Symptoms of Low Red Blood Cell Count

There are two different parts to the blood and each part needs to be healthy for the body to function efficiently. The first part is the plasma of the blood, and the other is the two different types of blood cells that live within the plasma. While white blood cells are essential for fighting off infections, low red blood cell count can also have detrimental effects on your well-being. Red blood cells work to distribute oxygen to the lungs and other parts of the body, so when the count is low, these areas are deprived of oxygen. The deprivation leads to many other health problems that compromise many areas your health. Many people often go undiagnosed because they don’t realize that the symptoms they are experiencing are actually linked to a low blood cell count.

Many times when someone has this issue, doctors will refer to this problem as a low blood cell count. However, it is also referred to as anemia, and effects thousands of people throughout the world. The presence of anemia is not actually a disease, but a disease process that shows its face on a variety of different levels. When low red blood cell count first occurs, the symptoms start off slowly and can often be mistaken as a virus that will go away on its own. However, as it reaches chronic stages, the symptoms can be horrendous to deal with and it can take more effort to correct the symptoms and get the red blood cell count back up to the normal ranges.

The symptoms of low red blood cell count are often seen as extreme fatigue at first. You may feel constantly tired, even after a full night of rest. Your body may also feel weak, and activates that you’ve once enjoyed can become a struggle. Many people with low red blood cells notice that their skin has taken on a pale shade, and they often experience a racing heart that may be mistaken as anxiety. Shortness of breath, dizziness and in more serious cases, fainting can occur.

The causes of anemia vary, but the most common cause is low iron, which can easily be corrected through containing rich green foods; such as seaweed, and taking an iron supplement- if your doctor feels that is necessary. Other causes include; chronic disease, kidney disease and poor nutrition. There are some other causes, however these are the most common and are ruled out before checking into other issues such as; disease of bone marrow. Certain lifestyle choices can even cause symptoms of anemia, because they cause red blood cells to deplete quickly. Alcoholism is often related to low red blood cell count, where no other cause is found.

The good news is that this is one of the easiest blood problems to correct. If you begin feeling any of the symptoms, meeting with your doctor and getting a blood test can confirm the issue. When you catch it early, a change to your diet can be a simple, yet effective way to get your red blood cell count back up. In more serious cases, your doctor may recommend prescription medications to get you back up and feeling healthy once again.