Why Should I Know About Blood Conditions
When something is wrong with your blood, it can affect your total health. That is why it is important for you to know about some of the common blood disorders that may affect you.
People may be affected by many different types of blood conditions and blood cancers. Common blood disorders include anemia, bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, blood clots, and blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
Talking to your doctor is the first step to take if you believe you may have a blood condition. If you are diagnosed with a blood disorder, your doctor may refer you to a hematologist.
What Are The Symptoms
The symptoms of hematologic disease depend on many factors. Symptoms depend on which cell type is affected and how low or high the count. This is determined through a complete blood count . In anemia, there is a low number of red blood cells and therefore a decrease in oxygen delivered to tissues. Symptoms include: extreme fatigue, dizziness, loss of concentration, noise in the ear, shortness of breath with exertion, and fast heartbeat. In patients with impaired heart function, anemia can cause congestive heart failure. A low platelet count or thrombocytopenia can result in excessive bruising, red spots on the lower extremities, nose bleeds, bleeding from the mouth and gums, and blood in the urine or stools. Low numbers of white cells can cause repeated bacterial infections.
When a particular blood count is only mildly decreased, it may not cause any symptoms whatsoever. However, an abnormal count can be a marker of an underlying bone marrow disorder or other medical condition, and therefore should be investigated. A patient with liver disease, for example, may have a large spleen and low blood counts, particularly thrombocytopenia. The platelet count is usually not low enough to cause serious bleeding, but it should trigger an investigation as to why the spleen is enlarged, whether from cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension, Gauchers disease, infection or lymphoma.
How Is Mixed Connective Tissue Disease Treated
Treatment for MCTD must be tailored to each particular patient, depending on the organs that are affected and how severe the condition is. Some patients may need treatment only during flare-ups, while others may require constant care.
Treatment considerations include the following:
- Pulmonary hypertension is the most common cause of death in people with MCTD, and must be treated with antihypertensive medications.
- People with a mild form of MCTD may not need treatment, or only low doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , antimalarials, or low-dose corticosteroids to treat inflammation.
- Higher doses of corticosteroids are often used to manage the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe MCTD. If major organs are affected, the patient may have to take immunosuppressants .
- MCTD patients are also at risk of developing heart disease, including an enlarged heart or pericarditis . Patients may need regularly scheduled electrocardiograms to monitor the heart’s condition.
Recommended Reading: Prostate Cancer Fatigue Before Treatment
What Are The Symptoms Of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
In the beginning stages, patients who have MCTD have symptoms similar to those of patients with other connective tissue disorders, including:
- Fatigue.
- Muscle pain with no apparent cause.
- Joint pain.
- Low-grade fever.
- Raynaud phenomenon .
Less common early symptoms may include:
- Severe polymyositis, often in the shoulders and upper arms.
- Acute arthritis.
- Aseptic meningitis .
- Myelitis .
- Gangrene of fingers or toes.
- High fever.
The “classic” symptoms of MCTD are:
- Raynaud phenomenon .
- Swollen “sausage-like” fingers, sometimes temporary but at other times progressing into sclerodactyly .
- Inflamed joints and muscles.
- Pulmonary hypertension .
Sex Fertility And Pregnancy
Women with Sjögrens syndrome can sometimes have a dry vagina, which can make sex painful. Lubricants and creams made from the female sex hormone, oestrogen, can help with this. Treatments for infections such as thrush are available from chemists.
The condition doesnt affect fertility in men or women. However, there may be a higher risk of miscarriage in women who have anti-Ro or anti-La antibodies. Your doctor might suggest low-dose aspirin in the early stages of pregnancy to reduce this risk.
There arent usually any problems during or after pregnancy, and you may be able to carry on with some treatments, such as hydroxychloroquine, during pregnancy.
However, a very small number of women may pass anti-Ro or anti-La antibodies on to their baby during pregnancy. The baby could then develop symptoms, such as rashes and abnormal blood tests after birth.
These will clear up once the mothers antibodies have been lost from the babys blood. This can take anything from a couple of weeks to a few months.
In some cases, the antibodies affect the babys heart, causing it to beat slowly. If you have these antibodies, you should tell your obstetrician, as your babys heartbeat will need additional monitoring in the womb.
Don’t Miss: Causes Of Oversleeping And Fatigue
What Is Microvascular Angina
Angina is any chest pain that occurs when your heart muscle doesnt get enough blood to meet its work demand, a condition called ischemia.
The most common source of angina is obstructive coronary disease, which happens when one of the hearts arteries is blocked. People with this type of angina might feel chest pain during exercise or exertion if not enough blood is supplied to the working heart muscle.
But according to the American Heart Association, up to 50 percent of women with angina symptoms dont have a blocked artery. In fact, they may not even have chest pain, though they may have other symptoms.
They may feel severely short of breath. They might feel extreme fatigue, which rest doesnt make better. They may have pain with exertion in their back, jaw or arm with no chest pain. They might have nausea and indigestion, says Michos.
These women should be evaluated for microvascular angina. Microvascular angina can occur when the hearts tiniest arteries are not able to supply enough oxygen-rich blood due to spasm or cellular dysfunction.
It can be difficult to diagnose microvascular angina because an angiogram a specialized X-ray of the heart wont show obstruction or blockages in these tiny arteries, and symptoms like nausea and indigestion mimic other illnesses. Often, your doctor will perform a stress test to monitor the hearts function during exercise to make a diagnosis.
Psoriatic Arthritis And Gluten
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects the joints of those with the skin-related autoimmune condition known as psoriasis. PA causes pain, stiffness, and swelling among other things.
Similar to above, PA is associated with gluten-related disorders. One found that those with celiac disease are at a greater risk of developing psoriasis before and after their diagnosis. Another found that psoriasis and celiac disease have some genetic and inflammatory factors in common.
In this case report, a 56-year-old man previously diagnosed with PA was experiencing debilitating pain in his feet, ankles, hands, and knees. He had trouble walking. He had psoriasis patches on his knees, behind his ears, and on his feet. Plus, he had reflux, recently gained 15 pounds, and was depressed sporadically.
Over the course of his disease, his doctor prescribed a pain killer and two immunosuppressive drugs. He was also given antibiotics on multiple occasions and he took aspirin daily. However, his symptoms continued to get worse.
His normal diet was filled with gluten and grains. He frequently ate oatmeal for breakfast and pasta for dinner. Plus, he snacked on cookies throughout the day.
Almost all of his other symptoms were gone, including migraines, reflux, and constipation. Plus, he was no longer depressed.
Recommended Reading: What Could Be Causing Extreme Fatigue
The Connection Between Ra And High Blood Pressure
RA is usually diagnosed after symptoms like swelling and discomfort in joints become so painful that the person seeks medical or specialized rheumatology care. High blood pressure, however, may not produce obvious or noticeable symptoms.
Blood pressure is usually tested at regular doctors appointments. The reading is in millimeters of mercury and provides two numbers:
- Systolic blood pressure Measures blood pressure in your arteries when your heart beats
- Diastolic blood pressure Measures blood pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest
Sometimes, people are diagnosed with high blood pressure shortly after getting diagnosed with RA. Several factors may be responsible for the connection between high blood pressure and RA. Inflammation, RA medications, and physical inactivity due to RA are thought to play a part in this relationship.
Stress Causes Fatigue By Throwing Off Neurotransmitters In The Brain
Your brain cells communicate with one another via compounds known as neurotransmitters. Youve probably heard of some of these before, like serotonin or dopamine.
People also know of neurotransmitter imbalances which are thought to cause depression and other psychological and mood issues.
Here is the interesting part that many people are unaware of: Neurotransmitter imbalances do not usually just appear for no reason. Those neurotransmitter imbalances what many think are the cause of many psychological issues are themselves caused by other factors.
For example, chronic stress is a major factor known to induce deficiencies and imbalances of multiple neurotransmitters.
Read Also: Early Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Short And Long Term Health Effects Of Covid
There is emerging evidence that COVID-19 affects many systems of the body, with patients reporting a wide range of symptoms. Long-haulers are patients who experience ongoing COVID-19 symptoms for several months after infection. These include fatigue, difficulties in thinking, shortness of breath, chest pain, irregular or abnormal heart rhythm, and joint pain.
Research on the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection is still ongoing. Over the course of the pandemic it has emerged that SARS-CoV-2 is not only a respiratory virus, but is able to affect many other organs, such as the heart, brain and kidneys. This article summarises the current understanding of acute and long-term COVID-19 symptoms, and the increasing evidence on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on different systems.
Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The main feature of ME/CFS is a type of exhaustion known as post-exertional malaise, crash or payback. This means having flu-like symptoms after exercise and not having enough energy for daily activities.
Research shows that people with ME/CFS have a different physiological response to activity or exercise from other people. This includes abnormal exhaustion after any form of exertion, and a worsening of other symptoms. The response may be delayed, perhaps after 24 hours. Depending on the amount and type of exercise, it may result in post-exertional malaise for a few days, or serious relapses lasting weeks, months or even years.
- problems with thinking, concentrating, memory loss, vision, clumsiness, muscle twitching or tingling
- disrupted sleep
- sore throat, tender lymph nodes and a flu-like feeling
- inability to cope with temperature changes.
Read Also: How To Treat Adrenal Fatigue At Home
Food Tastes Like Metal
Why this happens:
A build-up of wastes in the blood can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just dont feel like eating.
What patients said:
Foul taste in your mouth. Almost like youre drinking iron.
I dont have the appetite I had before I started dialysis, I must have lost about 10 pounds.
You May Like: What Can Cause Severe Fatigue And Tiredness
General Exercise Tips For People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Be guided by your doctor or specialist, but general suggestions include:
- Experiment to find the type of exercise that works best for you. Choose from a range of gentle activities such as stretching, yoga, tai chi, walking and light weight training.
- Keep an activity diary so you have a long-term picture of your performance levels and factors that might impact on your symptoms.
- Stop the physical activity well before you feel any symptom flare. Pacing yourself is very important.
- Remember that the amount of exercise you can do will change from one day to the next.
- Listen to your body if you dont feel up to exercising on a particular day, dont.
- Find out as much as you can about your ME/CFS. Make sure you consult with health professionals who fully understand ME/CFS as a ‘real’ biomedical condition.
Also Check: Supplements To Heal Adrenal Fatigue
Fatigue High Blood Pressure Joint Aches And Muscle Stiffness
- Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Reviewed on 7/13/2021
An elevated blood pressure typically does not cause associated symptoms unless it is extremely high. Joint aches and muscle stiffness are a feature of arthritis conditions and may also be present with other illnesses. Fatigue is a fairly nonspecific symptom that can accompany many medical conditions. If you are concerned about these symptoms, seek the advice of a healthcare practitioner
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
Back Pain And High Blood Pressure
Back pain and high blood pressure connect in multiple instances. Researchers believe that one main link is between your C-1 vertebrae and blood flow. Located at the top of the spinal column, the C-1 or Atlas bones affect blood pressure when misaligned.
Doctors who specialize in chiropractic adjustment can properly align your body for optimal blood flow. Chiropractic care can have a very positive effect on blood pressure, safely and naturally.
Another link is between chronic back pain and hypertension. The connection is thought to exist because of how pain elevates blood pressure. Pain signals your adrenal glands to dump adrenaline and triggers a discharge of the sympathetic nervous system. Both lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Gentle chiropractic adjustment and realignment support cardiovascular health. This kind of treatment can also relieve pain and promote overall wellness.
Recommended Reading: What Can Cause Severe Fatigue And Tiredness
Disease Activity And Fatigue
Fatigue and arthritis go hand in hand for many people with arthritis. The main culprits are the inflammatory disease process and the accompanying chronic pain.
- Inflammation. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks your body and inflammation is the result. The body undergoes stress as it tries to cope with the release of inflammatory cytokines in the blood. That can cause fatigue, especially when disease activity is high or low-grade inflammation remains for a long time.
- Chronic Pain. The pain-fatigue connection can be a vicious circle. Dealing with arthritis pain for months at a time over many years can wear you down. It can affect your sleep habits, which adds to your exhaustion. Being fatigued, in turn, can worsen pain and make it more difficult to manage.
Allergies And Musculoskeletal Pain
Many types of allergies can cause joint pain, including an allergic reaction known as serum sickness, and after an insect sting. Even seasonal allergies can be associated with joint pain symptoms for several reasons.
Let us evaluate each one of these conditions and find out how each type of allergy triggers joint pain and muscle pain:
Read Also: Chest Pain Nausea Headache Fatigue
You Have Unstable Blood Sugar
You dont have to be diabetic to have a blood sugar problem. We help many of our patients here at Parsley Health pull the brakes on the rollercoaster of symptoms theyve been experiencing from spikes and dips in blood sugar.
Take a typical on-the-go breakfast for many people: a pastry and sugary coffee drink. That wave of sugar creates a rapid spike in your blood sugar and causes your pancreas to release insulin to stabilize it. As your blood sugar returns to normal, you crash, feeling tired. Youll also feel hungry again pretty quickly, leading you to reach for carbs and perpetuating the cycle.
All that sugar adds up. When people consumed 40g of added sugar a day in the form of a can of soda for three weeks, they showed at least a 60 percent increase in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation. Inflammation has been associated with many chronic diseases, including depression. Learning to eat a combination of , protein, and healthy fat at each meal and never skipping a meal can help you maintain steady blood sugar throughout the day and tame inflammation.
Does High Blood Pressure Make You Tired If Youexperience Unexplained Fatigue Go To A Doctor Immediately As It May Be Due To Hypertension If Untreatedhypertension Can Lead To Further Complications Like Heart Attack And Stroke
Hypertension and Fatigue | Does High Blood Pressure Make You Tired
High blood pressure is a common condition these days. Most people are unaware of the fact that they are suffering from high blood pressure until their levels become so high that they start experiencing symptoms like fatigue and lethargy. These signs can hamper a person from performing his day to day activities. Hence, these should be dealt with as early as possible.
Normally, you feel fatigued after performing a physically or mentally strenuous activity or if you are not rested properly. It is defined as a temporary loss of energy and strength and a general feeling of listlessness. However, when fatigue is experienced without any apparent cause, it is usually a sign of underlying problems one of which is hypertension. This happens because there is insufficient circulation of blood and oxygen in the body. This can damage vital organs like the heart, brain and the kidneys. Hence, it is recommended to treat fatigue immediately. If it is due to hypertension, then it will only go away if blood pressure is brought under control.
Donât Miss: Best Probiotic For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Don’t Miss: Fatigue In The Workplace Safety