The Anemia doctor, also known as a hemoglobin deficiency specialist, is someone who is conversant with, and can specialize in the treatment of, the condition of lack of red blood cells, a deficiency of hemoglobin in the patient’s blood.Anemia is the most common disease condition or disorder found in the blood, and there are several symptoms of the condition that the attending physician must know to look for.
Anemia symptoms
The most common symptom of anemia is being easily fatigued, accompanied by the patient’s lacking in concentration and generally being afflicted with a sense of depression and uneasiness (also known as malaise).
This first and most evident symptom is one reason a number of anemia cases are not readily treated; the patient feels s/he is simply tired out or prematurely fatigued, and a bit “under the weather,” and s/he will wait accordingly for the condition to improve; however, if the condition is anemia, it can become far worse very quickly.
S/he may develop frequent shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, which exhibits itself most prominently after exercise or extended exertion; in addition the skin may be pale, particularly around the edges of the fingernails (although this may be indicative of a number of conditions other than anemia, and is only reliable as a diagnostic symptom if other anemia symptoms are present).In more serious anemic cases, there may even be conditions that lead to heart palpitations, or even to angina or heart failure.
In the most severe cases, there may be anemia symptoms including accelerated blood flow, also called hyperdynamic circulation, as the body attempts to compensate for the lack of oxygen-rich red blood cells; this can be evidenced by an accelerated heart rate (aka tachycardia) and even, in the most extreme cases, enlarging of the heart’s ventricle walls (aka ventricular hypertrophy).
Diagnosing anemia
The anemia doctor will typically diagnose the anemic patient based on his/her blood count, a diagnosis which tells him not only the flow and frequency of red blood cells in the hemoglobin, but also notes the size of the cells; the larger the red blood cells, the more benefit carried to the patient. Diagnostic testing for anemia will also include a check of the reticulocyte count, which measures the ability of the bone marrow to produce new red blood cells in the patient. The bone marrow itself may be examined for evidence of pre-formations, also called precursors, of red blood cells being produced.
Causes and treatments of anemia
What causes anemia may be a deficiency in diet, most simply, including a lack of b12 and folic acid, as well as a lack of iron. If this is the cause, the treatment is swift, since these nutrients are abundant in red meats, poultry, spinach, peas and scaled fish. In addition, most breakfast foods, particularly oatmeal and granola brands, are fortified with B vitamins. Iron supplements are also commonly indicated as treatments for anemia.
More serious considerations in investigating what causes anemia may include inflammations of the kidney or arthritic conditions; some cancer patients have a double dose of anemic propensity, since they may be anemic on the basis of their disease or because of the chemotherapy that treats it.
A number of other treatments are available to the hemoglobin deficiency specialist (or the anemia doctor, if one prefers) in the treatment of anemia, including several different anemia drugs (which are usually prescribed in small doses so as not to affect kidneys) such as multivitamins with iron and/or Epoetinalfasystemics. An emergency measure, especially if the anemia has persisted with loss of blood, might include blood transfusions (commonly used in sickle cell anemia and other genetic forms of the condition). Finally, a number of physicians even recommend moving to a higher living space (either up to the mountains or just up a few floors in the apartment complex)— strangely enough, living at a higher altitude encourages red blood cell manufacture in the bloodstream.
