The deficiency of red blood cells in the body is a condition known as anemia. There are several types of anemia, all with different causes and different symptoms. While some can be mild and do not pose any threat, others can indicate a serious underlying condition. Here are the common causes and symptoms of anemia you must know. The common symptoms of anemia include the following.

Symptoms due to lack of oxygen
The causes and symptoms of anemia can vary person to person. The severity of the symptoms can also be different, varying between mild and serious. In fact, in some cases, the severity of the symptoms can be such that it can even pose a threat to the life of the patient. One such symptom of anemia that can massively interfere with the life of the patient is hypoxia. It can make the normal functioning of the body difficult, and hence makes performing day-to-day activities unmanageable. Hypoxia can lead to dizziness, headache, hands and feet turning cold, weakness, and more.

Symptoms due to pressure on the heart
When there is a shortness of breath caused due to anemia, it can make the heart work harder than it usually has to in order to supply enough oxygen to the entire body. This can lead to several heart-related problems and cause symptom such as pain in the chest, breathlessness, arrythmia and drop in blood pressure. Treatment can be needed to get relief from these symptoms.

Causes of anemia
There at least 400 types of anemia and they are broadly categorized under three groups. These are based on the causes and are known as:

• Anemia that is caused by loss of blood
• Anemia that is caused due to decrease in healthy or having defective red blood cells
• Anemia that is caused due to red blood cells destruction in the body in excess

Anemia triggered by loss of blood
This type of anemia is caused when there is an excessive loss of red blood cells because of bleeding. The bleeding can happen over a period of time which might make it difficult to notice. The bleeding can happen due to various reasons such as:

• Gastrointestinal diseases
• Certain medications
• Menstrual cycle
• Surgery

Anemia due to the production of faulty red blood cells
In this type of anemia, the body might not be producing enough red blood cells or can be creating a lot of faulty red blood cells. There can be various reasons behind this and that can include deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body which are required to produce red blood cells.

Anemia caused due to excessive destruction of red blood cells
This happens when the red blood cells are not strong enough and get destroyed while traveling in the body. Since the cells are not able to take the stress, they burst and lead to hemolytic anemia. This condition can be present at the time of the birth or it can develop at a later stage in life.