Do you feel tired all the time? Do you sometimes feel dizzy or pale? These could be signs of a blood deficiency, which is what we medically call anemia. Today we are going to talk about one of these types of anemia , normocytic anemia . The name may sound like a big deal, but don't worry, we will explain it very simply and in a way that you can understand.
What exactly is Normocytic Anemia?
Simply put, normocytic anemia means that the number of red blood cells in your body is lower than normal . Also, the amount of protein called hemoglobin in these red blood cells is not at normal levels. Now you may be wondering what this hemoglobin is. It is the most important thing that helps our red blood cells to capture oxygen and carry it throughout the body. Just like a truck carrying goods, hemoglobin supplies oxygen to our body. So when these red blood cells decrease, when hemoglobin decreases, the amount of oxygen that the body receives also decreases. That is when the symptoms of each disease start to appear.
Doctors sometimes consider normocytic anemia to be a sign of another underlying condition. Some people may develop it due to a hereditary condition. But most often, this condition occurs with another chronic illness . The best thing is, doctors treat it while treating the underlying disease.
Why do we get normocytic anemia?
There are three main reasons for this situation. Let's see what they are:
1. Because of the blood coming out of your body
When blood is lost from the body, it also means that red blood cells are lost. There can be a number of reasons for this.
- It could be due to an injury in an accident .
- It could be due to internal bleeding . There are some diseases that can cause bleeding inside the body in this way.
- For women, this condition can also occur due to heavy periods .
2. Your body cannot make enough red blood cells (decreased red blood cell production)
Our bone marrow is where red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are made. These are made from stem cells. Normally, our bone marrow makes enough red blood cells to meet our needs. However, some diseases can disrupt this process.
- Anemia of Chronic Disease: This condition can occur if you have an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the body for more than three months. Doctors also call this ``Anemia of Inflammation''.
- Kidney Disease: Did you know that our kidneys produce a hormone called Erythropoietin (EPO) . This EPO hormone tells the bone marrow when and how to make red blood cells. So if the kidneys are damaged, that is, if the kidneys are weak (damaged kidneys) , the production of this EPO hormone decreases. Then the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow also decreases, causing anemia.
- Aplastic Anemia: This is a rare blood disorder in which the stem cells in the bone marrow do not produce enough red blood cells, as well as other blood cells.
3. Your red blood cells break down prematurely (Hemolysis)
Normally, a healthy red blood cell lives for about 120 days after it is released from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. But sometimes these red blood cells break down before that. We call this hemolysis . Red blood cells can break down quickly in this way, whether because of a hereditary disease or because of a disease that develops later in life. Let's look at some examples:
- Sickle Cell Anemia: This is an inherited blood disorder. In this, the shape of the red blood cells changes, becoming sickle-shaped. This interferes with blood circulation.
- Hereditary Spherocytosis: This is also a rare, inherited blood disorder. It causes hemolytic anemia, which means that old red blood cells are broken down faster than the body can make new ones.
- Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia: This is also a rare immune system disorder. In this, our own immune system mistakenly attacks our own red blood cells.
- Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP): This disease causes small blood clots to form throughout the body.
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC): This is a blood clotting disorder. If left untreated, it can lead to severe bleeding.
- G6PD Deficiency: This is a deficiency of an enzyme that protects red blood cells from harmful substances.
What are the symptoms of this condition?
The symptoms of normocytic anemia don't appear suddenly, but gradually. You may not notice any major changes in your body even if you have this condition. However, be aware if you start to experience any of the following:
- Constant fatigue and weakness.
- Dizziness.
- Skin that's paler than usual. It's as if there is less blood visible.
- Fast heartbeat.
- Difficulty breathing, feeling like a hawk (Shortness of breath).
- Pale skin, dry skin or skin that bruises easily may occur.
Important: Having one or two of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have normocytic anemia. However, if these symptoms persist, it is best to seek medical advice.
How do doctors find this?
Doctors mainly perform several blood tests to diagnose normocytic anemia.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): This can tell you a lot about your hemoglobin level, red blood cell count, and size. Nomocytic means that the red blood cells are normal in size, but their number is low.
- Peripheral Blood Smear: This test looks at blood cells under a microscope to check their shape, structure, etc. This can help identify the underlying disease that is causing the normocytic anemia.
- Reticulocyte Count: Reticulocytes are newly formed red blood cells that are not yet fully mature. This test checks whether your bone marrow is producing enough healthy red blood cells.
Because normocytic anemia is often a sign of an underlying condition that is not yet recognized, your doctor may do more tests to find out exactly what the underlying condition is. For example, if your doctor thinks you have chronic kidney disease, he or she may do more blood tests, urine protein tests, or imaging tests.
How is Normocytic Anemia treated?
It is treated by treating the underlying cause . Simply put, when the underlying condition causing normocytic anemia is treated, the anemia will also improve.
Imagine that you have anemia due to chronic kidney disease. Then doctors focus on treating the kidney disease. As it heals, the anemia symptoms will also decrease.
However, if you have severe anemia , doctors may give you medication to help your bone marrow make more red blood cells.
Can this be prevented from happening?
To be honest, there are many reasons why normocytic anemia can develop, so it's hard to say exactly when it will develop or how to prevent it. Most of the time, it's caused by another medical condition you already have.
So, while it may not be possible to completely prevent it, you may be able to reduce its impact. If you have a chronic illness, ask your doctor if it puts you at risk of developing normocytic anemia. If so, ask about the symptoms of anemia. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.
What if I have normocytic anemia? What can I expect?
Normocytic anemia can be a sign of a number of medical problems. Some are not serious, but others can be quite serious. If you have this condition, your prognosis depends on several factors. That is, what disease caused you to develop the anemia, how you respond to treatment for that disease, and your general health.
If you have any concerns about this, be sure to talk to your doctor . He or she can give you the best information about your situation.
If you have normocytic anemia, you may already be suffering from a chronic illness. Living with that illness is a challenge. So this anemia is just one more thing you have to manage. Here are some things that may help you:
- Eat a healthy diet. Anemia is often caused by a lack of iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin B9 (folic acid). Ask your doctor about vitamin supplements.
- Anemia is very tiring for the body, so rest as much as possible.
- Drink enough water (stay hydrated).
- Wash your hands often and avoid infections.
You may find out that you have normocytic anemia after a routine blood test, or after a blood test because of some of your symptoms. Most often, this is due to a chronic disease that affects your red blood cells. You may have known about the disease for a long time, or it may be new and shocking news to you. However, it is important to talk to your doctor about your test results and what to do next. This will give you an idea of what to expect.
So what are the most important things we learned from this? (Take-Home Message)
Okay, so let's remind ourselves of some of the most important facts about Normocytic Anemia that we talked about today:
- Normocytic anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells , but the size of the red blood cells is normal.
- The main causes of this are bleeding, decreased red blood cell production, or rapid breakdown of red blood cells.
- Often, this condition arises as a sign of another underlying chronic disease .
- Symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, and difficulty breathing may occur.
- Treatment is by treating the underlying disease.
- If you have these symptoms, definitely seek medical advice. Don't worry, this condition can be controlled with proper treatment.
Remember, you are the one who should be most aware of your health. If you have even the slightest doubt about anything, never hesitate to talk to a doctor.
` Anemia, normocytic anemia, blood deficiency, red blood cells, hemoglobin, chronic diseases, kidney diseases
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න