If a patient has low hemoglobin, the doctors try to find the reasons and consequences of its reduction as soon as possible. The reason for this is that hemoglobin is a component of blood and is responsible for transporting oxygen through the body. Lack of blood substances can cause deterioration of health and serious health problems.
The norm of hemoglobin in the blood
The norm of hemoglobin in an adult varies depending on his sex. Men are characterized by higher rates of the presence of this substance in the blood. Male sex hormones - androgens - contribute to the production of hemoglobin, therefore for representatives of the strong half of mankind the norm is within the range of 130-170 g / l. Because of the monthly loss of blood during menstruation and pregnancy, women do not have time to accumulate such a high number of red blood cells, so the norm for them are the indices in the range of 120-155 g / l.
Low hemoglobin - causes
Low hemoglobin, the causes and consequences of which are well studied at the moment, is an important indicator in the diagnosis of the body. Reduced hemoglobin is often a sign of iron deficiency anemia , but in some cases it can be caused by temporary health problems or life circumstances. If hemoglobin is lowered, the reasons can be covered in such problems:
- profuse menstrual period in women;
- pregnancy and the period of breastfeeding;
- acute infectious diseases;
- blood transfusions;
- trauma with heavy bleeding;
- dysbacteriosis, enterocolitis , colitis;
- blood diseases;
- oncological and autoimmune diseases ;
- parasitic diseases;
- long-term stress;
- unbalanced food, mono-diet, starvation.
Low hemoglobin - symptoms
If a person has a low level of hemoglobin, the symptoms will initially be as follows:
- weakness;
- morning drowsiness;
- reduced working capacity;
- increased incidence of viral infections.
Further decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood leads to the appearance of such symptoms:
- increased fatigue;
- cardiopalmus;
- dyspnea;
- dizziness;
- head and joint pain;
- ringing in the ears and flies before the eyes with a sharp change in the position of the body;
- tremor of hands;
- insomnia;
- deterioration of attention and memory;
- brittle nails and hair.
Hemoglobin is lowered - the consequences
Low hemoglobin, the consequences of which do not manifest themselves immediately, depends on the state of human health and itself has an effect on the functioning of all organs and systems of organs. The lack of this substance in the blood leads to such consequences:
- deterioration of the body's defenses, an increase in the number of diseases;
- permanent weakness and high fatigue;
- problems with the nervous system: irritability, mood swings, bad mood;
- deformation of epithelial tissues (mucosa of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity) and external layers of the skin;
- deterioration of the hair and nails.
Low hemoglobin - consequences during pregnancy
Low hemoglobin during pregnancy is caused by the increased need of the female body in oxygen. The lack of this substance can have unpleasant consequences not only for the mother herself, but also for the baby:
- hypoxia - oxygen starvation of the fetus, which can lead to a delay in the development of the nervous and respiratory systems;
- hypotension of the uterus - low ability of the organ to contract;
- risk of premature birth;
- weak physical development of the child;
- a woman may experience fainting, severe weakness and problems with bearing a child.
Low hemoglobin in breastfeeding
Low hemoglobin in HB occurs in more than half of lactating women. According to statistics, 30% of women of childbearing age have a latent form of anemia, which is aggravated during pregnancy and breastfeeding. During pregnancy, hemoglobin begins or continues to decline, because some of the red blood cells are spent on the development of the fetus. During childbirth, a woman also has a blood loss, which aggravates the situation. By the time of feeding, a woman comes with a lowered hemoglobin, which continues to decrease during breastfeeding.
Based on this, it is evident how important it is in the maternity hospital to take a blood test to the level of hemoglobin. If the indicators are low, doctors immediately prescribe the necessary medications. A low level of hemoglobin can cause such problems for mom and her baby:
- sluggishness of the baby, anxiety and tearfulness;
- weak appetite;
- decrease in the amount of breast milk;
- delay of mental and physical development of the baby;
- headaches and dizziness in the mother;
- decreased working capacity of the mother.
Low hemoglobin in endometriosis
Low hemoglobin, the cause of which lies in endometriosis, is caused by heavy bleeding. The lowered level of blood cells worsens the condition of a woman and prevents recovery. If the hemoglobin is lowered, the woman will feel constant fatigue, drowsiness, lethargy. These symptoms will be accompanied by insomnia and headaches. Treatment of endometriosis includes hormonal therapy, to which drugs are added to increase the amount of hemoglobin.
Low hemoglobin in case of pneumonia
Low hemoglobin, causes and consequences for pneumonia, are not immediately apparent. This disease is insidious, because it can develop asymptomatically. Pneumonia occurs in 4 stages, during which it is important to monitor the level of hemoglobin. In the second stage, a large amount of exudate containing erythrocytes is observed in the lungs. The third stage is characterized by the breakdown of these erythrocytes, which affects the level of total hemoglobin.
If hemoglobin is lower than normal, the body fights worse with the disease, because of what the recovery is postponed. For this reason, pneumonia along with the main treatment with antibiotics often prescribe drugs to increase hemoglobin. The drop in the level of red blood cells depends on how long the person is sick. Timely detected pneumonia is the key to successful rapid recovery without a critical reduction in hemoglobin.
Low hemoglobin in HIV
Antiretroviral therapy in HIV helps to achieve a stable level of hemoglobin in the blood. For this reason, the norms of hemoglobin in this disease are no different from those of a healthy person. Patients with HIV infection should be systematically screened for blood, because low hemoglobin in this disease is the most common complication. 8 out of 10 HIV-infected patients have anemia, which must be treated with iron-containing drugs.
If the iron-containing pigment of blood decreased to 110-115 g / l, then it can be raised without the use of drugs. To do this, it is recommended to enter into the diet foods containing high amounts of iron. If the level of hemoglobin continues to decrease, the doctor prescribes synthetic drugs that will help increase this important indicator.
Low hemoglobin in oncology
Low hemoglobin in oncology, the causes and consequences of its lowering have an important role in creating a picture of the disease. Low hemoglobin in cancer is detected in 70% of patients, therefore blood test is an important component of oncology diagnostics. The disease, revealed at an early stage, has more chances for a cure. Reduction of the level of hemoglobin by 10-20 g / l almost does not affect the patient's well-being. With hemoglobin below 100 g / l, a person begins to feel unpleasant symptoms, there are malfunctions in the work of the respiratory and cardiac systems.
Reduction of hemoglobin in cancer is due to the following reasons:
- the destructive effect of the tumor process;
- toxic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs;
- bone marrow disease;
- a decrease in appetite, a lack of iron intake;
- decay of the tumor, accompanied by bleeding.
Hemoglobin lowered - what to do?
With reduced hemoglobin, it is recommended to correct the diet. In the menu, you should add the following products:
- beef low-fat varieties;
- low-fat fish and fish eggs;
- eggs;
- freshly squeezed juices, especially pomegranate;
- dairy.
If a person has low hemoglobin, what to take - the doctor will appoint, depending on the cause of the disease. The most effective are such medications:
- Vitamin funds: cyanocobalamin, folic acid, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopheryl, pyridoxine, riboflavin.
- Iron preparations: Sorbifer , Aktiferrin, Totema, Ferrofolgamma, Fenyuls, Maltofer, Ferlatum, Venofer.