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10 symptoms that show you have anemia

Fatigue, pallor, hair loss etc. You can be anemic without knowing it. These 10 symptoms can alert you.

Anemia corresponds to a abnormally low level of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is located in red blood cells (or red blood cells) responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood.

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To measure this rate, it suffices to carry out a blood test which may be prescribed by your doctor. This test is called the Complete Blood Count (CBC). It also helps assess the size of red blood cells in addition to hemoglobin level. The latter also varies depending on gender and age. As a reminder, it must not be lower than these threshold values:

  • 14 grams per deciliter of blood (or g / dl) in newborns
  • 13 g / dl in adult men
  • 12 g / dl in adult women
  • 10.5 g / dl in pregnant women, from the second trimester of pregnancy

In case of anemia, the symptoms are diverse and vary depending on its severity. If the hemoglobin level is slightly reduced, the symptoms will be almost non-existent. In contrast, greater anemia can cause pallor, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, dizziness, headaches, memory impairment, hair loss or decreased libido.

The two forms of anemia

Namely, there are two main types of anemia: central and peripheral anemias.

Central anemias are due to a failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and hemoglobin. Deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12 or vitamin B9 are the most common cause. Certain diseases can also cause this type of anemia such as chronic inflammatory diseases or kidney diseases which cause a deficiency in erythropoietin (EPO), this hormone stimulating the bone marrow. In addition, it can be a dysfunction of the marrow itself, caused by a toxic product, a drug or even cancer or simply natural aging.

In the case of peripheral anemias, the bone marrow normally makes red blood cells, and anemia is caused by loss of blood or destruction of red blood cells. It may be a weak or significant bleeding of gynecological cause (heavy periods, uterine fibroid …), digestive (gastrointestinal hemorrhages) or urological (bladder cancer). If prolonged, it will cause loss of red blood cells.

The anemia induced by the destruction of red blood cells called “hemolytic” is the rarest form of anemia. These may be abnormal hemoglobin present in people with sickle cell anemia or thalassemia. The anemia is then genetic and hereditary. Even rarer, it can be autoimmune and the body makes antibodies against its own red blood cells.

Source : www.ameli.fr

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Pallor
You may be paler than normal. The pallor is also often clearly visible on the inside of the eyelids or on the nails and lips.

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Headaches
You have recurring headaches. If you are anemic, your brain will be less oxygenated and this will cause pain.

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Dizziness
You may feel dizzy or dizzy, especially when you stand up. In this case, lie down and raise your legs so that the blood rushes to your brain. The vertigo should then dissipate over time. Then get up gradually, first sitting down and then standing.

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Hair loss
If you are losing more hair than usual, this should alert you. It could be anemia due to iron deficiency.

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Shortness of breath
Initially, you may notice shortness of breath just on exertion. If this persists and also occurs at rest, it may be a sign that you have more severe anemia. Consider seeing a doctor.

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Palpitations
You feel your heart beat faster for no apparent reason and more or less recurrently.

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Memory impairment
You may have trouble concentrating or remembering things. It can also be difficult for you to read in the long term.

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Lack of motivation
Associated with fatigue, you don’t feel like doing anything and nothing motivates or stimulates you.

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Decreased sexual desire
If you feel less inclined to have sex with your partner, this can also be a sign of anemia and especially if you have other associated symptoms which are listed.

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