People with IDA that is mild or moderate may not experience symptoms.
More severe cases of iron deficiency will cause chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
IDA needs to be addressed and treated.
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Keep reading to learn about the symptoms and complications of IDA and when to see a doctor.
Extreme Fatigue
Fatigueis one of the most common symptoms of IDA.
You may even experience it when you are resting or sitting down.
Other causes include stress, medications, and exercise.
In rare cases, heart palpitations are a symptom of a heart condition that requires treatment.
With anemia, heart palpitations are a sign your body is trying to compensate for a lack of oxygen.
The body is circulating blood faster to make use of the littlehemoglobinthat is available.
An ongoing rapidheart rateis not good for the heart or the body.
Headaches
IDA may cause the brain to get less oxygen than it needs to function.
Cold Hands and Feet
Cold hands and feet could mean IDA.
The lack of oxygen will adjust sensations of hot and cold throughout the body.
Rare Symptoms
There are other signs your iron is low.
Tinnitus
Tinnituscan be described as hearing ringing, buzzing, or hissing noises from the inner ear.
To do this, blood will flow through the middle ear, resulting in ringing and other sounds.
Some studies have shown that RLS affects up to 40% of people with IDA.
Dry and Damaged Skin and Hair
Having dry, damaged skin and hair could indicate IDA.
The oxygen depletion also causes hair and skin to become dry and weak.
You might also experience a burning feeling in the mouth ormouth ulcers.
Koilonychia affects around 5% of people with IDA.
The first sign of koilonychia is brittle nails that chip and crack very easily.
Complications
For most people, the outlook for IDA is good with proper treatment.
But left untreated, iron deficiency anemia can cause serious complications.
Your risk for serious IDA complications can be reduced by following the treatment plan your doctor prescribes for you.
It is never a good idea to diagnose or treat anemia on your own.
Overloading with iron can be dangerous because too much iron oriron toxicitycan damage the liver and cause other problems.
Additional testing is usually considered if treatment with iron supplementation has not been helpful.
Summary
Iron deficiency anemia reduces the capacity to get oxygen to the tissues of the body.
Self-treatment is not recommended since taking in too much iron can result in iron toxicity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bloodwork is the only way to know for sure that you are anemic.
If you are prone to anemia, you may be able to recognize the symptoms as they return.
Anemia affects people differently.
Possible symptoms include:
Yes, there are a few different types of at-home anemia tests on the market.
Mail-in kits include theLetsGet Checked Iron Testand theCerrascreen Ferritin Test.
Sanguina is also expected to begin selling a fully at-home anemia test kit AnemoCheck Home in early 2022.
Another method for testing anemia at home is a finger cuff, similar to testing oxygen levels.
TheOrSense NBM 200uses unique technology to estimate hemoglobin levels.
However, the monitor can cost upwards of $1,000.
Yes, iron deficiency anemia is treated with iron supplements.
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