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Normocytic anemia occurs when there are not enough red blood cells in your body, and these blood cells do not contain the usual amount of a protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is important because it helps red blood cells transport oxygen throughout your body.
Doctors may talk about normocytic anemia as a medical problem or as a sign of other health issues. Sometimes, people have normocytic anemia due to something they inherited from their family. Most often, people get normocytic anemia because they have a long-lasting illness. Doctors treat normocytic anemia by addressing the main health problem causing it.
Causes of Normocytic Anemia
Normocytic anemia can start from birth or be caused by certain medicines, but it usually happens later in life because of another problem, like a sickness. This is called anemia of chronic disease (ACD) or anemia of inflammation because the sicknesses that can make you have normocytic anemia also make your body inflamed in different places.
Inflammation can mess up your immune system, which can make your body produce fewer good red blood cells or make red blood cells that aren’t very strong and die faster, but don’t get replaced as quickly.
The sicknesses most linked to normocytic anemia are:
- Infections
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Heart problems
- Being very overweight
- Arthritis that causes swelling
- Lupus
- Blood vessel inflammation
- A disease that affects your lungs and lymph system
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Problems with your bone marrow
Being pregnant and not eating well can also make you have normocytic anemia.
Symptoms of Normocytic Anemia
The symptoms of normocytic anemia take time to appear. Typically, the initial indications of this type of anemia, as well as other types, include feeling tired and having a pale skin tone.
Anemia can also make you:
- Feel like you might faint or be unsteady.
- Have trouble breathing or feel out of breath.
- Feel physically weak.
Since normocytic anemia is frequently linked to an ongoing health issue, it can be tricky to tell the symptoms of anemia apart from those of the underlying problem.
How is Normocytic Anemia Diagnosed?
Anemia is usually first detected in a regular blood test called a complete blood count (CBC). This test checks the numbers of red and white blood cells, platelets, and other signs of blood health. Your doctor may order it during your yearly checkup or if they suspect a problem like anemia or unusual bruising or bleeding.
During the early stages of iron deficiency anemia, which makes up to 40 percent of cases, it might show up as normocytic anemia in the blood test. If the blood test indicates normocytic anemia or a different type, more tests will be needed.
Some tests can look at the size, shape, and color of your red blood cells. If low iron is causing the issue, your red blood cells are likely to be smaller. If your vitamin B-12 levels are too low, your red blood cells may be larger.
In some cases, your doctor might recommend a bone marrow biopsy to check where red blood cells are made, which is in your bone marrow. Additional tests can determine if your anemia is something you inherited, which might lead to testing other family members.
Treatment of Normocytic Anemia
Because normocytic anemia is often caused by a long-term health issue, the first step in treatment should be managing that condition properly. Treatment can include using anti-inflammatory drugs for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or losing weight for those with obesity. If a bacterial infection is the cause of low red blood cells, strong antibiotics might be the solution.
In severe cases of normocytic anemia, you might need injections of erythropoietin (Epogen) to increase the production of red blood cells in your bone marrow. In more extreme situations, you might need blood transfusions to make sure your blood carries enough oxygen to keep your organs and tissues healthy.
Taking iron pills is a suitable treatment for iron deficiency anemia. However, taking iron supplements when your iron levels are normal can be risky and might harm you. A doctor who specializes in blood disorders is called a hematologist. But to effectively address all your health problems, you might also need help from an internal medicine specialist or other doctors.
FAQs on Normocytic Normochronic Amenia
What causes Normochromic normocytic anemia?
Normocytic normochromic anemia often happens because of different long-lasting infections and widespread illnesses. Most of these normocytic anemias seem to occur when the body has trouble making enough red blood cells.
What is Normocytic Normochromic?
Normocytic normochromic anemia is a kind of anemia where the red blood cells in your bloodstream are of regular size and have a normal red color. In most cases, this type of anemia happens because of other health problems, and only a small number of cases are due to a primary blood disorder.
Can we cure Normocytic Normochromic?
Managing normocytic anemia involves strategies like stopping any bleeding, addressing the root cause of the condition, receiving a blood transfusion if needed, and taking medicines to boost your body's production of red blood cells.
What vitamin deficiency causes normocytic anemia?
These results indicate that there may be more people with low levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid than those officially identified with megaloblastic anemia. These shortages are commonly found in patients with a type of anemia characterized by normal-sized red blood cells in real-world medical situations.
