Table of contents:
- How to deal with anemia
- 1. Consume iron
- 2. Take vitamin C
- 3. Consume vitamin B12 and folic acid
- 4. Consume probiotics
- 5. Medicines
- 6. Blood transfusions
- 7. Spinal cord cell transplant
- 8. Surgery
- 9. Plasmapheresis
- Other anemia treatment options
Anemia is a common health problem, especially for women. Unfortunately, not many people realize that they have anemia. Symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue, are sometimes taken for granted by some people. Even so, you still need to know how to treat anemia so that this condition doesn't bother you. Check out the various anemia treatment options for you.
How to deal with anemia
Anemia treatment aims to relieve symptoms and prevent any complications that may occur. Many things can cause anemia, for example a lot of blood loss, decreased red blood cell production, or damaged red blood cells.
That is why your doctor will first find out the cause of your anemia through a series of tests and anemia diagnosis procedures. That way, the doctor can determine the right treatment to treat your anemia.
Some common treatment options for treating your anemia include:
1. Consume iron
Iron deficiency anemia (iron deficiency) is one type of anemia that is very common in many people. This condition especially occurs in women who experience heavy menstruation.
Iron deficiency anemia is caused by a lack of iron in the body, so the body is unable to produce enough red blood cells.
That is why increasing iron intake is one of the treatment options for treating anemia. You can get additional iron from food or supplements.
Some foods that are high in iron include:
- Red meat
- Egg yolk
- Seafood
- Wheat
- Nuts
Not only that, eating chocolate can also be a fun way to deal with anemia, as well as simple anemia prevention. Neither regular chocolate nor dark chocolate are both high in iron.
Research has revealed that there are more antioxidants in chocolate than berries. However, it is preferable to have a minimum cocoa content of 70%.
If you decide to take iron supplements, be sure to consult your doctor first. Iron supplements are better consumed one hour before meals so that they are properly absorbed in the body.
2. Take vitamin C
Apart from iron, consumption of vitamin C is also one way to treat anemia. This is because vitamin C helps in better absorption of iron in the body.
Drinking it together with iron can help your body get optimal intake so that it is able to produce sufficient amounts of hemoglobin.
3. Consume vitamin B12 and folic acid
Anemia can also occur because the body is deficient in vitamin B12 and folate. These two nutrients are also needed by the body to make healthy red blood cells.
To overcome this, you certainly need to increase your intake of foods that contain vitamin B12, such as:
- Meat
- Chicken's liver
- Fish
- Oyster
- Shellfish
- Milk
- Cheese
- Egg
In addition, you also need to consume sources of folic acid, such as those from green vegetables and milk. If needed, your doctor may give you vitamin B12 injections or vitamin B12 and folate supplements to treat anemia.
4. Consume probiotics
Probiotics do not directly increase the production of red blood cells. However, probiotics can help keep the digestive system healthy. A healthy intestine can continue to work effectively and efficiently to absorb various nutrients the body needs from food.
A study from Stanford University, United States, found that iron and vitamin B levels in the blood increased in people who regularly took probiotic supplements. This proves that probiotics can play a role in the treatment of anemia.
Apart from supplements, you can get probiotic intake from healthy foods, such as yogurt, pickles, tempeh, and other fermented foods.
5. Medicines
Doctors usually prescribe certain medications to treat blood deficiency problems due to certain causes, such as autoimmune problems.
Some drugs to treat anemia that doctors usually prescribe as an anemia treatment include:
- Immunosuppressants, such as cyclosporine and anti-thymocyte globulin for patients with aplastic anemia who are unable to undergo a bone marrow transplant.
- Medicines such as sargramostim, filgrastim, and pegfilgrastim are useful to help stimulate the bone marrow to produce new blood cells.
- Deferasirox to get rid of excess iron.
6. Blood transfusions
Your doctor may recommend blood transfusions for the treatment of certain types of anemia. Hemolytic anemia may require blood transfusions, but rarely.
In addition, blood transfusions are not a patented drug for aplastic anemia. This treatment only relieves symptoms and does not provide blood cells that cannot be produced by your bone marrow.
Meanwhile, for anemia due to thalassemia, blood transfusions may be done every few weeks.
7. Spinal cord cell transplant
Treatment using a stem cell transplant (stem cells) to the spinal cord can be used for conditions of severe aplastic anemia. This spinal cord transplant will generally be performed in patients who are young, and usually the stem cells will be donated from siblings.
This treatment can also be done to treat anemia due to thalassemia, which is quite severe. This can eliminate the need for lifelong blood transfusions and long-term consumption of anemia-specific blood booster drugs.
Discuss further with your doctor if you feel symptoms of anemia or have been officially diagnosed. The doctor will give you the medicine that best matches the cause of your lack of blood.
8. Surgery
Surgery can be a treatment option for certain types of anemia. People with hemolytic anemia may need surgery to replace damaged heart valves, remove tumors, or repair abnormal blood vessels.
If hemolytic anemia persists despite treatment, your doctor may recommend a splenectomy. This is a last resort to remove the spleen. Most people can still live a normal life without a spleen.
9. Plasmapheresis
Anemia can also occur because the blood plasma in your body contains antibodies that attack healthy cells in the body (autoimmune), including red blood cells. Treatment of anemia with the plasmapharesis procedure allows the separation of blood plasma.
Later, the damaged blood plasma will be replaced with new, healthier plasma. This is also known as plasma exchange, the process is similar to kidney dialysis.
Alternatively, plasma can be temporarily replaced with other solutions such as saline or albumin or stored first and then returned to your body.
Other anemia treatment options
Apart from the treatment options mentioned above, exercising can also be a way to treat anemia.
When exercising, the body needs more oxygen. When the body needs oxygen, the brain then signals the body to produce red blood cells.
Therefore, if you have anemia, it's a good idea to do light exercise. Jog, Swimming and walking can be sports options that you can do to help increase red blood cells in the body.
Adequate and refill iron intake is basically the most important way to treat anemia. However, some people who suffer from certain types of anemia are advised to limit their consumption of these substances.
So before trying carelessly how to deal with anemia, it's better to consult with your doctor first so you know which one is the best for your own body condition.
