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What is the treatment for anemia?
Treatment for anemia is dependent on what the doctor wants out of the condition. Every anemia treatment is as per doctors’ instructions. The treatment for anemia could be:
Anemia caused by blood loss- Anemia caused by Red blood cell production decrease
- Vitamin deficiency
- Surgery
- Problems in the bone marrow
- Sickle cell anemia
- Hemolytic anemia
Anemia Caused By Blood Loss
When the body loses blood, then a blood transfusion is needed. A long term blood loss is treated by treating the source of bleeding. Menstruation is a condition where there is anemia due to loss of blood. Sometimes elderly women develop anemia because of some other problem which could be identified with a colonoscopy or a test of the colon.
Anemia due to red blood cell production decrease
At such times, anemia is best treated with iron supplements. But sometimes these could cause more fatigue, vomiting, headache etc. So it should be done under a doctor’s consultation. Iron supplements should not affect the other supplements being taken for example calcium supplements. Iron rich diet like red meat, beans, egg yolk, nuts, seafood, processed food reinforce the iron content in the body.
Vitamin And Folate Deficiency
Sometimes the amount of Vitamin B-12 and folate in the body becomes less. This treatment is dependent on causes of the deficiency. Vitamin B-12 injections are one way of dealing with these problems. People with this kind of deficiency have difficulty in absorption of Vitamin B-12 and thus the injections are administered for at least three months. Pills might be needed for the entire life.
Surgery
Sometimes anemia is caused due to some gastric bypass surgery etc. The treatment for anemia at such times is done by replenishing the missing vitamin or iron. When there is a gastric bypass, then the nutrients absorb the excess vitamins and irons present. This leads to anemia. Vitamin B-12 is best found in liver, meat, kidney, fish, oysters, clams. Milk, cheese and eggs are also good sources of this vitamin. If the folic acid is less, then the folate supplements would replenish lost vitamins. Folate is found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, liver and kidney, dairy substances, whole grains, etc. All vegetables should be had either raw or should be lightly cooked.
Problems In The Bone Marrow
Anemia is more prevalent and persistent in some parts of the body. This includes the bone marrow
and stem cells. Such anemia treatment is dependent on the condition and necessary action has to be taken. Another anemia treatment is the Aplastic anemia. It is a good option yet it is seen that these people finally require bone marrow transplantation. Lead is a metal which causes poisoning and leads to anemia. This is treated by administering a drug that draws the lead out of the body.
Sometimes people have anemia as a long term sickness. For them, treatment is the best solution. Erythropoietin is a hormone that is responsible for stimulating the red blood cell production. Injections of this hormone ensure that the anemia problem is avoided. People with a kidney problem and undergoing dialysis have erythropoietin, which helps to reduce the anemic condition and thus is a good treatment for anemia.
Hemolytic Anemia
If the hemolytic anemia is mild, there is no treatment required. But when the agent causing
hemolytic anemia is found out, then the exposure to this factor should be avoided. Often people suffering from hemolytic anemia need a surgery to replace malfunctioning valves, to replace a tumor or to repair blood vessels which are abnormal. In such conditions, a blood
transfusion is required. Steroids have a tendency to stop the immunity attack on the body’s red blood cells. All these factors can be removed from the blood by treating this. This is done by a treatment called plasmapheresis. Sometimes hemolytic anemia continues in spite of being treated. At such times, the doctor asks for a splenectomy. This is a process by which the spleen is removed surgically. A person can live easily without a spleen. Sometimes the other cure for hemolytic anemia is removal of the gall bladder. This happens when the hemolytic anemia has been there for a long time. This kind of anemia damages the kidneys and thus dialysis becomes necessary. Sometimes in extreme cases the only way hemolytic anemia is treated is with a bone marrow transplant.
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is normally treated with a drug called hydroxyurea. This stimulates the development of another form of hemoglobin.
