Anemia/Iron Deficiency in St. Louis, MO
Ready to Consult a GI Physician?
Find a ProviderWhat is anemia/iron deficiency?
Typically, anemia occurs anytime a person's blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells to deliver sufficient levels of oxygen throughout the body. Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia that is caused when there is not enough iron in one's body, which inhibits it from making hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in the red blood cells that delivers oxygen. In the absence of iron to aid in the production of hemoglobin, oxygen is not sufficiently distributed to the body. Iron deficiency and anemia may cause severe health problems if ignored. You can receive treatment for anemia in St. Louis, MO. Should you suspect this condition, then we urge you to connect with your nearest Specialists in Gastroenterology location today.
What causes anemia/iron deficiency?
Iron deficiency anemia is the result of a lack of iron in your blood. Iron is the substance that enables the blood to create hemoglobin. A lack of iron might be precipitated by a number of unique circumstances:
- A problem absorbing iron (the small intestine may become compromised from a disease such as celiac disease)
- A deficiency of iron in your diet
- Pregnancy
- Intravascular hemolysis
- Loss of blood (chronic blood loss)
Those at an increased risk for iron deficiency anemia could include:
- Children and infants
- Biological women
- Participants in blood donation
- Vegetarians/vegans
What are the symptoms of anemia/iron deficiency?
Insufficient oxygen can result in several iron deficiency problems. The most common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia might include:
- The feeling of being weak
- Brittle nails
- Lack of hunger
- A lack of color to the skin
- Headache
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Painful or smooth tongue
- Cold hands and feet
- Rapid heartbeat
- Fatigue that has no apparent reason
- The craving of ice or clay (pagophagia)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Hair loss
Iron deficiency anemia should never be self-diagnosed, and supplementing with iron in pill form on your own could be dangerous. Help is available for iron deficiency in St. Louis, MO. Consult with your provider if you are experiencing any combination of the above-listed symptoms persistently. If you are suffering from these symptoms, we urge you to call a local Specialists in Gastroenterology office to be assessed for anemia.
How is anemia/iron deficiency treated?
The treatments for iron deficiency anemia have one goal: to get more iron in the body. It is important to note, however, some other conditions and medications can interfere with the absorption of iron. The most common treatments for iron deficiency anemia include:
- Taking iron tablets without antacids
- Repair or treatment for internal bleeding
- Taking iron supplements in tandem with vitamin C
- Increasing intake of foods rich in iron
- Antibiotics to treat peptic ulcers
- Taking iron tablets on an empty stomach
- Use of oral contraceptives for reduction of bleeding during menstruation
- Receiving treatment for conditions that impact absorption, like celiac disease or Crohn’s disease
Foods rich in iron:
- Leafy greens
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Beans
- Red meat - Beef
- Pork
- Dried fruit
- Legumes
Vitamin C-rich foods (to help with iron absorption):
- Broccoli
- Kiwi
- Grapefruit
- Leafy greens
- Oranges
- Melons
- Tomatoes
Innovative treatment for anemia
Iron deficiency anemia might lead to dangerous medical issues if ignored. If the tissues and cells in your major organs are not given the supply of oxygen they need, they begin to suffer damage or scarring. Also, with iron deficiency anemia, your heart can be overworked due to its attempts to supply additional blood to oxygen-deprived parts of the body. However, help is available for iron deficiency anemia in St. Louis, MO. Iron deficiency treatment could take two to three weeks to reverse symptoms. Depending on why you were anemic in the first place, you may need to consume iron supplements for an extensive amount of time to be sure that the anemia does not return. If you or a family member has been diagnosed with, or have suspicions of, anemia please reach out to a Specialists in Gastroenterology location in your community to be certain that you are given the best treatment for your condition.
Reviews
Awesome…the whole staff…was wonderful…👏
Dr Thyssen is a compassionate and friendly physician. He took the time to explain everything to my mom and myself, and made us feel comfortable with the upcoming procedure. The employees at SIG were all easy to deal with, understanding and made my mom's experience comfortable and stress free. SIG has appointments and procedures all in one building which makes for ease of patient care. There's no running the gauntlet of hospital corridors, registration and bouncing from one area to another. I would highly recommend Dr Thyssen and his staff.
Dr.Singh is so awesome! I've been going to her for a long time. The whole staff was just wonderful.I would recommend Dr. Singh to anyone. She's great!
Dr Singh did 2 procedures that were non-eventful, just as I like them. The team that she has working with her were both caring and efficient. They joined me in singing “Goodnight Sweetheart” as I was going “out for the count “. Lol. After the procedure Dr Singh came to speak to my husband and I to explain what she found, and what she did. I appreciate her candor and willingness to discuss. I also like that when I left there, I had all the info, plus pictures of areas that she either removed polyps or did biopsies. Many Drs don’t provide that info immediately like her, and the other Drs in that practice do.
Very professional, friendly staff. Everyone made sure that you understood exactly what was going on.
10
Total Reviews
4.9
Average Rating