Updated on 23 Dec 2025
Anaemia is a common health issue that affects adults and even children of various age groups. This condition lowers the oxygen supply in the body, making you feel tired and weak. The great news here is that you can easily treat this condition with proper dietary changes and supplements. Furthermore, having a good health insurance plan can help cover all the costs related to treatment and diagnosis as well. Now, let’s uncover some details about anaemia from this blog.
What is anaemia?
Anaemia is a health condition where the body doesn’t have enough red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen. There are several kinds of anaemia, such as vitamin deficiency anaemia, iron deficiency anaemia, aplastic anaemia, haemolytic anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease.
What are the symptoms of anaemia?
Individuals who suffer from this condition experience the following symptoms:
- Irregular heartbeat or chest pain during severe cases.
- Weakness and constant tiredness.
- Cold feet and hands
- Yellowish or pale skin
- Light-headedness or dizziness
- Shortness of breath
When you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult with a physician without any delay.
How is anaemia diagnosed?
The physicians diagnose this medical condition in the following ways:
- Blood tests to inspect the haemoglobin levels (Complete Blood Count - CBC).
- Iron tests to measure how much iron is stored in the body.
- Folic acid and vitamin B12 tests
- In several cases, a bone marrow test is conducted to rule out severe ailments.
How is anaemia treated?
Anaemia treatment varies according to the types and causes of the condition. Doctors decide the kind of treatment after patient evaluation.
- Treatment of iron deficiency anaemia involves incorporating a healthy diet and taking iron supplements with prescribed changes in food and living habits. If the reason for iron deficiency is blood loss, doctors diagnose to find the source or cause of bleeding and follow procedures to stop the blood loss. It might require surgery.
- Anaemia treatment due to vitamin deficiency includes dietary supplement intake to improve folic acid and vitamin B12 in our body. The purpose of this treatment is to boost nutrients in the diet.
- Some people might experience difficulties in absorbing vitamin B12 through dietary intake. Doctors prescribe vitamin B12 shots for those patients. The frequency of shots might be daily, once a month, for a temporary period or a lifetime.
- Anaemia can happen due to some chronic diseases as well. Anaemia treatment in such cases includes fixing the conditions causing the problem. If symptoms aggravate, doctors might conduct a blood transfusion or prescribe hormone (erythropoietin) shots.
- Treatment for anaemia associated with bone marrow ailments includes chemotherapy, medicines or bone marrow transplants.
- Aplastic anaemia treatment includes blood transfusions to increase RBC levels. It might also include a bone marrow transplant if the bone marrow is unable to produce healthy blood cells.
- Haemolytic anaemia treatment includes treating infections and stopping medicines that might be the reason for the disease. If the immune system is attacking RBC, medications to lower the immune system activity might be a part of the anaemia treatment.
- Treatment for sickle cell anaemia might involve pain relievers, oxygen and intravenous hydration with fluids to minimise complications with minimal Blood transfusion, folic acid supplements and a cancer drug (hydroxyurea) might also be used to treat anaemia.
- Thalassemia, a condition that affects the production of haemoglobin and RBCs, in the early stages is usually mild and requires basic treatment. Severe types might require folic acid supplements, a blood and bone marrow stem cell transplant, blood transfusion and spleen removal in rare cases.
Conclusion
Anaemia is completely treatable when it's diagnosed early. It’s crucial not to ignore pale skin or constant fatigue, as they might be warning signs. Periodic health check-ups, timely treatment and a good diet can help keep your life healthy.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a certified medical and/or nutrition professional for any questions. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.