Microcytic Anemia- Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment
Microcytosis is a phrase used to describe red blood cells which are smaller than usual. Anemia is when you have low quantities of properly functioning red blood cells within the body. The red blood cells it will have will also be too little. A number of distinct kinds of anemias could be clarified as microcytic.
Microcytic anemias are caused by conditions that prevent your body from producing sufficient hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a part of your blood circulation. It will help transport oxygen to your cells and provides your red blood cells their red colour.
Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin.Iron deficiency causes most microcytic anemias. However, other ailments may lead to microcytic anaemia , also. To take care of a microcytic anemia, your physician will initially diagnose the underlying cause.
Microcytic anemia symptoms
You may not notice any symptoms of microcytic anemia at first. Symptoms often appear at an advanced stage when the lack of normal red blood cells is affecting your tissues.
Common symptoms of microcytic anemias include:
- fatigue, weakness, and tiredness
- loss of stamina
- shortness of breath
- dizziness
- pale skin
If you experience any of these symptoms and they don’t resolve within two weeks, make an appointment to see your doctor.
You should make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible if you experience severe dizziness or shortness of breath.
Microcytic anemia types and causes
Microcytic anemias can be further described according to the amount of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. They can be either hypochromic, normochromic, or hyperchromic:
1. Hypochromic microcytic anemias
Hypochromic means that the red blood cells have less hemoglobin than normal. Low levels of hemoglobin in your red blood cells contributes to look paler in colour. Back in microcytic hypochromic anemia, the human body has reduced levels of red blood cells which are both smaller and paler than usual.
Many microcytic anemias are hypochromic. Hypochromic microcytic anemias contain:
Iron deficiency anemia: The most common cause of microcytic anemia is an iron deficiency in the blood. Iron deficiency anemia can be caused by:
- inadequate iron intake, usually as a result of your diet
- being unable to absorb iron due to conditions like celiac disease or Helicobacter pyloriinfection
- chronic blood loss due to frequent or heavy periods in women or by gastrointestinal (GI) bleeds from upper GI ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome
Thalassemia: It is a type of anemia that’s caused by an inherited abnormality. It contains mutations in the genes needed for normal hemoglobin production.
2. Normochromic microcytic anemias
Normochromic means that your red blood cells have a normal amount of hemoglobin, and the hue of red is not too pale or deep in color. An example of a normochromic microcytic anemia is:
Anemia of inflammation and chronic disease: Anemia due to these conditions is usually normochromic and normocytic (red blood cells are normal in size). Normochromic microcytic anemia may be seen in people with:
- infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, or endocarditis
- inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, or diabetes mellitus
- kidney disease
- cancer
These conditions can prevent red blood cells from functioning normally. This can lead to decreased iron absorption or utilization.
Microcytic anemia treatment
Treatment for microcytic anemia concentrates on treating the root cause of the problem.
Your doctor may recommend that you take iron and vitamin C supplements. The iron can help cure the anemia while the vitamin C can help improve your body’s ability to absorb the iron.
Your health care provider will concentrate on treating and diagnosing the cause of the blood loss if severe or chronic blood flow is causing or leading to microcytic anemia. Women with iron deficiency from acute periods can be prescribed hormonal treatment, like birth control pills.
In circumstances of microcytic anemia so acute that you are at risk for complications such as coronary failure, you might have to receive a blood transfusion of donor red blood cells. This may increase the amount of healthy red blood cells that your organs want.
