Because a low red blood cell count decreases oxygen delivery to every tissue in the body, anemia may cause many signs and symptoms. It can also make almost any other underlying medical condition worse. If anemia is mild, it may not cause any symptoms. If anemia is slowly ongoing (chronic), the body may adapt and compensate for the change; in this case there may not be any symptoms until the anemia becomes more severe.
Symptoms of anemia may include the following:
Symptoms of severe anemia may include:
Some of the signs that may indicate anemia in an individual may include:
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Anemia, like a fever, is a symptom of disease that requires investigation to determine the underlying etiology.