Table of contents:
- What are the dangers that might arise if anemia is not treated?
- 1. Hearing loss
- 2. Impaired pregnancy
- 3. Heart disease
- 4. Depression
- 5. Impaired growth and development of children
- 6. Death
Anemia is a condition of lack of red blood in the body. Symptoms of anemia that you feel can be easily tired or weak, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Causes of anemia can occur due to various things from mild to severe. If left untreated, anemia can lead to complications and other health hazards. Anything?
What are the dangers that might arise if anemia is not treated?
If left untreated, anemia can pose a number of health problems, including:
1. Hearing loss
The JAMA Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery study suggests that anemia may be associated with hearing loss. In that study, researchers looked at 305,339 men and women aged 21-90 years. About 4 thousand of them have known hearing loss, and another 2 thousand have iron deficiency anemia.
They found that adults who had iron deficiency anemia were 2.5 times more likely to experience hearing loss than those who did not.
One of the dangers of anemia that affects hearing is sensorineural. Sensorineural hearing loss is generally considered permanent.
Iron deficiency can also interfere with and even kill healthy ear cells. This increases the risk of hearing loss especially if cell death occurs in the hair cells in the inner ear.
2. Impaired pregnancy
Blood volume in pregnant women can increase by around 20-30, so that the supply of iron (iron) and vitamins to produce hemoglobin also increases. Hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells, functions to carry oxygen to other cells in the body.
Iron deficiency before pregnancy can be dangerous. If left untreated, iron deficiency can result in the mother being diagnosed with anemia during pregnancy.
Anemia is one of the risks of maternal death, low birth weight babies (LBW), infection of the mother and fetus, miscarriage and premature birth.
You need to consult with your doctor to find out the risk of developing anemia during pregnancy. Be sure to get the test the first time you visit your obstetrician before entering pregnancy
3. Heart disease
If left untreated, certain types of anemia, such as iron deficiency, can lead to heart problems.
Anemia makes the heart have to work harder to make up for the shortage of red blood cells. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, this condition can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). As a result, you can develop an enlarged heart or heart failure.
4. Depression
The nerve damage in some types of anemia, such as pernicious anemia, can lead to depression if not treated promptly.
A published journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology found that iron deficiency anemia can increase the risk of postpartum depression. However, further research is needed to confirm the results of these studies in more detail.
5. Impaired growth and development of children
Chronic anemia can have an impact and bring its own dangers at every stage of a child's development (infancy, childhood and adolescence). Additionally, a study was published The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that severe iron deficiency anemia can result in slow mental, cognitive, and motor development in children. It is known, iron is an important nutrient for brain development.
6. Death
The most severe danger of anemia is death. Some types of inherited (genetic) anemia, such as sickle cell anemia, can cause life-threatening complications. Losing a lot of blood rapidly can cause acute and severe anemia, which can be fatal.
You may be able to prevent the dangers of anemia by taking the right and fast anemia treatment. You can also take measures to prevent anemia with simple steps, such as eating nutrient-rich foods and exercising regularly.
