Top 10 symptoms of anemia you should know about

Think you might be suffering from anemia? Here are 10 symptoms that could help you decide.

Anemia is medically defined as a condition where there is a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin or a drop in the number of red blood cells in the blood. This may be due to several reasons with the most common one being a deficiency of iron, which is necessary to produce the hemoglobin. Such anaemia is called iron deficiency or hypochromic or microcytic anaemia and is typical in pregnant women, growing children and women with excessive bleeding during menstruation. But apart from that there are other types of anemia that are caused due to a deficiency of vitamin B-12, destruction of red blood cells and sickle cell anemia. While the cause of anemia is imperative in treating the condition, time is also of the essence for treatment to succeed.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of anemia.

So to help you recognise it early, here are the symptoms of the condition.

Fatigue: This is a very common symptom in most anemic people, and is usually accompanied with a loss of energy or the feeling of getting tired too quickly. This is mainly because the lack of red blood cells in the body reduces the amount of fresh oxygen that is carried to the various organs. This in turn makes one tired, weak and lethargic. Read more about why fatigue can mean much more than tiredness.

Difficulty concentrating: Another symptom that is due to the lack of energy in the body, difficulty concentrating directly relates to the lack of fresh oxygen in the blood. When the brain does not get enough oxygen it tends to get fatigued and starts to work on preserving its important functions like those that are necessary for survival. Since concentration on a task is not of top priority to the brain, a person with anaemia finds it difficult to concentrate on tasks at hand. Read more about tips to improve concentration.

Shortness of breath and headache, especially with exertion: Ever wonder how your lungs work? Well, when we breathe in fresh oxygen, it is carried by red blood cells and delivered to other organs in the body including the heart, brain, muscles and all the other organs. When the very carriers of these red blood cells don't function properly, the body reacts to it adversely. That is why a person with anaemia will experience shortness of breath and headaches (brought on by the lack of oxygen). When exertion is added to the mix, it only makes matters worse making the body go into overdrive.

Rapid heartbeat particularly with exercise: Our heart's main job is to pump blood through the body. But apart from that it also gives deoxygenated blood to the lungs, so that it can re-oxygenate the blood. When one's red blood cells are low in number this oxygenation process becomes flawed forcing the heart to work overtime. That is why an anemic person will experience an unusually rapid heartbeat. Another reason for this is muscle fatigue (where the muscle uses up all the energy and oxygen available to it in order to function, when the energy source is depleted it craves more energy), which is especially greater when one exercises. Read more about irregular heartbeats.

Dizziness: Another symptom brought on due to the lack of oxygen and red blood cells, anemic people are known to suffer from sudden bouts of dizziness and fainting spells.

Pale skin: Our skin is lined with millions of capillaries that lie just below our skin. These capillaries gives a person that pinkish hue. When there are low levels of red blood cells and oxygen in ones blood it leads to paleness of the skin. This paleness may be found in ones nails too.

Cramps in the legs: The muscles in the legs are some of the largest and often need maximum blood supply and oxygen. Interestingly our calf muscles work like a heart and pump blood upwards into the upper parts of the legs. Moreover muscles thrive on oxygen, and cramp because they have no more of the nutrient.

Insomnia: Most anemic are known to suffer from this condition and it is thought that it is because of another condition brought on by anemia known as restless leg syndrome. This is often why people are unable to sleep making anemic people insomniacs as well. Read more about yoga poses to beat insomnia.

Craving to eat unusual substances: This is commonly seen in anemic, since their body actively tries to make up for the deficiency by demanding certain foods like paper, ice, dirt, chalk, etc.

Upward curvature of your nails: Your nails can actually tell you a lot about your health. A condition known as Koilonychia (a term for deformed nails in which the nails have raised ridges, brittle, thin and are inwardly curved, sort of spoon shaped). This type of nails is a strong indicator of iron deficiency anemia.

Finally, the other symptoms of anemia depend on the reason for the condition. In cases of iron deficiency anemia one might notice a sore mouth and tongue. In the case of anemia due to B12 deficiency symptoms like feeling unsteady with a wobbly gait is common. Other symptoms include a loss of sensation, tingling feeling in the legs and hands, constipation and vomiting (in the case of lead poisioning).

Disclaimer: This is a list of symptoms, and should not be used in place of medical advice. Please visit your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

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