Medical Disorders

Pernicious Anemia Many people hate to go to the doctor's office -- especially when they know that they will be receiving an injection. However, I, along with millions of people the world over, consider ourselves very lucky to do just that, each and every month of our lives. You see, for people like me with a disorder known as "pernicious anemia," the doctor and her needle are the important link between a healthy life and a life of absolute misery.

This is because, unlike classic anemia, the common form of the blood disorder that usually results in little more than fatigue, pernicious anemia can result in catastrophic changes in the body, chief among them severe neurological impairment that, in its severe form, can result in absolute madness. For those of us who suffer from this disease caused by an inherited deficiency, or caused from some disruption or disorder in the stomach and gastro-intestinal tract, the Vitamin B12 injection is a lifesaver.

According to the Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia, anemia is a blood disorder where red blood cells are "not providing adequate oxygen to body tissues." However, unlike classic anemia, the individual suffering from the disorder lacks an important chemical made in the stomach, which allows the vitamin B12 (obtained from food) to be absorbed by the body. Because vitamin B12 is a necessary component for the formation of adequate numbers of red blood cells, the deficiency of the vitamin causes the anemia.

Interestingly, pernicious anemia is usually caused by heredity, but it can also be caused from physical changes in the body, including stomach surgery or removal, disorders of the lining of the stomach, or simple lack of adequate nutrition (although this is rare, those suffering from malnutrition and famine are at high risk for developing this form of anemia). Although the symptoms of classic anemia may include fatigue or low red blood cells in blood tests, it can take years before someone with classic anemia might even notice anything amiss.

However, the symptoms of pernicious anemia are more numerous, severe and pervasive. In addition, the lasting effects of not treating the disorder far surpass the damage that can be done by classic anemia. Specifically, symptoms of this form of anemia can include neurological problems presenting in clumsiness, unsteady walk, loss or reduction in one's sense of smell, tongue control problems, positive Babinski's reflex (a foot reflex and a sign of neurological problems after the age of two), as well as possible changes in memory or reasoning to outright madness.

Additionally, other, physical symptoms may be present, including shortness of breath, fatigue, pale complexion, rapid heart rate (which are all symptoms of a lack of oxygen being delivered by the red blood cells), loss of appetite, diarrhea, as well as numbness of extremities. The treatment of pernicious anemia begins with testing. These tests might include blood work showing low red blood cell count and enlarged red blood cells, low white blood cells as well as platelets.

In addition, in the rare cases where blood tests are insufficient to make a diagnosis of pernicious anemia (or where more serious disorders might be present, including certain types of cancers), bone marrow examinations may be required, as well as other specific blood-based testing. Once the diagnosis is made, however, treatment begins immediately and includes monthly shots of vitamin B12, or the same dose delivered via nose sprays (an option particularly popular with young children and needle-phobic adults).

In addition, many physicians ensure that a good diet is prescribed that includes other vitamins helpful in rebuilding healthy blood cell levels. These may include folic acid, iron, and vitamin C Thankfully, if these steps are implemented quickly enough after the onset of symptoms, not only can the anemia be fully controlled, but any neurological impairments have a good chance of being reversed. However, if the individual suffering from pernicious anemia waits too long, the neurological impairments may be impossible to completely reverse.

In light of the very serous repercussions of allowing pernicious anemia to go untreated, it is absolutely essential for the disorder to be diagnosed as soon as possible. Not only do those lucky individuals who receive an early diagnosis have the opportunity to begin treatment more quickly than those who are either late in being diagnosed,.