Anemia-Early Warning Signs and Symptoms
Anemia occurs when the amount of healthy red blood cells in your body is too low. These red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to the body’s tissues and a low red blood cell count is a sign that your body is lower in oxygen than it should be. The lack of oxygen is what causes most of the symptoms of anemia and the condition affects more than 1.6 billion people worldwide. The signs and symptoms depend entirely on the cause of anemia. The three main types of anemia and their early warning signs and symptoms include the following: 1. Iron Deficient Anemia Iron deficiency anemia is a form of anemia that’s caused by a lack of blood cells. To carry blood properly throughout the body, these cells must be healthy or they cause the deficiency that results in low iron. Unfortunately, when this condition occurs, the individual may show the following early signs and symptoms: Weak and brittle nails Pale skin Cold feet and hands Headaches, lightheadedness, and dizziness Sore tongue Extreme tiredness Strange cravings for unusual things like dirt, starch, and ice Shortness of breath and chest pains Weakness If the doctor diagnoses a patient with this form of anemia, they are usually treated with iron supplements to correct the issues.