What are the signs and symptoms of anemia?

The most common symptom of anemia is fatigue (feeling tired or weak). It may be more difficult to find the energy to do normal activities if you have anemia. Other signs and symptoms of anemia include:

Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Headache
Coldness in the hands and feet
Pale skin
Chest pain

All of these signs and symptoms can occur because your heart has to work harder to pump more oxygen-rich blood through the body. In some cases of anemia, a rapid or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) may occur. Over time, this arrhythmia can damage your heart, causing it to enlarge and possibly resulting in heart failure. Anemia can damage other organs in your body because the blood cannot deliver enough oxygen to them.

Anemia can result from some diseases, and it can make other diseases worse. For example, some cancer treatments may damage the bone marrow that makes red blood cells or damage these cells’ ability to carry oxygen. This makes the cancer patient weaker and less able to respond to treatment. People who have HIV/AIDS may develop anemia from the infection or medicines used to treat the disease. Anemia can make it more difficult for these people to respond to other medicines. Anemia can have many other effects. People with anemia who lose blood in a serious accident or surgery are more likely to need a blood transfusion. People who have kidney disease and anemia are more likely to have trouble with their hearts. In some types of anemia, dehydration (too little fluid intake or too much loss of fluid in the blood and body) can develop. Severe dehydration can be life threatening.