Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia
You might have this condition if:
- You constantly feel fatigued. When our body does not have enough iron to produce hemoglobin, lots of tissues and organs receive less energy.
- You experience dizziness when bending over or standing up, have more frequent and intense headaches, or suddenly forget what you were just going to do.
- You feel like your heart is going to jump out of your chest without any exercise. Lacking oxygen in your tissues, the heart has to work harder to compensate for this deficiency and pump more oxygenated blood.
- Pale skin. A sallow skin color or a pale color of the inner surface of the lower eyelids is a common sign of iron deficiency. Your entire body may look pale or just face and gums. Most often, paleness appears when a person already has a moderate or severe stage of anemia.
- Dry and brittle nails.
- Hair that lacks shine and moisture.
- Shortness of breath. This is the way your body tries to make up for oxygen deficiency. If your ordinary physical activity, which you previously did without any effort, suddenly begins to cause breathing difficulties, consult your doctor as quickly as possible.
- Change in tastes and smells. Dry and chapped lips, a swollen tongue, dryness and burning sensations in your mouth, can be signs of anemia, too.
- An uncontrollable urge to move and tap your legs. This is called restless legs syndrome. A strong desire to move legs, unpleasant and strange sensations of itching in your feet that make it difficult to sleep, can be a sign of some neurological condition or iron deficiency. The causes of this condition are not fully understood, but about 25% of people with iron deficiency anemia have restless legs syndrome.
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