Anemia

Anemia is a blood disorder in which the necessary amount of red blood cells or the substance that carries oxygen (hemoglobin) through the bloodstream is too low.

There are various causes and types of anemia. Many types are caused by a lack of a certain nutritional element, such as iron (especially common). It may also be caused by blood loss, a hereditary condition (such as sickle cell anemia) or an individual may simply have a low red blood cell count. There are many other causes and types of anemia.

The most common symptom of anemia is unusually constant fatigue. Other common symptoms include (but are not limited to) coldness in the smaller extremities (fingers and toes) along with the rest of the body and/or unusually pale skin for an individual, as the blood is not transporting enough oxygen to allow the body to function correctly.

While anemia itself does not interfere with the blood clotting mechanism of the body, in general, an anemic individual should be considered to be at an increased risk of having a clotting disorder, making it more difficult for the blood to clot (to stop bleeding) from an injury. This is important to note in many modifications because the skin is usually broken, and many times blood is released.