Do all Anemics Need Blood Transfusions?

Whatever be the underlying cause, the process of blood transfusions is very common. Each year, almost 5 million Americans need blood transfusions, and this procedure is used for people of almost all ages. Getting a blood transfusion can save your life when you’re suffering from a disease or disorder where either your body suffers from blood loss or might need more blood to repair a part or organ. But when we consider blood transfusion for anemia, then usually the process may only need one unit of blood or may not need any blood at all, depending on the severity of the person’s body requirement. 

Do All Anemics Need Blood Transfusions?

When it comes to battling out such problems, many people can become biased on the things chosen to treat the problem. Many people go for complete eradication of the problem through severe medical procedures which cause pain and burn a hole in the pocket. Such type of problems can only occur in people having no absolute medical knowledge and it’s only up to the doctors to make that decision.

One of the most profound treatments is the activity of complete blood transfusion in patients, thereby removing most of the blood from organs while pumping in the new and clean blood at the same time from the other side of the veins.

Why Blood Transfusion is needed?

The doctors when treating a patient suffering from anemia determine the intensity of the problem by careful inspections through various testing methods. Once the severity of the problem has been determined by the doctors, the next step is to treat it with medicines and different vitamins and supplements through oral injections. These pills can help cure the problem by creating more opportunities for the patient to make new cells which include hemoglobin, red blood cells and platelets which are the defensive part of the body.

However, when anemia reaches its critical points, it can be dangerous as it leads to much more problems such as heart failures, because of the lack of oxygen in the body along with tumors being built up in the body and different types of organ failures such as kidneys and liver damage. This situation requires the doctors to take immediate action of which the most common one is termed as blood transfusion.

The blood is replaced with the help of an IV line, which is a simple cord resembling the vein and is placed in the forearm of the person. cIf your iron-deficiency anemia is severe, you may get a transfusion of red blood cells.

A blood transfusion is a safe, common procedure in which blood is given to you through an IV line in one of your blood vessels. A transfusion requires careful matching of donated blood with the recipient's blood. Therefore, before infusing blood in the body, many different tests are conducted by the doctor to finally procure the perfect match that suits and fills the criteria.

A transfusion of red blood cells helps in treating the anemia in the right away. The red blood cells also give a source of iron that the body can reuse. However, a blood transfusion is only a short-term treatment and not the ultimate cure. Your doctor will need to find and treat the cause of your anemia separately. Blood transfusion is followed by another set of medications that includes a strict, healthy diet to cure the disorder completely. Blood transfusions are usually reserved for people whose anemia puts them at a higher risk for heart problems or other severe health issues.

This severe anemia can also be treated with the help of iron treatment along with the aid of an IV line which injects various amounts of iron into the blood line, which is then transported to the bone marrow and thus, new cells are formed within the body without the need for blood transfusions.

However, when it comes to blood transfusions, many people find it to be horrifying or unsafe. This cannot be denied that it seems a risky option, but many hospitals around the world have gained enough expertise by the use of latest machinery to make the process even more rapid and safe. As a patient, you must do your personal study on which hospital and doctor to trust to further execute the final step.

Risks Associated with Blood Transfusion

Blood transfusions are generally considered to be safe, but they do carry some risk of complications. These complications may happen during the transfusion, that may not be diagnosed for weeks, months or even years afterward. Maintaining your health after undergoing blood transfusion is one of the biggest tasks as the body is open to absorb a number of infections including allergic reactions and hives, constant high fever, acute immune hemolytic reaction, lung injury or infection, blood borne infection, iron overload in the body and transfusion associated graft versus host disease.

Since severe cases of anemia are appearing constantly on the dot in many countries around the world, it makes it even more important for these machines to come in now and save the day. The very factor of changing blood can sometimes turn into a problematic situation when new doctors are on duties and this can cause the patients to become distrustful of the doctors. The hospitals' reputation can also be in jeopardy and it could lead to different amounts of lawsuits coming from the patient’s family.

The Bottom Line

Treating anemic patients is all about the willpower and inducing the motivation factor in them, by making them realize that such vigorous transmission of new blood in their stream gives them a chance to repent on their previous iron-deficit life style. It allows them to continue with their lives by being more aware and healthy of themselves.

Not all anemic patients require blood transfusions. Only the ones that have infected blood that has been weakened by the problem need it; provided that it’s being done under the best optimal conditions. Blood transfusion must always be done after considering and examining the proper health reports of the patient.