Fatigue, Tiredness, Sleepiness, Lethargy, Chronic fatigue syndrome
Description : Fatigue is a constant feeling of tiredness which can be physical, mental or a combination of both.
Article Details :
What is fatigue?
Fatigue is a constant feeling of tiredness which can be physical, mental or a combination of both. You may feel sleepy, unmotivated and lethargic. It is not a medical condition on its own, however, it is a symptom of other medical conditions. Fatigue can be a normal feeling after a hard and stressful day of work. However, if even after getting proper rest and adequate nutrition you still feel tired, you should visit your doctor’s office for further inquiry. This is because there are many medical conditions which are associated with fatigue. People may use different terms to describe fatigue, some of them are listless, lethargic, lack of energy, worn out, tired, exhausted, weary, feeling down or malaise.
Causes of fatigue
The causes of fatigue can be classified into lifestyle factors and health conditions:
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Lifestyle factors:
- Excess physical activity
- Lack of sleep
- Obesity
- Emotional stress
- Lack of physical activity
- Medications such as antidepressant and antihistamines amongst others
- Alcohol abuse
- High caffeine intake
- Unhealthy eating habits
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Health conditions:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: This condition causes extreme fatigue which is not associated with any underlying medical conditions
- Anaemia: this happens when your haemoglobin (the protein which carries oxygen in the blood) level is low, making you feel unusually tired and out of breath
- Fibromyalgia: this disorder is characterized by general musculoskeletal pain which is often accompanied by fatigue
- Sleep apnoea: In this condition, your breathing stops and start, disturbing your sleep without you noticing. This result in tiredness even after a full night’s sleep
- Chronic pain: this makes it difficult to rest properly which inevitably leads to fatigue
- Thyroid disorders: hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism may be accompanied by fatigue
- Eating disorder: anorexia and bulimia are often associated with fatigue due to inappropriate nutrition and habits
- Cold & flu
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Congestive heart failure
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Acute liver failure
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Symptoms associated with fatigue
Fatigue is not a condition itself but a symptom of conditions as mentioned above. It is very often associated with other symptoms and these are:
- Chronic sleepiness
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Muscle weakness
- Irritability
- Poor judgement and decision-making
In addition, you should go to the hospital immediately if your fatigue is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Severe headache
- Vomiting blood
- Chest pain
- Rectal bleeding
- Difficulty breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Feeling like you want to hurt yourself
- Severe abdominal pain
Diagnosis of fatigue
A thorough history taking by your doctor is the initial step in diagnosis fatigue and it includes:
- Other symptoms associated with the fatigue
- When did it start
- What makes it worse or better
- The nature of the fatigue
- Any source of stress
- Current medications
Your doctor will do some test to rule out any other medical conditions which may be causing your fatigue:
- Complete blood count: red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet count
- Electrolytes: chloride, potassium and sodium
- Glucose
- BUN/creatinine: to measure your kidney function
- TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone): to identify any thyroid disorders
- Ferritin, b12, folic acid and iron: this will indicate whether you are anaemic
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR): this is a marker of inflammation in the body
Treatment of fatigue
Some lifestyle changes may be adopted to help reduce fatigue:
- Get enough sleep
- Avoid known cause of stress
- Stay hydrated
- Adopt a good and healthy eating habit
- Avoid over-demanding schedules
- Cut down caffeine
- Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition characterized by extreme tiredness which does not resolve by resting and cannot be Read more
