Anemia symptoms are hard to identify mainly because they are similar to stress symptoms. Many people go a long time without realizing they are at risk or that they have anemia because they don’t know how to identify anemic symptoms.Iron deficiency anemia isn’t a major health risk, but if it’s left untreated long enough it turns into a serious health threat.  Anemia, or “tired blood”, is a condition where an individual doesn’t have enough red blood cells capable of carrying the required amount of oxygen to the tissues of the body. Normally anemia is caused by a more threatening illness and can serve as a warning sign for the individual to get checked. Anemia can be treated by taking supplements and/or undergoing a medical procedure, but most of the time it can be prevented by changing your eating habits.

If you suspect you might have an anemic disorder, check yourself for the following symptoms and contact your doctor for further information.

Anemia Symptoms To Look For

• Fatigue – a sudden lack of energy and chronic/extreme fatigue. This may mean you’re lacking enough iron.
• Skin Tone and Brittle Nails – If you feel your skin complexion is pale and nails are brittle you should think about getting a blood test. Pale skin alone isn’t enough to identify yourself as an anemic, when combined with other signs, it can be a good indicator.
• Palpitations – Irregular heartbeats. Palpitations are often accompanied by a feeling of breathlessness.
• Ringing In The Ears – Different people can hear different noises. Anemic individuals hear noises in the inner ear known as tinnitus.
• Heavy Periods – Women are more vulnerable to anemia because of periods. Women who experience a heavy flow frequently are more likely to have a blood disorder.
• Infection and Major Illness – some people become anemic after major illness or infections.
• Iron Deficiency – replenish your daily iron loss.
  
• Dry Mouth – painful sores around the mouth and even inside the mouth.
• Burning Tongue – a “prickly” feeling  or burning sensation on tongue usually indicates some sort of blood disorder or deficiency. 
• Headaches – headaches alone are not enough to indicate you are anemic, accompanied with other symptoms you may want to ask your doctor to run some tests.

Before anemia can be treated, the major cause needs to be discovered. Some of the most common reasons for women are heavy periods. For others it can mean anything from a peptic ulcer to a kidney disease. Long term medical conditions and chronic illnesses may also contribute to anemia; poor diet and nutrition are also a common cause to anemia.

Remember to always replenish your iron and eat healthy meals. Foods such as beans, whole grains, almonds, dried fruit, lean meats, salmon, shrimps, and green leafy vegetable are all full of iron and can help maintain your health. But don’t eat too much iron , because it can be toxic. Try to stay away from caffeine because it doesn’t allow iron to be absorbed into your body. Drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated!

Anemia can be easily treated by increasing your iron intake, but for an advanced anemia it isn’t enough. If you believe that you may be anemic or want to know more about how to prevent anemia, consult your doctor and run some blood tests.