Anemia is a health condition wherein the body does not have adequate red blood cells (RBCs) to transport oxygen to the different tissues. When you have anemia, you tend to feel weak and tired all the time. Besides, the condition can be long-term or short-term and mild or severe. The treatment also varies from case to case. Here, we take a look at some of the most prevalent symptoms of anemia.

1. Exhaustion
One of the key symptoms of iron deficiency anemia is continually feeling drained or exhausted. Though it is okay to feel exhausted from time to time, if your fatigue begins to hinder your ability to think clearly or focus, and makes you groggy or irritated, take it as a red flag. Also, if you feel more exhausted or wiped out than usual, and the tiredness does not seem to go away even after proper rest, you must get a blood test done.

2. Lightheadedness
When you have a severe iron deficiency, you begin to feel dizzy or lightheaded, especially while shifting positions. Further, you may also feel like the room is spinning when you stand up suddenly after a long time. This, too, may be one of the symptoms of anemia.

3. Pale skin
Hemoglobin gives the blood its red color and is responsible for healthy-looking skin. When the iron levels in the body are low, the blood seems less red, and the skin appears pale. Pale coloring in the eyelids is also an indicator of iron deficiency. Consequently, the person’s nails, gums, face, lower eyelids, and lips also appear colorless.

4. Shortness of breath
Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen around the body. With anemia, hemoglobin levels are low. As a result, the oxygen levels also fall. It implies that your muscles do not get adequate oxygen to perform routine activities, for instance, walking. This may lead to a higher breathing rate as the body tries to grasp more oxygen, resulting in shortness of breath. So, if you find yourself out of breath during daily tasks, such as climbing stairs, working out, or walking, get your iron levels checked.

5. Stronger heartbeats
Some anemia patients can hear the thumping of their hearts loud and clear. It happens because the heart tries to beat faster to increase blood flow across your body to make up for the shortage of oxygen. This is a dangerous sign as the heart can stop functioning if it is forced to work overtime continuously.

These are the five key symptoms of anemia that people usually experience. If you are experiencing more than one of the above-listed symptoms, you must get a blood test done immediately. A CBC or complete blood count test is done to check the number of RBCs in the blood and diagnose the condition.