Irregular menstruation caused by anemia

Many people think that anemia is a symptom, but it is not. Anemia is a very serious blood disease. Generally speaking, anemia caused by iron deficiency is easy to treat, but if anemia is caused by other reasons, it is very difficult to treat. Anemia not only causes patients to experience dizziness, weakness, etc., but also causes some women to experience menstrual irregularities.

The cause of anemia, the degree of decrease in the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, the degree of decrease in blood volume, the speed of anemia occurrence, and the compensation and tolerance capacity of the blood, circulatory, respiratory and other systems will all affect the clinical manifestations of anemia. The earliest symptoms are dizziness, fatigue, and drowsiness; the most common and prominent sign is pale complexion. The severity of symptoms depends on the speed of anemia, the degree of anemia and the body's compensatory ability.

1. Nervous system

Dizziness, tinnitus, headache, insomnia, nightmares, memory loss, and inattention are common symptoms caused by damage to nerve tissue due to anemia and hypoxia. Children with anemia may cry, become restless, and even have their intellectual development affected.

2. Skin and mucous membranes

Pallor is the main manifestation of anemia in the skin and mucous membranes. When anemia occurs, the body redistributes the effective blood volume through neurohumoral regulation, and the blood supply to relatively minor organs such as the skin and mucous membranes is reduced. In addition, due to the decrease in the content of red blood cells and hemoglobin per unit volume of blood, the skin and mucous membranes will also become lighter in color. Roughness, lack of luster and even ulcers are another manifestation of anemia on the skin and mucous membranes, which may also be related to the primary disease of the anemia. Hemolytic anemia, especially extravascular hemolytic anemia, can cause yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes.

3. Respiratory and circulatory system

In anemia, more 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) is synthesized in red blood cells to reduce the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, shift the oxygen dissociation curve to the right, and allow tissues to obtain more oxygen. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing is mostly caused by hypoxia or hypercapnia in the respiratory center. Therefore, mild anemia has no obvious symptoms, and only causes faster and deeper breathing, palpitations, and increased heart rate after activity. The more severe the anemia and the greater the amount of activity, the more obvious the symptoms will be. In severe anemia, you may feel shortness of breath or even orthopnea even when you are calm. Long-term anemia, overload of the heart and insufficient oxygen supply can lead to anemic heart disease, which is characterized by not only changes in heart rate but also arrhythmias and heart failure.

4. Digestive system

In anemia, the secretion of the digestive glands decreases or even the glands atrophy, which in turn leads to reduced digestive function, indigestion, abdominal distension, decreased appetite, changes in bowel movement regularity and properties, etc. Long-term chronic hemolysis may be accompanied by bile duct stones and splenomegaly. Iron deficiency anemia may cause a foreign body sensation when swallowing or pica. Megaloblastic anemia or pernicious anemia can cause glossitis, tongue atrophy, beef tongue, mirror tongue, etc.

5. Urogenital endocrine system

Extravascular hemolysis results in bilirubin-free hyperbilirubinuria; intravascular hemolysis results in hemoglobinuria and hemosiderinuria. In severe cases, free hemoglobin may even block the renal tubules, causing oliguria, anuria, and acute renal failure. Long-term anemia affects the secretion of testosterone and weakens male characteristics. For women, it affects the secretion of female hormones and causes menstrual abnormalities, such as amenorrhea or menorrhagia. Decreased libido is common in both men and women. Long-term anemia will affect the function of various endocrine glands and the secretion of erythropoietin.