Some people may only find out they have low iron levels through a routine blood test. But if you have any of the symptoms above, talk to your doctor so they can work out whether you have low iron and, if so, diagnose the cause. Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms, what you eat, the medicines you take and your family medical history.
If the cause is not an obvious one like heavy period bleeding, they may also examine your stomach or do a digital rectal exam. This involves inserting a finger into your rectum bottom to check for blood loss.
If your doctor thinks you may have low iron, they will order blood tests to check your iron levels and red blood count and to find out if you are bleeding somewhere in your body. Treatment depends on the cause of your low iron. As well as treating the cause, your need to increase your iron levels by taking these steps:.
Iron supplementation should only be done under the supervision of a doctor. Your blood count should be checked regularly to make sure your iron stores have returned to normal. Your body absorbs only a small amount of iron at any one time, so you need to eat a variety of iron-rich foods every day.
The iron in meat, fish and chicken is called haem iron. Listen to your lungs for rapid or uneven breathing. Feel your abdomen to check the size of your liver and spleen.
Blood tests. Based on results from blood tests to screen for iron-deficiency anemia, your doctor may order the following blood tests to diagnose iron-deficiency anemia: Complete blood count CBC to see if you have lower than normal red blood cell counts, hemoglobin or hematocrit levels, or mean corpuscular volume MCV that would suggest anemia.
Iron to measure the amount of iron in your blood. The level of iron in your blood may be normal even if the total amount of iron in your body is low. For this reason, other iron tests are also done. Ferritin is a protein that helps store iron in your body. Reticulocyte count to see if you have lower than normal numbers of these very young red blood cells. Peripheral smear to see if your red blood cells look smaller and paler than normal when viewed under a microscope.
Different tests help your doctor diagnose iron-deficiency anemia. Normal levels are 40 to for men and 20 to for women. More testing may be needed to rule out other types of anemia. Tests for gastrointestinal bleeding. Fecal occult blood test to check for blood in the stool. Blood in the stool would suggest bleeding in the GI tract and may require further testing. Upper endoscopy to look for bleeding in the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine.
A tube with a tiny camera is inserted through your mouth down to your stomach and upper small intestine to view the lining of your upper digestive tract. Colonoscopy to look for bleeding or other abnormalities, such as growths or cancer of the lining of the colon. For this test, a small camera is inserted into the colon under sedation to view the colon directly. What if my doctor thinks something else is causing my iron-deficiency anemia? To find the cause of your iron-deficiency anemia, your doctor may order additional tests: Inflammation marker tests may help your doctor determine if inflammation is causing iron-deficiency anemia.
Blood tests allow your doctor to look at the amount of other nutrients in your blood, such as vitamin B12 or folic acid. Visit our Pernicious Anemia Health Topic to learn more. Bone marrow tests help your doctor see whether your bone marrow is healthy and making new blood cells. Visit our Aplastic Anemia Health Topic to learn more. Return to Causes to review how blood loss, not consuming the recommended amount of iron, and medical conditions can lead to iron-deficiency anemia.
Return to Risk Factors to review family history, lifestyle, unhealthy environments, or other factors that increase your risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia. Return to Signs, Symptoms, and Complications to review common signs and symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia. Return to Screening and Prevention to review tests to screen for and strategies to prevent iron-deficiency anemia.
Treatment - Iron-Deficiency Anemia. Iron supplements. If iron supplements alone are not able to replenish the levels of iron in your body, your doctor may recommend a procedure, including: Iron therapy, or intravenous IV iron. This is sometimes used to deliver iron through a blood vessel to increase iron levels in the blood. One benefit of IV iron is that it often takes only one or a few sessions to replenish the amount of iron in your body.
People with severe iron-deficiency anemia or who have chronic conditions such as kidney disease or celiac disease may be more likely to receive IV iron. You may experience vomiting, headache, or other side effects right after the IV iron, but these usually go away within a day or two. Red blood cell transfusions. These may be used for people with severe iron-deficiency anemia to quickly increase the amount of red blood cells and iron in the blood. Your doctor may recommend this if you have serious complications of iron-deficiency anemia, such as chest pain.
Surgery, upper endoscopy or colonoscopy, to stop bleeding. Healthy lifestyle changes. To help you meet your daily recommended iron levels, your doctor may recommend that you: Adopt healthy lifestyle changes such as heart-healthy eating patterns. Increase your daily intake of iron-rich foods to help treat your iron-deficiency anemia.
See Prevention strategies to learn about foods that are high in iron. It is important to know that increasing your intake of iron may not be enough to replace the iron your body normally stores but has used up. Increase your intake of vitamin C to help your body absorb iron. Avoid drinking black tea, which reduces iron absorption. Other treatments. Living With will discuss what your doctor may recommend, including lifelong lifestyle changes and medical care to prevent your condition from recurring, getting worse, or causing complications.
Research for Your Health will discuss how we are using current research and advancing research to treat people with iron-deficiency anemia.
Participate in NHLBI Clinical Trials will highlight our ongoing clinical studies that are investigating treatments for iron-deficiency anemia.
Living With - Iron-Deficiency Anemia. Follow your treatment plan. Monitor your condition. Your doctor may: Ask about your signs and symptoms , including whether you have any new or worsening symptoms. Repeat blood tests , such as complete blood count and iron studies. Prevent complications over your lifetime. Learn the warning signs of serious complications and have a plan. Learn about other precautions to help you stay safe.
Return to Treatment to review possible treatment options for iron-deficiency anemia. Return to Signs, Symptoms, and Complications to review signs and symptoms as well as complications from iron-deficiency anemia. Research for Your Health. Improving health with current research. Recipient Epidemiology Donor Studies program findings help to protect blood donors.
This is the largest study to have looked at iron levels in blood donors. Results from the REDS program have led to other research and newer recommendations to increase the length of time between donations to protect blood donors. Cardiovascular Health Study identifies predictors of future health problems in older adults.
This was associated with a greater risk of death even with mild anemia. Now, anemia in older adults is recognized as an important condition. Overview Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. More Information Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia? Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Kaushansky K, et al.
Iron deficiency and overload. In: Williams Hematology. New York, N. Accessed Oct. Schrier SL, et al. Treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adults. Iron-deficiency anemia. American Society of Hematology. Vitamin C: Fact sheet for health professionals.
Iron is also necessary to maintain healthy cells, skin, hair, and nails. Iron from the food you eat is absorbed into the body by the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract; the body only absorbs a small fraction of the iron you ingest. The iron is then released into the blood stream, where a protein called transferrin attaches to it and delivers the iron to the liver.
Iron is stored in the liver as ferritin and released as needed to make new red blood cells in the bone marrow. When red blood cells are no longer able to function after about days in circulation , they are re-absorbed by the spleen. Iron from these old cells can also be recycled by the body. Iron deficiency is very common, especially among women and in people who have a diet that is low in iron. The following groups of people are at highest risk for iron-deficiency anemia:.
Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia are related to decreased oxygen delivery to the entire body and may include:. Iron-deficiency anemia is diagnosed by blood tests that should include a complete blood count CBC. In an individual who is anemic from iron deficiency, these tests usually show the following results:. The peripheral smear or blood slide may show small, oval-shaped cells with pale centers.
In severe iron deficiency, the white blood count WBC may be low and the platelet count may be high or low. Your doctor will decide if other tests are necessary. Iron deficiency is common in menstruating and pregnant women, children, and others with a diet history of excessive cow's milk or low iron-containing foods.
By talking with your doctor about your diet and medical history, your doctor may gain enough information to determine whether additional testing is needed. In patients such as men, postmenopausal women, or younger women with severe anemia, the doctor may recommend additional testing.
These tests may include the following:. Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose the cause of iron deficiency, or your doctor may be concerned that there is a problem other than iron deficiency causing the anemia.
0コメント