Low hemoglobin: causes and consequences

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Reduction of hemoglobin in the blood indicates certain disorders in the functioning of the body. Such a deviation can be observed with the development of certain diseases. Than low hemoglobin is dangerous, its causes and consequences should be studied in detail.

Causes of low hemoglobin

The main cause of this pathology is a significant loss of blood. That is, it develops as a result of such factors:

• surgical intervention;
• severe labor or abortion in women;
• chronic form of hemorrhoids;
• varicose veins;
• abundant allocation of blood during menstruation.

Also common causes in which hemoglobin gradually decreases are:

• irregular eating and improper diet;
• infectious diseases of a chronic nature;
• inflammatory processes in the body.

The above factors mostly cause anemia in women. There are such causes of low hemoglobin in men:

• of the gastrointestinal tract;
• poor assimilation of nutrients that enter the body;
• cardiovascular disease;
• blood loss due to surgical intervention or trauma;
• frequent blood donation, as a result of which it does not have time to resume.

It's important to know! Hemoglobin performs the function of oxygen saturation of blood! Therefore, for good health it is required to maintain it in the norm.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin

In medicine, there are 2 types of hemoglobin reduction: dystrophic and asthenic. Dystrophic decrease is characterized by such signs:

• thinning of the nail plate;
• excessive dryness of the skin, it forms cracks, causing painful sensations;
• significant hair loss, they begin to grow worse;
• there is a violation of smell and taste, the patient ceases to distinguish smells, taste buds become blunted;
• periodically increases body temperature to 37.5 C;
• changes the color of the skin, a painful pallor appears.

As for the asthenic form of hemoglobin reduction, it is accompanied by such symptoms:

• general weakness of the body;
• rapid overstrain;
• lack of sleep, a constant desire to sleep;
• dizziness, sometimes with loss of consciousness;
• nausea leading to vomiting;
• lowering blood pressure;
• heart palpitations.

A reduced level of hemoglobin indicates a lack of iron in the body and other beneficial substances that contribute to the normal functioning of the body.

Pathology in a child before the year

Often, a decrease in hemoglobin is observed in babies. The most common causes of this pathology are:

• umbilical cord disruption at the time of delivery in infants;
• premature babies are subject to a low rate;
• genetic predisposition to blood diseases;
• infection that affects the womb;
• insufficient amount of iron in the baby's body.

In young children, low hemoglobin can be observed for the same reasons as in adults.

The lowered figure negatively affects the development of babies. Therefore, immediate impact on the child is required to bring the hemoglobin level back to normal. For this purpose, the following activities are carried out:

1. Balanced nutrition. The kid should receive a sufficient amount of vitamins and other nutrients. Therefore, eating meat dishes is required in combination with vegetables. Thanks to this, the level of iron in the body increases, which has a beneficial effect on hemoglobin.
2. Taking medications containing iron. If the general condition of the child allows, then you can use medication through the oral cavity. In other cases, injection administration is prescribed.
3. Excessive reduction in hemoglobin in children is life-threatening. Since the first in this situation is the brain. In this case, experts prescribe transfusion of erythrocyte mass.

Therefore, in the womb of the mother is required to monitor the development and health of the baby. This will help to avoid dangerous consequences, and will also contribute to the normal development of the child.

Low hemoglobin in pregnancy

Iron deficiency in the blood is a fairly common problem in women during pregnancy. Ignore it should not, because a low level of hemoglobin can lead to a lag in the development of the future baby. This pathology presents a particular danger in the first months of pregnancy, when the fetal organs are laid.

Anemia in pregnant women can develop for such reasons:

• diseases of the renal, hepatic and cardiovascular system;
• severe toxicosis, accompanied by constant vomiting;
• the break between conceptions is less than 3 years, the body of a woman does not have time to recover;
• hormonal disorder;
• use of antibacterial drugs;
• is a regular nerve disorder.

If the results of the tests showed that the woman's hemoglobin level in the blood is underestimated, it is necessary to consult a doctor. He appoint the most effective and safe therapy, taking into account the individual characteristics of the course of pregnancy. What is the danger of low hemoglobin? This pathology can lead to such serious consequences for the child:

• premature delivery;
• lack of strength at the time of delivery;
• lack of oxygen in the baby;
• toxemia before childbirth;
• severe hemorrhage at the time of delivery;
• death of a newborn after childbirth.

It's important to remember! Fatal consequences can be avoided if the pathology is treated in a timely manner!

Treatment of pathology

Before starting treatment, it is required to find the reason for the decline of this indicator. To increase the level of hemoglobin, the following methods of exposure are commonly used:

1. Medications. A very low value requires medication. What to drink at such pathology? To increase the level of hemoglobin, the intake of vitamins containing iron is required. There are situations when iron is normal, and hemoglobin is low. In such situations vitamins of groups B, C, PP are appointed. In especially severe cases, the attending physician prescribes the administration of vitamins in the form of injections.
2. Diet. What you need to eat with pathology? The diet is aimed at eating foods that contain large amounts of iron and other nutrients. The most useful food products: dried apricots, raisins, apricots, prunes, walnuts. All these products can be mixed or consumed separately. One of the most effective foods for anemia is black caviar. Its use can significantly increase hemoglobin in a short time. But, unfortunately, this is an expensive product that not everyone can afford to buy. A more accessible product with almost the same effect on the body is garnet. Nutrition with low hemoglobin must necessarily be regular and balanced.
3. Use of folk remedies. Non-traditional medicine offers many recipes that help increase hemoglobin in the blood. One of the most effective means is a buckwheat croup shredded with a coffee mill. The resulting powder should be consumed 3 times a day for 1 tbsp.l. This promotes faster absorption of iron in the body.

It's important to remember! In order to get rid of anemia, you must strictly adhere to the prescriptions of your doctor!

Consequences of low hemoglobin

Anemia is a pathology that can lead to dangerous, even fatal consequences if ignored. Its development is fraught with such consequences:

1. Strong decrease in immunity. This leads to frequent illnesses, the risk of infection in the body increases significantly.
2. Chronic fatigue. This is especially observed in adults. Constant weakness always accompanies anemia.
3. Risk of serious cardiovascular disease. Lack of oxygen in the body leads to an irregular heart function.
4. Puffiness of the lower extremities.

As for children, a low level of hemoglobin leads to a lag in physical and psychological development. Therefore it is very important to regularly give a general blood test for preventive purposes. This will help to detect the problem in time. Also for preventive purposes it is required to eat foods containing a large amount of iron in its composition.