Anemia

Red Blood Cell Destruction (Hemolytic Anemia)

The red blood cells (RBCs or erythrocytes) are important carriers of gas in the blood ensuring that oxygen reaches all tissues. These cells are constantly being produced and destroyed in the body. The balance ensures that there is a sufficient quantity of RBCs in the blood. The normal lifespan of a red blood cell is about >> Read More ...

Anemia (Low Hemoglobin, Red Blood Cell Count) Causes, Symptoms

What is anemia? Anemia is a deficiency of circulating red blood cells or low hemoglobin levels. There are number of different types of anemia and this term may encompass a number of defects in size, shape, structure and quantity of red blood cells in the blood. Irrespective of the type of anemia, the oxygen-carrying >> Read More ...

Too Many or Too Few Red Blood Cells | Effects on the Body

The average male adult has just overĀ  5 million red blood cells per cubic millimeter (microliter) while adult females have over 4.5 million red blood cells per microliter. This quantity of red blood cells may vary for a number of reasons – both physiological and pathological. While the body can cope with a slight >> Read More ...

Multiple Myeloma Treatment

Multiple myeloma treatment is a highly complicated issue. Not only is the procedure cumbersome, but with each option there are a significant number of pro’s and con’s attached. Understanding the significance is perhaps the last thing on the mind of the affected person due to the life-threatening nature of the >> Read More ...

Multiple Myeloma – Symptoms and Staging

The symptoms of multiple myeloma range from mild fatigue to renal failure and paralysis. It is quite intriguing how an abnormality of a single type of cells can lead to such disastrous consequences. Apart from less morbid variants like an isolated plasmacytoma (single plasma cell tumor), multiple myeloma invariably leads >> Read More ...

Bone Marrow – Structure and Function

Bone marrow is a highly cellular structure present within the hollow cavities of hard bone tissue. Bone marrow (Picture 1) is of 2 types, red bone marrow (produces blood cells) and yellow bone marrow (fatty tissue). The nature of bone marrow in different parts of the body changes with age. During childhood, bone marrow in >> Read More ...

Is Anemia Serious? Loss of Blood due to Unknown Causes

KerryTR73 Asked : After weeks of feeling weak and tired and a couple of fainting spells, I discovered that I am severely anemic. I used to have anemia when I was in my teens and twenties but this stopped after having 2 kids and going on the injection. My doctor now tells me that he wants to do an endoscope and colon check >> Read More ...

High Folate, Low Vitamin B12, Anemia from Bacterial Overgrowth

AriannaF82 Asked : I recently went for some tests for anemia and now my doctor thinks that I have an excess of bacteria in my small bowel intestine. He also mentioned a condition known as blind loop syndrome. I have been anemic since my teens and now that I am 26 years old and on my own health insurance, I decided to get >> Read More ...

Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Anemia and Coffee

Randell67 Asked : I am a 42 year old male and have been fit for most of my life. Recently I was feeling a bit tired and weak at times and I went to the doctor. I was worried that it may be my heart or something because I was getting some of these symptoms like chest pain and short breath. All the tests came back clear >> Read More ...
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