When the number of healthy red blood cells in the body is too low, you may be suffering from anemia. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues, and a low red blood cell count indicates that the amount of oxygen in the blood is lower than it should be. Anemia is determined by measuring the amount of hemoglobin, which is the protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Women and people with chronic disease such as cancer have the highest risk of developing anemia. Anemia is very treatable, but it can be dangerous if left untreated. A proper diet can help prevent anemia from recurring.

How can anemia be treated?
The treatment of anemia depends on its causes:

• Iron deficiency anemia
  Treatment for this type of anemia usually involves taking iron supplements and making dietary changes. If the underlying cause of iron deficiency is the loss of blood—other than from menstruation—the source of bleeding must be located and stopped. This may involve surgery.
• Vitamin deficiencies anemia
  Anemia due to folic acid and B-12 deficiency involves dietary supplements and increasing these nutrients in the diet. If the digestive system has trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from the food one eats, you might need vitamin B-12 shots. At first one might receive the shots every other day. Eventually, one might need shots once a month, which may continue for life, depending on the condition.
• Anemia due to chronic disease
  Doctors focus on the underlying disease as there is no specific treatment for this type of anemic condition. A blood transfusion or injections of synthetic erythropoietin, a hormone normally produced by the kidneys, may help stimulate red blood cell production and ease fatigue if the conditions are severe.
• Aplastic anemia
  Treatment of this type of anemia may include blood transfusions to boost levels of red blood cells. One might even need a bone marrow transplant if the patient’s bone marrow is diseased and can’t produce healthy blood cells.
• Anemia associated with bone marrow diseases
  Treatment of these various diseases may include medication, chemotherapy, or a bone marrow transplant.
• Hemolytic anemia
  Managing hemolytic anemia includes avoiding suspect medications, treating related infections, and taking medications that suppress the immune system, which might be attacking the red blood cells. A blood transfusion or plasmapheresis may be necessary. Plasmapheresis is a type of blood filtering procedure. In certain cases, removal of the spleen can be helpful.
• Sickle cell anemia
  Treatment of this anemia may include the administration of oxygen, pain-relieving medications, and oral and intravenous fluids to reduce pain and prevent complications. A bone marrow transplant may be effective in certain circumstances. A cancer medicine called hydroxyurea is also used to treat sickle cell anemia.
• Thalassemia
  This anemia may be treated with blood transfusions, folic acid supplements, medications, removal of the spleen, or a bone marrow stem cell transplant.

So, depending on its type, there are various ways to treat anemia. However, detecting symptoms and getting the right diagnosis is important at an early stage.