Anemia is a condition in which people have lower than typical amounts of red blood cells. Otherwise known as hemoglobin, your red blood cells are designed to carry oxygen around tour body, and a lack of hemoglobin can lead to a range of problems.
A lot of people assume that there’s only one type of anemia – the condition when you’re unable to properly utilize iron in your body. However, if you’re diagnosed with anemia, the treatment you’re given will depend on a range of factors, including what kind of anemia you have. Common anemia treatments vary according to whether you have a hereditary condition, an iron deficiency, or a vitamin deficiency.
Common Anemia Treatments for Iron Deficient Patients:
The most common kind of anemia, and the one that people generally know most about, is the condition when you don’t have enough iron in your body. If your blood doesn’t have the right amount of iron, then hemoglobin cannot be synthesized.
There are plenty of things that can cause iron deficiency, including an inability to absorb iron, dietary problems, or blood loss. Generally, iron-deficient anemia is treated using supplements and dietary changes. Often, eating more foods that are rich in iron can stop your anemia from getting worse, but it won’t necessarily reverse the problem.
Common Anemia Treatments for Vitamin Deficiencies:
You can also suffer from anemia if you’re low in vitamins like folate and vitamin B12. The people most likely to suffer from this version of the condition are the elderly, people who have problems with substance abuse, and those who have recently undergone surgery. Generally, you suffer from vitamin deficiencies if your body is unable to absorb the right amount of nutrition from the foods that you eat.
The common anemia treatments that are recommended for vitamin deficiencies typically involve making improvements to your diet, and taking supplements with folic acid for folate-based deficiencies, and receiving B12 injections.
Common Anemia Treatments for Chronic Disease:
Sometimes, chronic illnesses or diseases can also cause anemia. If you suffer from an autoimmune disease, inflammatory disorder, or some type of cancer, you could be at higher risk of struggling to create hemoglobin. Generally, chronic illnesses can cause inflammation that make it harder for the body to use the iron it has to effectively build red blood cells.
Additionally, patients who are undergoing specialist forms of treatment like chemotherapy may need to take medication to enhance their red blood cell production. Cancer therapies can cause anemia, even on a temporary basis.
Common Anemia Treatments for Inherited Diseases:
Finally, it’s worth noting that parents who have specific genes and characteristics can sometimes pass disease or conditions onto their children that make anemia more likely. Many forms of hereditary anemia exist today, but they often fall into one of two categories. The first type of anemia-based inherited disease is known as hemolytic anemia, which is a condition where red blood cells are too quickly destroyed. Treatment is generally given according to the symptoms the patients exhibit, and can include blood transfusions and steroids.
The other form of inherited disease that can cause anemia is inherited bone marrow failure. These are far more rare disorders in which the marrow in your bones is unable to produce the right amount of blood cells. Often, these conditions are treated using hormones, steroids, and drugs that stimulate red blood cell creation.
