Anemia is a condition that affects many women when they are going through pregnancy, but it can also affect anyone who has a deficiency of red blood cells in their body.
While Anemia can be treated fairly easily by a doctor in most cases, you will still need to receive medical attention as soon as you notice the symptoms.
If you don’t take immediate action, it can lead to some heart and lung complications, such as an abnormally fast heartbeat.
Many different symptoms can spring up when a person is being affected by Anemia, with one of the most unpleasant ones being a constant stream of sweat that never seems to stop.
But why does this condition cause people to sweat? And how can it be managed? That’s what we’re here to take a closer look at today!
What Does Anemia Do To Your Body?
Anemia occurs when a person has a deficiency in red blood cells which are needed to provide oxygen to the body tissues.
Lacking oxygen can lead to the person feeling weak, fatigued, and dizzy, and it affects pregnant women a lot because, during their pregnancy, their volume of blood will increase, meaning they must consume much more iron and calories than before.
When a person is being affected by Anemia, their heart must make up for the lack of oxygen in the blood, which can cause it to beat at an irregular rate and can also lead to other much more serious issues, so it’s important to rectify the issue as soon as possible.
Is It Normal To Sweat When Experiencing Anemia?
One of the lesser-known symptoms of Anemia is profuse sweating which can happen while the person is sleeping, and while they are active.
It is an incredibly common symptom, and it simply happens because the lack of iron makes it much harder for oxygen to transport around the blood, which in turn, means that the body will automatically sweat to control the temperature.
If you aren’t receiving enough oxygen for your body tissue, then you also won’t have a normal sensation of hot and cold, making it very hard to even know if you’re overheating.
Therefore, it can be very easy for a person suffering from Anemia to sit out in the sun without realising that they are already very warm, and the body will then begin sweating to let them know that they need to cool down.
How To Handle The Sweating
Of course, before you start trying to manage the symptoms individually, if you think you may have Anemia, you should immediately seek treatment in the form of iron supplements, vitamin B12 injections, and any medications prescribed by your doctor.
When you have started taking the appropriate medication, to manage the sweating, you will always want to pay close attention to the weather forecast, and the current temperature.
Because of how Anemia plays with the senses, it’s difficult to put 100% trust in your own body when it comes to detecting how hot or cold it is, so it can instead be a better idea to see what others say, and then base your clothing decisions for the day of this.
If it’s a blistering hot day, always sit in the shade rather than staying in the sun for too long, and avoid being active during the daytime since this will end up using the limited red blood cells as energy, which could cause a person to faint from exhaustion.
It’s also important to set up your environment depending on the weather, so if the temperatures are going to be high for that day, make sure to leave a few doors or windows open so that you can let a breeze in, and try to avoid putting the heating on.
Keeping yourself cool while also incorporating iron-rich foods into your diet or taking iron pills will help to ease the symptoms over time until eventually, your red blood cells and iron levels stabilise again.
How Long Does Anemia Last?
It usually takes between 2 to 3 months for a person suffering from Anemia to fully restore their iron levels, though they may need to continue taking iron supplements after this time to ensure that their level remains stable.
With that being said though, the time to recover will depend on a few different factors including the underlying cause of the condition, such as any genetic issues, and if the individual has experienced any major blood loss from injuries in the past.
Other Symptoms Of Anemia
Anemia is a condition known for having many different symptoms, so alongside sweating, here are a few other things to look out for in case you’re a little worried that you may have a slight iron deficiency.
Tiredness
Fatigue
Weakness
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Headaches
Dizziness
As mentioned previously, Anemia can become deadly if it is not treated quickly, so as soon as you start experiencing several of these symptoms at once, then you should definitely contact a doctor, especially if you’re also currently pregnant.
You could also experience a few different symptoms to the ones listed above, depending on what is causing the Anemia.
For example, autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or glandular fever cause the body to destroy red blood cells, so if you also start to feel your joints aching or swelling, then this could point to another underlying cause, but the best way to check is with your doctor.
Summary
Anemia can unfortunately lead to some very nasty and unpleasant side effects, and one of the most common is sweating constantly which happens due to the body’s inability to detect hot and cold temperatures.
Luckily, this symptom can be dealt with easily by keeping an eye on your environment and the weather outside and acting according to that, but always make sure that you are taking supplements or medication at the same time so that you can finally be free of the condition.
I'm Clare, the owner and operator of Off The Couch, where I serve as a qualified Nutrition & Health Coach.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, I offer coaching services both locally and globally, providing personalized strategies in nutrition, stress management, sleep quality, and fitness.
My journey into this field began as I navigated my own chronic illnesses, including early menopause, Interstitial Cystitis, Lyme Disease, and hydrocephalus.
