Symptoms Of Aplastic Anemia

Pale Skin

Pale skin is a symptom that can be indicative of an individual affected by aplastic anemia. Healthy individuals have bone marrow that produces an adequate amount of blood cells, including red blood cells. Red blood cells contain a compound called hemoglobin, which is responsible for the transport of oxygen in blood circulation to all of the different tissues throughout the body. Red blood cells are pumped through the heart and into the lungs where they pick up oxygen, where they are then pumped back to the heart and through the aorta. From the aorta, the oxygenated red blood cells deliver the oxygen to the tissues around the body. Aplastic anemia patients do not have an adequate number of red blood cells to transport oxygen because their bone marrow does not produce them to replace the red blood cells that die at the end of their lifecycle. This malfunction means there is a less overall oxygen concentration in the blood circulating the body. Oxygenated blood is bright red, where oxygen-poor blood is dark red. When light shines through an individual's skin, it reflects off of the two shades of red differently. This mechanism is what produces the fleshy pink hue of a healthy individual's skin, and the grey, pale hue of an aplastic anemia patient's skin.

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Bleeding Gums And Nosebleeds

Individuals affected by aplastic anemia can experience bleeding gums and nosebleeds as a symptom of their blood and bone marrow condition. The inside of an individual's mouth and nose are a type of tissue called mucous membranes. This type of tissue lines many canals and cavities that lead to the outside of the body. The mucous membranes that line the oral and nasal cavities are especially delicate when it comes to injury and irritation. Aplastic anemia patients do not have enough platelets in their blood to form blood clots properly when any internal or external tissue sustains injury and starts bleeding. Because the gums inside of the mouth are subject to the repeated abrasion of teeth brushing, they can tear and become irritated easily when an individual brushes too hard. However, someone with aplastic anemia will experience persistent bleeding of the gums with even regular brushing because their blood is unable to clot. Nosebleeds can be common in healthy individuals because the nasal membranes crack and bleed under dry conditions. However, aplastic anemia patients who experience dryness in the nose will have nosebleeds more frequently that last longer because their blood cannot clot the way a healthy individual's blood does.

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