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Anemia
Can anemia cause tinnitus?
Anemia can cause tinnitus. When anemia is severe, various organs of the body are in a state of ischemia and hypoxia. The nervous system can exhibit symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and a feeling of heaviness in the head, as well as tinnitus. At this point, infusing red blood cells to correct the anemia can alleviate symptoms like tinnitus. It is also important to actively seek the underlying causes of the anemia. Anemia can be categorized based on the size of red blood cells into microcytic hypochromic anemia, normocytic anemia, and macrocytic anemia. Microcytic hypochromic anemia is commonly seen in chronic disease anemia and iron deficiency anemia, normocytic anemia is commonly found in conditions such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and acute blood loss anemia, while macrocytic anemia is typical in megaloblastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.
The hazards of anemia in pregnant women
Firstly, the occurrence of anemia during pregnancy is very common, and most cases are mild anemia, but a small proportion can be severe. The harm of anemia comes from two aspects: one is that it is harmful to the fetus, as anemia during pregnancy can affect the intellectual development of the fetus, which is very clear. Another harm comes from the mother, such as the possibility of postpartum hemorrhage or infection. If a cesarean section is performed, our hemoglobin must not be lower than 80 grams. If it is below 80 grams, a blood transfusion or intraoperative blood preparation is needed.
How is anemia treated?
For any type of anemia, if the anemia is severe, there is a need for active transfusion of red blood cells to correct the anemia. However, anemia can reoccur after transfusion of red blood cells, and it is not a long-term solution. Therefore, after correcting anemia with red blood cell transfusion, it is still necessary to diagnose the specific cause of the anemia and treat it accordingly. For example, patients with iron deficiency anemia need iron supplementation, those with megaloblastic anemia need to be supplemented with folic acid and vitamin B12, and patients with acute blood loss anemia need to find the source of bleeding and receive hemostatic treatment. Anemia caused by malignant hematological disorders like acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes requires anti-tumor treatment.
Can anemia cause fever?
Patients with severe anemia may exhibit low-grade fever due to the severity of the anemia, where the fever generally does not exceed 38 degrees Celsius, mostly hovering around 37.5 degrees Celsius. Besides, if a patient with anemia develops high fever above 38 degrees Celsius, even reaching around 39 degrees Celsius, it is crucial to be vigilant about a possible secondary infection due to poor resistance from anemia. It is important to actively search for the source of infection, complete tests such as inflammatory markers, CT scans, and ultrasound imaging, and, once an infectious fever is suspected, to initiate aggressive anti-infection treatment.
Symptoms of anemia in late pregnancy
Patients with mild anemia in the late stage of pregnancy may not exhibit any obvious symptoms. However, patients with severe anemia may feel a lack of energy and dizziness throughout the body, and experience symptoms such as palpitations and shortness of breath after doing just a little bit of activity. Additionally, some individuals may experience gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal bloating and diarrhea. Moreover, those affected may have a reduced appetite. In anemic women, signs on the skin and mucous membranes include pallor, dry skin, and sparse hair. Additionally, the nails may also be fragile and thin, and there is an increased likelihood of developing oral inflammation and similar symptoms.
Symptoms of low blood pressure and anemia
Main clinical symptoms of low blood pressure and anemia: general fatigue, pale complexion, heart palpitations and shortness of breath, cerebral ischemia causing dizziness and vertigo, insomnia and frequent dreams; some patients may also experience loss of appetite, indigestion, and other symptoms. Low blood pressure and anemia are not the same disease, and their clinical treatments differ. Low blood pressure is caused by excessively low blood pressure leading to ischemia above the brain, and the treatment should aim to increase blood volume and elevate blood pressure. Anemia is caused by a reduction in hemoglobin, leading to ischemia and hypoxia in the body, and treatment should involve supplementation of nutrients and the essential trace elements that are lacking, which should be treated seriously.
Iron deficiency anemia is what type of anemia?
Iron deficiency anemia refers to the anemia that occurs when the body's stored iron is depleted and cannot meet the needs for normal red blood cell production. Before the production of red blood cells is limited, the body's stored iron has already been exhausted. However, at this stage, the routine blood tests may not yet show obvious signs of anemia; this condition is then referred to as iron deficiency. The characteristics of iron deficiency anemia include a lack of stainable iron in the bone marrow and other tissues, as well as reduced serum ferritin and transferrin saturation, presenting as typical microcytic hypochromic anemia. Therefore, iron deficiency anemia is a type of microcytic hypochromic anemia and is classified according to the level of marrow proliferation as a hyperproliferative anemia.
Can anemic people donate blood?
Patients with anemia cannot donate blood. After donating blood, due to the reduction of blood volume, it may worsen anemia and cause symptoms such as dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting, and other manifestations of low blood pressure. In severe cases, it can even induce acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents, so patients with anemia cannot donate blood. Clinically, the requirements for blood donors include not being anemic, weighing more than 45 kilograms, and being free of infectious diseases.
What indicators are used to diagnose anemia?
To determine if someone is anemic, we should look at the red blood cell count and hemoglobin level in a complete blood count. Currently, hemoglobin level is the commonly used indicator clinically. Normal hemoglobin levels are 110~150g/L for women and 120~160g/L for men. Anemia is diagnosed when the hemoglobin level falls below the normal range. Based on the amount of hemoglobin, anemia can be classified into very severe, severe, moderate, or mild. Hemoglobin levels above 90g/L indicate mild anemia, levels between 60~90g/L indicate moderate anemia, levels between 30~60g/L indicate severe anemia, and levels below 30g/L indicate very severe anemia.
Causes of Anemia in Late Pregnancy
Anemia can be categorized into several different types, each caused by different reasons. Iron-deficiency anemia occurs in late pregnancy when the intake or absorption of iron by pregnant women is insufficient. Megaloblastic anemia is caused by a deficiency of folate or vitamin B12 in the patient's body. Additionally, there is thalassemia, which is caused by a genetic deficiency in the patient, leading to anemia in the fetus as well. Another type is aplastic anemia, which is caused by abnormal bone marrow hematopoietic function leading to anemia.