There is a clear difference between the two in terms of etiology, symptom presentation and treatment.
Megaloblastic anaemia is caused by a deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B12 in the body. In addition to anaemic symptoms, there are often digestive manifestations such as loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and the appearance of atrophied tongue papillae, as well as neurological symptoms such as symmetrical numbness of the limbs, unsteady gait and loss of vision. Treatment is generally to remove the cause as well as to supplement both substances.
The cause of iron deficiency anaemia is the lack of iron in the body. In addition to the manifestations of anaemia, there are often manifestations corresponding to the primary cause, such as excessive menstruation in women, peptic ulcers, tumours, etc., as well as manifestations of iron deficiency, such as stomatitis, tongue inflammation, chronic atrophic gastritis, dysphagia, dry hair loss, lack of lustre in the nails or even retrorse or spatulate nails, irritability and inattention in children, omnivory in some patients, etc. The treatment is etiological and supplementary. Treatment is etiological as well as iron supplements.