Symptoms
You may have no symptoms if the anemia is mild. If the problem develops slowly, symptoms that may occur first include:- Weakness
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Cold hands or feet
- Pale or yellow skin
- Chest pain
- Hair loss
- Pounding or “whooshing” in your ears
- Light-headedness when you stand up
Causes
Iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies are three of the most important causes of anemia. Other possible causes include:- Certain medications
- Destruction of red blood cells earlier than normal (which may be caused by immune system problems)
- Long-term (chronic) diseases such as chronic kidney disease, cancer, ulcerative colitis, or rheumatoid arthritis
- Some forms of anemia, such as thalassemia or sickle cell anemia, which can be inherited
- Pregnancy
- Hemorrhoids
- Problems with bone marrow such as lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, or aplastic anemia
- Slow blood loss (for example, from heavy menstrual periods or stomach ulcers)