Anemia is the most common of all blood disorders. The term anemia (derived from Greek) means a deficiency of blood.

Anemia results from reduced red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Hemoglobin is the oxygen carrying protein in blood. It is a major component of all red blood cells and gives them their red color. This protein picks up oxygen from the lungs, carries it throughout the body and delivers it to all your cells. In addition, hemoglobin also picks up some of the carbon dioxide produced by the cells and transports it to the lungs from where it is exhaled out.

Cells need oxygen for their basic functions and to keep them alive. Hence, without enough red blood cells to transport oxygen to your cells and carbon dioxide away from your cells, it is like literally suffocating every tissue and organ system in the body.

Symptoms of anemia are usually very vague and hence, it goes undetected in many people. People tend to ignore these symptoms until they become quite disturbing. Thus, it is necessary to know some of the often ignored symptoms:

Causes of anemia can be broadly grouped in to the following categories:

Anemia is diagnosed through blood check ups and clinical examination. Your physician can diagnose anemia when told of your symptoms. A simple blood test called "complete blood count (CBC)" maybe advised by your physician. This provides an idea of the hemoglobin count. Other tests required of anemic patients are: