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Microcytic anemia: causes, symptoms and treatment

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

One of the most common blood disorders is not enough healthy red blood cells in the body. This is known as anemia. However, different types of this pathology are characterized by their cause. This makes it essential to carry out frequent medical consultations to identify any alterations, and the correct treatment for each case can be granted.

Microcytic anemia is one of the types of this disorder and is distinguished by the fact that the body produces red blood cells that are smaller than usual, which is called microcytosis; However, this pathology can also be caused by an iron deficiency, by different chronic diseases, thalassemia or sideroblastic anemia. If you don’t know much about this disorder, at FastlyHealwe, will provide you with more knowledge about microcytic anemia: causes, symptoms, and treatment.

What is microcytic anemia exactly?

Microcytic anemia, also called microcytosis, is a condition in which red blood cells found in the bloodstream are usually smaller than they typically are, measured by their mean corpuscular volume.

Red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, are considered blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen to different tissues of the body while eliminating carbon dioxide. This process can be achieved thanks to hemoglobin, a complex protein in the body and is what causes the characteristics of Blood, for example, its color.

Because of the above, those patients who suffer from microcytosis usually present chronic fatigue, exhaustion, and shortness of breath; however, it is common for patients with this disorder to remain asymptomatic, so it is essential to undergo regular therapy medical check-ups.

Causes of microcytic anemia

Red blood cell size disorder is a disease state of the red blood cells or red blood cells, in which there are different dimensions rather than all red blood cells having the same diameter. This alteration usually occurs in those people who have undergone a blood transfusion. By varying the size of red blood cells, there is also a difference in the hemoglobin found within these blood cells, leading to different symptoms.

People with microcytic anemia have smaller red blood cells than they should, which can also be due to mutations in the formation, which is usually hereditary. Also another cause could be an iron deficiency because, due to their size, they do not have enough hemoglobin inside.

Despite the above, the cause of this type of anemia can vary depending on the age and sex of the patient. In young children and adolescents, it is likely due to iron deficiency, thalassemia, or lead poisoning, especially in its chronic state of lead poisoning. While in women, it could be due to different disorders or a lack of essential minerals, mainly during pregnancy, although in men, the causes may be the same.

Primary symptoms of microcytic anemia

Although some patients are asymptomatic, in others, there may be specific symptoms to a greater or lesser extent; being essential to go to the doctor when noticing any of them, among which the following stand out:

  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Feel cool skin to touch.
  • Migraine.
  • Chest discomfort.
  • Not being able to concentrate or focus on everyday tasks.
  • Loss of appetite and body weight.
  • Nail and skin color disorders.
  • Slight yellowing of the eyes.

Microcytosis treatment

Since the symptoms can be confused with those of other pathologies and even with another type of anemia, it is necessary to carry out a complete blood test to evaluate the characteristics of the red blood cells and to be able to diagnose microcytosis correctly.

Although the treatment of microcytic anemia will depend on the cause that causes it, generally, it is based on increasing the low iron or nutrients in the body. This is why it is necessary to consult with a specialist so that he can offer an adequate diet and nutritional supplements depending on each case and each patient. In the following article, we show what would be a suitable example of a diet for anemia.

Generally, it is advisable to ingest 120 milligrams of iron per day. The doctor may also recommend adding ascorbic acid and vitamin C to increase the effects of the benefits and, in this way, improve the patient’s symptoms quickly and effectively. But it is important not to self-medicate or alter the dose prescribed by the specialist since an excess of iron can cause other problems.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Microcytic anemia: causes, symptoms and treatment , we recommend that you enter our category of Blood, heart and circulation .

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