A critical phase of someone’s life when the person found himself in chronic illness. Anaemia, if not treated on time, can lead to mortality. The disease traps the body when there is a lack of red blood cells production. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) becomes prominent to recover a patient’s health fastly.
The inadequate amount of oxygen can end up with possible damages to muscles, tissues, & blood vessels. HBOT has become a lifesaver for many patients dealing with acute anaemia conditions.
What do Red Blood Cells do?
Our body produces three types of blood cells:
- White Blood Cells – These cells are important to fight infection.
- Platelets- Prevent forming a blood clot.
- Red Blood Cells- carry oxygen throughout our body.
How are red blood cells red in colour? It’s due to the presence of haemoglobin ( an enriched rich protein that lets blood be in red). Haemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from our lungs to all parts of our body. Even carry carbon dioxide (CO2) from different parts of the body to the lungs for exhalation.
The cells are produced in your bone marrow regularly. It’s important to have iron, vitamin B-12, folate, etc., to produce red blood cells & haemoglobin.
Signs & Symptoms of Anaemia
Anaemia symptoms are based on the cause; for instance- chronic illness can be a reason for severe anaemia. Some common signs and symptoms are:
- Tiredness
- Feeling weak every day
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Chest pain
- Cold hands & Feet
- Daily headache
- Feeling faint due to lightheadedness
- Irregular heartbeats
- Hair loss
- Brittle nails
Certainly, symptoms can be worse if you ignore the initial signs. HBOT can be used as a preventive measure to kick out the worst health scenarios. Therapy will supply a high amount of oxygen to all the body parts, which make the healing smooth & efficacious. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the UK has treated thousands of patients suffering from anaemia (falling in many ranges). In many countries, medical institutes use HBOT for patients dealing with anxiety, insomnia, asthma, neurological issues, never healing wounds, and much more. Well, this therapeutic treatment is already making a difference for many lives.
Know the Sources of Anaemia
Different types of anaemia have different causes such as:
?Iron Deficiency Anaemia
The shortage of iron in your body doesn’t produce enough haemoglobin. Thus, you can’t have the required amount of red blood cells. Pregnant women, or people suffering from cancers, heavy menstrual bleeding can face the deficiency of iron. Therefore, iron supplementation is needed.
?Vitamin Deficiency Anaemia
Improper diet can lead to anaemia. Here, vitamin B-12 can complete the gap. The vitamin will produce enough healthy red blood cells. Make sure to consult a physician regarding the period of B-12 consumption.
?Anaemia of Inflammation
Chronic inflammatory diseases like HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, kidney disease, etc. can disrupt the production of red blood cells
?Aplastic Anaemia
This anaemia is quite rare but life-threatening. It occurs due to infections, certain medicines, exposure to toxic chemicals or autoimmune health issues.
?Bone Marrow Disease Anaemia
Leukaemia and myelofibrosis can cause anaemia by impacting blood production in the bone marrow. The effects can vary from mild to life-threatening.
Lastly: When is HBOT Recommended for Anaemia?
In the therapy, a patient is put in a hyperbaric chamber where they receive more than average oxygen. Anaemia is killed by the increased level of oxygen. With the rise of oxygen, healthy red blood cells are back. It’s safe to have HBOT during mild cases. The therapy was FDA approved a long time back, which paid attention to the chronic cures. So in case of severe anaemia like sickle cell anaemia, therapy works phenomenal.
