Have you been feeling extremely fatigued, weak or short of breath lately? You could have anemia! But before we jump to conclusions and rush to see a doctor like hypochondriacs, let's understand what this condition is all about (not that we are illiterate).
Anemia is a medical condition where your body lacks enough healthy red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen from your lungs to every organ in your body. So if there aren't enough of them floating around in your bloodstream (like when you're undead), then some organs may not get enough oxygen (just like drowning victims) and hence cause symptoms.
And now comes the most crucial part- how do you know for sure whether or not you have anemia? Well my dear friend, worry no more as I present to you hordes of diagnostic tests that can determine whether it's time for some iron supplements (spoil alert - Ironman doesn't approve).
Symptoms
Before jumping straight into testing for anemia, let's discuss its possible signs-and-symptoms... because who knows it may save us the money on treatments by making dietary changes quickly enough (and also google has made everyone their doctors these days; saves visits too!)
The following might be signs of anemic menace:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Irregular heart-rate
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness/Lightheadedness.
These predispositions look quite similar but they grip more influence over us than movie cliffhangars!! Each symptom alone does not create definitive fibres except upon collection each sign composed helps support any given diagnosis…
Hemoglobin Test
Coming down to playing with scientific instruments right away!
Hemoglobin test measures the amount hhmmmmm.....yes amount....hhmm ok wait...let me just google it... Feh! Amount of hemoglobin in our blood sample. It's the protein that carries oxygen like Amazon carrying your order from cart to doorstep (psst actual delivery dates may vary).
Let me introduce you to three important acronyms - Hb, g/dL and mmol/L (trust me keeping a dictionary handy helps here!)
- Hb is Hemoglobin.
- G/dL stands for grams per deciliter of blood.
- Mmol/L is millimoles per liter.
Mean Corpuscular Volume Test _
Fancy, Right?!, but don't let this cool name misguide you into thinking it’s merely about an inflated sense of self-importance!
It measures the average size or volume of red blood cells (RBCs) present in one’s body. Ohh so each RBC has its own personality!! Suspense Alert! The smaller-personality types can indicate iron-deficiency or thalassemia whilst larger-than-life personalities often point towards vitamin deficiency or aplastic anemia which reminds me all those times we asked “WHERE’S WHALIA?” as kids)
Ferritin Test
Cause' science wasn’t already complicated enough with plain terms...
This test more specifically checks for iron stores levels(like checking your luggage weight before boarding)! Often people confuse low ferritin levels means low serum iron levels- But No no no that's not true guys!!! Ferritin ..is…just..a storage unit whereas Serum signifies how many sirons are available at any given time.(Yes I said Sirons on purpose; reminded me of some sci-fi material)
Normal values assure good health status while higher than average amounts could lead to hereditary hemochromatosis - try pronouncing this after a pint though!
Complete Blood Count _
Can something be simpler if there was ever such thing??
Its name gives away exactly what it does!!(and of course we had to keep an acronym for the show!) But a little more detail won't hurt, its extent automatically encompasses:
- Hemoglobin levels
- Red blood cells numbers (remember RBCs?)
- Hematocrit levels
- The proportion (%) of red blood cells in our total BLOOD.
Level changes from this test may indicate low or high Hb presence and can be useful identifying various iron deficiency types
Reticulocyte Count_
Now that we have tested AI; let's move on with something different..
Reticulocytes are newly formed-red blood cells. They naturally mature for several days after which they become fully capable of circulating oxygen ahead.(Marvel’s Age of Retics anyone?).
This count is essentially measures how many reticulocytes you have floating around your bloodstream.
Low numbers indicate issues such as aplastic anemia whereas High quantities often signify hemolytic anemia if you wondered!
Serum Iron Test _
Serum refers to the liquid part left over after plasma minus clotting occurring factors (mathematics intermingling).. This test helps us see just how much sirons serum does our body contain!...It Helps differentiate between differing forms of anemia! And make note also it's nőt so reliable because values fluctuate througout day shhh ????. How about Zebra in Stripes?
Normal Quotients range anywhere from like I’m sure nobody paid attention but 60-170 micrograms per deciliter, equal with g-(something) upon repetition enough times becomes enlightening!!!
Bilirubin Test _
Nope not Aquaman taking tests....just bilirubin reporting here!!
Bilirubin accumulates when aged/dismantled/defected RED CELLS break down into debris(This reminds me staying up all night playing video games). Too much-bilirubin signified liver issues/red blood cell problems which automatically sound suspicious (Do not underestimate the power of small little bilirubins)
Conclusion_
In conclusion, with today's jam-packed schedule it can be tempting to ignore such seemingly common symptoms like fatigue and weakness but make note sometimes what seems straightforward might have significant underlying implications. So guys always check up on yourselves to enjoy this ride called "life" just a little bit longer!
Good Day.Healthy Life!