What is Anemia and Anemia Test?
Anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues.
The anemia test is diagnosed based on the hemoglobin in the blood routine testing. When the hemoglobin is lower than 110g/L in women and 120g/L in men, it is anemia.
Why We Should Do Anemia Test?
Although blood routine test is not a specific test, nor is it a complicated experiment, but because blood continuously circulates throughout the body, flows through various important organs of the body, penetrates into various tissues, participates in the metabolism of the human body, regulates and maintains the human body The balance of various functions and activities and the internal and external environment, and slight abnormal changes in various parts of the human body, will be conveyed by the blood carrying its various information. Checking the changes in the quantity and quality of various cellular components in the blood can help determine the various tissues of the body. Diseases of organs. Therefore, routine blood testing is usually done when the cause is unknown. Anemia will cause different degrees of harm to people's health, ranging from dizziness and weakness to severe damage to the nervous system. Anemia testing is very necessary.
What Items does Anemia test include?
Before doing an anemia test, it is necessary to analyze the root of anemia causes. The causes of anemia include abnormal hematopoietic stem cell function, insufficient hematopoietic raw materials, hemolytic anemia, blood loss, etc. The details are as follows:
- Abnormal function of hematopoietic stem cells: such as aplastic anemia, hematopoietic cell malignant proliferation, acute leukemia and other diseases, patients need to improve blood routine, reticulocyte, peripheral blood smear, and if necessary, bone marrow blood should be drawn for bone marrow morphology As well as bone marrow flow cytometry, genetics, chromosomes and other items;
- Insufficient hematopoietic raw materials: For example, patients with megaloblastic anemia due to lack of iron deficiency anemia, folic acid and vitamin B12 need to improve blood routine, reticulocytes, peripheral blood smear, serum iron, ferritin, blood detection of folic acid and vitamin B12 in
- Hemolytic anemia: that is, anemia caused by the destruction of red blood cells in the periphery. Patients need to improve blood routine, reticulocytes, and bilirubin in biochemistry, especially indirect bilirubin, peripheral blood smear, free hemoglobin, serum Binding globulin, anti-human globulin test, Coombs test, immunological examination, etc.;
- Blood loss: For example, in patients with anemia caused by surgery, trauma, organ rupture, gastrointestinal, urinary, and respiratory bleeding, it is necessary to improve the blood routine, blood type, reticulocytes, and imaging examinations of the corresponding bleeding sites.
How to Get Anemia Test?
Anemia testing is usually done in a doctor's office, laboratory, or hospital. Most anemia tests involve a blood sample taken from an arm or finger prick using a needle.
Anemia can be detected on routine blood tests, or anemia testing can be done after a person develops symptoms consistent with anemia. People receiving treatment for anemia may have follow-up tests to monitor their response to treatment.
Anyone with symptoms of anemia or other concerns about the condition should speak with their doctor to determine which tests are best for their condition.
Of course, you can also book an anemia test online, and at Health Testing Center, they make anemia testing easy by saving you the hassle of going to the doctor. They use the same laboratory as your doctor to provide anemia testing, including a doctor's supervision. Test results are delivered to you confidentially, saving you time and money.
Get Treatment after Anemia Test
In general, anemia may only be a symptom, not a single disease, so it is necessary to determine the underlying cause before effective treatment can be performed.
Causes of Anemia
- Excessive blood loss
Girls in the menstrual period or patients with excessive blood loss caused by injury, how should this type of anemia be treated? In patients with acute massive blood loss, aggressive hemostasis is required, and rapid recovery of blood volume and red blood cell transfusions are required to correct anemia.
- Lack of nutrients
The main reason of nutritional anemia is lack of hematopoietic raw materials in the diet. The anemia caused by the lack of trace element iron is called "iron deficiency anemia"; the anemia caused by the lack of folic acid and vitamin B12 is called "megaloblastic anemia". This type of anemia is collectively referred to as "nutritional anemia".
- Iron-deficiency anemia
Treatment for this form of anemia usually involves taking iron supplements and changing your diet. For some people, this might involve receiving iron through a vein.
If the cause of iron deficiency is loss of blood — other than from menstruation — the source of the bleeding must be located and the bleeding stopped. This might involve surgery.
Treatment for Anemia
- Diet and supplements
Increase your intake of iron-containing foods, the following food contain lots of iron.
- Beef and liverof animals
- Poultry (chicken and turkey)
- Seafood
- Iron-fortified cereals and breads
- Legumes (peas, lentils, white, red and baked beans, soybeans and chickpeas)
- Tofu
- Dried fruit (prunes, raisins and apricots)
- Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables
- prune juice
- Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, so your doctor may recommend that you take an iron supplement with a glass of orange juice or eat foods rich in vitamin C
- Medical treatment
If your anemia symptoms are severe, it is recommended to use a more professional medical treatment plan.
Blood transfusion: If the chronic disease causes severe anemia, the doctor may recommend blood transfusion, which is injected intravenously into healthy blood that matches your blood type. In this way, the body immediately has a large number of red blood cells.
Take iron pills: Frequent blood transfusions can cause iron overload in the body. Too much iron can damage the heart and liver, so you need to reduce iron in your body. Your doctor may give you injections to reduce iron, or prescribe an iron blocker.
Bone marrow transplant: Bone marrow has hematopoietic stem cells. If the anemia is caused by the body's inability to produce healthy blood cells, such as in aplastic anemia, thalassemia, or sickle cell anemia, your doctor may recommend a bone marrow transplant. Stem cells are injected into the patient's bloodstream and sent to the patient's bone marrow.
Cost about Anemia Test
The price of different anemia tests will be different, and the items included are also different. The following is the price reference of different anemia tests.
- Anemia Package(89$-99$)
Includes a complete blood count (CBC) of red and white cells, iron, iron-binding capacity, and reticulocyte count to screen for anemia
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Differential(30$-39$)
Measures red and white blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelets
- Ferritin(40$-49$)
Measures level of ferritin to assess iron deficiency or iron overload.
- Hemoglobin Solubility(79$-99$)
This test is used to identify the presence of hemoglobin S ( an inherited variant of normal hemoglobin). This test may also be referred to as a Sickle Cell Test.
- Transferring(129$-139$)
This test is used to directly measure the level of Transferring in the blood.
- Vitamin B12 & Folate(59$-79$)
Measures the amount of B12 and folate (folic acid) to screen for nutrition or absorption issues and certain types of anemia
The price reference: healthtestingcenters.com. The specific testing plan and price should be determined according to your actual situation. It is recommended to go to the hospital to listen to the advice of a professional doctor.
Some question about Anemia Test you may interested in
F: Can I test myself for anemia?
A: Of course you can self check according to the symptoms of anemia, if the following condition happen to you, it might be anemia.
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Irregular heartbeats
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Cold hands and feet
- Headaches
At first, anemia can be so mild that you don't notice it. But symptoms worsen as anemia worsens.
F:What foods should you avoid if you have anemia?
A:Some foods can make it harder for your body to absorb iron. These include coffee, tea, milk, egg whites, fiber, and soy protein. Try to avoid these foods if you have iron deficiency anemia.
F:Can anemia be prevented or avoided?
A:A balanced diet can help prevent some types of anemia. Eat foods high in iron to prevent a deficiency, such as Red meat, seafood, organ meats (such as liver), dried fruits, nuts and so on, also Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron. Try eating foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits or juice, peppers, and broccoli.
F:Can I have anemia test at home?
A: At-home test kits are available that can analyze blood levels that are relevant to anemia: Tests measuring hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that may be deficient in anemia. Tests measuring levels of the protein ferritin in the blood that may indicate iron deficiency. These kits involve obtaining a drop of blood after pricking your fingertip.
At-home testing does not diagnose anemia and is not a substitute for either medical care or testing ordered by a doctor and conducted in a controlled laboratory.
You can tap the link below to ask online experts who specialize in anemia testing cases, please let them know if you have any questions(www.askadoctor.help)
Resources:
The following resources provide information about the types, causes, symptoms, and treatment of anemia:
- National Library of Medicine: Anemia
- American Society of Hematology:Anemia
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Anemia
- Merck Manual: Overview of Anemia
See also:
2. What Is Blood Test For Iron Called?
3. 2022 Best Home Hemoglobin Meter Buyers Guide
4. Can I take anemia tests at home?
5. How to choose the at-home kidney test？
6. What main factors influence the hemoglobin test for results?