Treating anemia in many ways
How is anemia treated? Are there different treatments for it? What about a pregnant woman? Here are the most important treatments associated with the disease.
What is anemia?
Anemia or anemia is a medical condition in which the number of red blood cells in the body is less than normal, which in turn affects the transport of oxygen in the body.
A person suffering from anemia usually suffers from several different symptoms, depending on the degree of anemia and the rate of disease progression. In other words, if the disease is slow developing, then the patient does not have any symptoms.
If it develops quickly, different symptoms appear, including:
Fatigue and paleness
Fast and irregular heart palpitations
Shortness of breath accompanied by chest pain
Vertigo, dizziness and headache
Changes in the individual's cognitive state
Cold in hands and feet
In rare cases, the patient may develop a myocardial infarction.
Anemia treatment
Treatment of anemia usually depends on the main cause of it, and it is as follows:
1- Iron deficiency anemia:
Having anemia as a result of iron deficiency is treated by taking iron supplements and making some changes in the patient's diet, according to the doctor's advice and instructions.
If the iron deficiency causing anemia is due to a large blood loss, the doctor must locate the bleeding in order to stop it, and this usually requires surgery.
2- Vitamin Deficiency Anemia:
Treating anemia caused by a lack of vitamins is to compensate for this deficiency by taking vitamin supplements and increasing them in a healthy diet.
If your digestive system is having trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from food, which is what caused your anemia, you will need to take B-12 needles based on the recommendations of the specialist doctor.
3- Anemia of chronic disease:
There is no clear and specific method of treatment for this type of anemia, as the doctor focuses on treating the anemia.
In cases where the disease intensifies and its symptoms worsen, the person will undergo blood transfusion or an injection of an orthopedic hormone, a hormone that the kidneys produce that helps stimulate the production of red blood cells.
4- Aplastic anemia:
Treating anemia of this type may require transfer of blood to the person to boost the level of red blood cells, in some cases the person needs a new bone marrow transplant.
5- Anemia associated with bone marrow injury:
Treating anemia of this type may include several options, depending on the severity and severity of the disease:
Certain medications
Chemotherapy
New bone marrow transplant.
6- Hemolytic anemia:
Management of this blood loss is to avoid taking medications that could have caused the infection and to take those that enhance the work of the immune system that may attack red blood cells in this case.
Depending on the severity of the disease, the person may undergo blood transfusion or even purification. In some cases, splenectomy may be beneficial.
Sickle cell anemia:
Having this type of anemia means treating it by managing the oxygen in the body and taking painkillers and fluids to avoid any other complications.
In some cases, the doctor may ask the injured person to undergo blood transfusions and take iron supplements and antibiotics, as new bone marrow transplantation may be an effective treatment in some cases.
8- Thalassemia:
It is possible to treat this type by transferring blood to the patient and taking new supplements and some medications, and the person may in certain cases need to remove the spleen or treat a new bone marrow.
Treat anemia with herbs and foods
It may be possible to contribute to protecting yourself and treating anemia at home in the following ways:
Beetroot: It is used by patients with iron deficiency anemia because it contains a high amount of iron in addition to fiber, calcium, potassium and some vitamins.
Spinach: Rich in iron, vitamin B-12 and folic acid. These minerals contribute to treating iron deficiency anemia and supply energy to the person.
Pomegranate: Contains high levels of iron and other minerals such as calcium, magnesium and vitamin C. These nutrients contribute to increasing the body's ability to absorb iron.
Dates: It is a rich source of iron and vitamin C, which plays an important role in increasing the body's ability to absorb iron.
Apples: Eating apples helps contribute to iron deficiency anemia, as it is very rich in this mineral.
Treatment for sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia usually requires a new bone marrow transplant, but unfortunately finding a donor is extremely difficult, and in case someone is found, the process is associated with a large number of health risks that may lead to death.
Therefore, doctors usually resort to the treatment of sickle cell anemia by controlling symptoms as much as possible to prevent any other complications, and is by taking certain medications that help relieve pain and prevent the emergence of complications in addition to blood transfusion.
Among the most important medications that a doctor may prescribe to treat sickle cell anemia:
Antibiotics: Children with this type of anemia begin taking the antibiotic with two months of age, and continue to do so until they reach five years of age. As for adults who have had a spleen removed, they must take penicillin throughout their lives.
Pain relievers: with the aim of relieving the pain caused by the injury.
Hydroxyurea: Taking this medicine daily after a doctor's prescription helps reduce pain and reduce blood transfusion opportunities. On the other hand, there is some concern about the side effects that are associated with taking this type of medicine for an extended period of time.
