Anemia is a condition that occurs when the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry sufficient amounts of oxygen to the body’s tissues. It is a condition that causes the patient to feel weak and tired. Anemia can be temporary or a long-term condition, and can range from mild to severe. This condition can also be a sign of a more serious illness.
There are many types of anemia, each with their own cause and treatment.
1. Iron deficiency anemia
- Treatment
The treatment for iron deficiency anemia, which is one of the main types of anemia, usually involves one of the following:- Diet modification to include food with iron content.
- Iron supplements are the primary course of treatment that is given in the form of tablets. Vitamin C may be prescribed to help in the better absorption of iron.
- In case the problem is due to excess bleeding in menstruation, treatment for that would be needed. Infections or tumors causing blood loss have to be treated to stop iron loss.
- Prevention
The best way to prevent anemia is to eat food rich in iron. This includes leafy green vegetables, red meat, seafood, dried fruits, peas, and iron-fortified cereals. Breastfeeding or iron-fortified formula food is essential for infants to prevent iron deficiency.
2. Aplastic anemia
- Treatment
The treatment for aplastic anemia involves:- Medication like immunosuppressants that occur due to autoimmune disorders.
- Growth factors are prescribed to stimulate the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
- Stem cell transplant may be needed in advanced cases to regenerate the bone marrow, so that new blood cells can be generated. This is a risky procedure.
- Blood transfusion may be needed to improve the RBC count and to prevent bleeding.
- Prevention
The only preventive measures possible are to avoid exposure to toxic chemicals and substances.
3. Sickle cell anemia
- Treatment
The treatment options include:- Antibiotics as a preventive measure to prevent infections, which can be common.
- Painkiller medications to provide relief from pain experienced during severe phases.
- Hydroxyurea is prescribed to stimulate hemoglobin production in children.
- The primary treatment option is bone marrow transplant that comes with its risks. It is usually done only for those below 16, if a donor can be found.
- Prevention
Someone having sickle cell anemia needs to meet a genetic specialist to understand if the child can develop sickle cell anemia. This is the only preventive measure possible.
4. Thalassemia
- Treatment
Thalassemia can be treated by:- Blood transfusions that may need to be done frequently. This can lead to a buildup of excess iron in the blood.
- Chelation therapy may be required to remove the problem of excess iron in blood.
- Stem cell transplant is possible in children to get a cure, if a donor can be found.
- Prevention
Assisted reproductive technology can be considered, where parents who have thalassemia can have fertilization done in the lab so that the embryo can be tested for thalassemia before implanting in the womb.
5. Vitamin deficiency anemia
- Treatment
Since this form of anemia occurs due to deficiency in vitamins, the primary treatment is to provide the vitamins the body lacks. This would be prescribed through medication. - Prevention
This form of anemia can be easily prevented by following a balanced diet that has vitamins through leafy vegetables, nuts, fruits, eggs, milk, shellfish, broccoli, citrus fruits, and tomatoes. Multivitamin tablets can be taken as a preventive measure.
The information on treatment and prevention of the main types of anemia presented in this article would have provided you with valuable information, especially on prevention.