specific disease, but rather it stems from other underlying illnesses and can serve as a red flag that there is a much more serious problem below the surface.
Treatment for anemia, depending on the severity of each case, can include everything from taking a few supplements to undergoing a medical procedure. Most of the time, anemia can be prevented by making a few changes in your eating habits. If you suspect you might have an anemic disorder, check yourself for the following symptoms and call your doctor for further advice.
Fatigue
A sudden lack of energy and chronic fatigue are warning signs that you might be lacking enough iron. In order for all of the cells in your body to function efficiently, oxygen needs to be able to travel freely around the body. What does this mean to someone who is anemic?
Oxygen attaches to hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells that gives the red blood cells their color. If you're anemic, you don't have enough hemoglobin in your red blood cells. This causes problems when red blood cells try to distribute oxygen throughout the body. Fatigue begins to set in when there is less oxygen reaching the vital organs and muscles.
This is usually only mild fatigue. If you're feeling extreme fatigue, you should immediately seek medical advice from a health professional; this could be a strong indication of an underlying reason for deep exhaustion.
Skin Tone and Brittle Nails
Pale skin in an anemic person is caused by the lack of hemoglobin in red blood cells and a lack of red blood cells in general. As the numbers of red blood cells become restricted, not enough reach the surface of the skin.
Blood is then diverted away from the skin to supply the vital organs instead, making the skin pale. Though a pale complexion alone is not necessarily a sign of anemia, when combined with the other signs, it can be a good indicator.
Having brittle nails is another symptom of anemia that you may experience. When brittle nails accompany pale skin, you should get to your doctor to have some blood tests done. A series of blood tests will determine whether you are anemic and give your doctor a better overall picture as to how serious your condition is, if one exists.
Palpitations
Palpitations are irregular heartbeats. Palpitations occur when your heart has to make up for the lack of oxygen in the blood and must work twice as hard to get oxygen circulated through the rest of the body.
The lack of red blood cells makes breathing more difficult; palpitations are often accompanied by a feeling of breathlessness as red blood cells are scarce and unable to carry enough oxygen from the lungs to the heart.
Ringing In the Ears
Anemic people often hear noises in the inner ear, known as tinnitus. Tinnitus usually comes in the form of a "ringing" in the ear, but different people can hear different noises.
If you are anemic, there is an increased blood flow in the jugular vein as the heart works harder to pump blood between your heart and your brain. To do this, the blood has to pass through your middle ear, resulting in the ringing or other noises.
Heavy Periods
Women experiencing frequent heavy periods are likely to have a blood disorder. Women are more susceptible to anemia because of the blood lost every month during menstruation. If lost iron is not replaced (either through eating foods that are rich in iron or by taking iron supplements), the situation can result in becoming anemic.
Infection and Major Illness
Some people become anemic after an infection. Infections can affect the bone marrow, which in turn affects the amount of blood produced by the body. Bone marrow is the body’s manufacturer of blood cells.
If the bone marrow is damaged due to an infection, blood reproduction may not happen or happen at a slower rate. Blood might not be replaced fast enough and sometimes blood loss is not replaced at all.
Debilitating illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can have this effect on bone marrow. Chemotherapy is another way you can become anemic. As well as attacking cancer cells, chemotherapy also tends to attack other cells in the body, such as red blood cells.
Iron Deficiency
Without enough iron in your diet, you will not be replacing the iron your body uses on a daily basis. Foods rich in iron include leafy green vegetables (especially spinach or kale), fortified breakfast cereals such as bran flakes, dried apricots, lentils and beans, red meat, liver, and eggs.
Even if you eat an iron-rich diet, it doesn't necessarily mean that the iron is being absorbed efficiently. Drinking caffeinated drinks in the hour preceding or following your meal can prevent the iron from being absorbed properly. Also, spinach, which is high in iron, also contains oxalate, which binds and inhibits its absorption (as do buckwheat, chard, rhubarb, beans and nuts).
To make the most of out the iron properties in spinach, combine with iron-absorption enhancers such as Vitamin C; fruits such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits or canteloupe; meat, fish or poultry; vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomato, potato or green and red peppers; or white wine. Drinking orange juice just after your meals will also help your body effectively absorb iron.
Dry Mouth
Sores in and around the mouth indicate an iron deficiency. The sores around the mouth will often be painful when you open your mouth and you might have trouble trying to swallow.
Burning Tongue
Feeling a burning sensation on your tongue is one of the unique signs that pinpoint some sort of blood disorder or deficiency. A burning tongue can be an indication of mid-term or long-term anemia. A "prickly" feeling on the tongue is another sign that may indicate anemia or a blood disorder.
This symptom alone is not necessarily an indication of anemia. Burning tongue has also been known to be caused by stress and many other medical issues as well. Regardless, if you are experiencing a burning or numbness on your tongue, tell your doctor.
Headaches
Frequent headaches can be another sign that you are anemic. In the context of a blood disorder, however, headaches usually indicate that there is a lack of oxygen reaching the brain. When this happens, the arteries in the head start to swell, causing pain. If there is not enough blood coursing through your arteries, you may experience more headaches.
As with some of the other symptoms, headaches alone are not a clear indicator that you are anemic. Headaches accompany many other disorders and illnesses and the only way you will know for sure is to have your doctor run a few tests.
Causes of Anemia
Before anemia can be treated, the underlying cause must be discovered. In most women of childbearing age anemia or iron deficiency is a result of heavy periods. Menopausal and post-menopausal women may need further investigation by a physician to uncover the reasons for anemia.
Peptic ulcers bleed resulting in a considerable amount of blood loss depending on the severity of the ulcer. The loss of blood leads to anemia and iron deficiency. Once diagnosed and the ulcer treated, the anemia should also vanish. While the peptic ulcer heals, talk to your physician regarding iron supplements.
Anemia may be an indicator of kidney disease. The kidneys aid bone marrow in the manufacturing of red blood cells. When the kidney function decreases and bone marrow stops making new red blood cells anemia develops.
Chronic illnesses or long term medical conditions may contribute to anemia.
A poor diet lacking in essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals cannot supply the body with enough energy to promote the manufacture or red blood cells resulting in anemia. Poor nutrition, especially in older woman can be a serious problem that can be avoided or easily taken care of through proper eating habits.
The consumption of too much alcohol often takes the place of a nutritious diet in alcoholics also leading to anemia.
Iron Rich Diet
A woman’s best preventative measure is to eat an overall healthy diet. If a diagnosis of anemia occurs talk to a physician concerning diet and supplements. Step up the amount of iron by eating more green leafy vegetables like spinach. Dried beans, dried apricots, prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits are chock full of iron and important vitamins.
Almonds, cashews, walnuts, whole grains, and yams contain iron and help get the body back to acceptable levels of iron. Severely anemic women may want to increase their daily protein intake with lean meats, beef liver, lamb, and chicken. Iron loaded seafood that aids with increasing iron in your body can be found in salmon, clams, shrimp, and oysters.
Foods with a higher concentration of vitamin C help the body to absorb iron. Fresh fruit should be an important part of a woman’s daily diet, but again, increase the amounts eaten to help the body produce red blood cells. Vitamin C and citrus fruits go hand in hand. Eat plenty of oranges, grapefruit, lemons, tomatoes, and strawberries.
There are also foods that are detrimental to the absorption of iron in the body. While trying to re-establish red blood cells, stay away from caffeine including tea, coffee, and chocolate. Other foods to avoid are wheat bran, spinach, Swiss chard, rhubarb, soft drinks, beer, ice cream and candy bars.
Dehydration often accompanies anemia. Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water will keep the body hydrated. Discuss a change of diet with your physician. Keep in mind that anemia results from an underlying problem. Once the problem has been taken care of, the body will rebuild red blood cells alleviating the symptoms.
Anemia is often easily treated by increasing the amount of iron in your diet or by taking iron tablets, especially if the anemia is more advanced. A majority of people can get enough iron from their diet, but for others, this isn’t enough. The only way you will know if you need to supplement your diet with iron is on a doctor’s advice. Too much iron can be toxic, though, and trying to self-medicate by increasing the iron in your body is a dangerous thing to do. Never take iron supplements without a doctor's diagnosis.
Women’s Health: How Much do you Know?
As a woman, your health concerns are as unique as your body. How you take care of yourself has a huge impact on your future, affecting everything from your ability to have children to your risk of heart disease. There's no substitute for good health, and when it's gone, it's often gone for good. Don't let it pass you by.