How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated
There’s no known cure for chronic fatigue syndrome. But experts say that these lifestyle changes can help:
- Include regular, carefully planned exercise in your daily routine. Exercise can increase energy and make a person feel better. People with CFS should pace themselves while doing any physical activity that requires exertion. Talk with a doctor what’s right for you you don’t want to overdo it and get discouraged. Studies show that “graded exercise” is very helpful in CFS recovery.
- Follow stress-management and stress-reduction techniques. A doctor or therapist can teach these they’re great ways to take control of some aspects of the illness.
- Ensure good sleep habits to overcome CFS-related sleep problems.
- Work on ways to keep track of important things, such as keeping lists and making notes, you have problems with concentration or memory.
Meeting regularly with a therapist or counselor can help in CFS treatment. The main goals of therapy are to help people cope with the illness and to change negative or unrealistic thoughts or feelings into positive, realistic ones.
Having a positive feeling that you can get better is very helpful. Therapy and support groups can also help teens with CFS and their parents deal with the academic or social challenges brought on by the illness, such as missed school, falling grades, or withdrawal from friends and social situations.
Doctors may suggest over-the-counter or prescription medicines for some of these symptoms.
Varicose Veins And Leg Oedema
Varicose veins of the legs are very common in pregnancy due to a combination of factors, including increased volume of circulating blood during pregnancy, and pressure of the pregnant uterus on the larger veins. This increased pressure on the veins can also result in swelling of the legs that can cause pain, feelings of heaviness, cramps and other unusual sensations.
If you have varicose veins, it is recommended that you:
- Wear support stockings.
- Avoid standing for long periods.
- Exercise gently and regularly .
- Lie down to rest with feet elevated, when you can.
- Try massaging your legs.
When Should You Worry About Fatigue
Q.I have been quite fatigued over the past two weeks. How long should I wait before seeing a doctor?
A. We all go through periods of low energy. Even a week of feeling more tired than usual is not uncommon.
Yet most people can tell when their fatigue feels like something more serious. If thats the case, or your fatigue gets worse or lasts longer than a week or two, its time to see your doctor. Your fatigue might be related to an underlying illness or infection, especially if its accompanied by symptoms, such as a low-grade fever, shortness of breath, or loss of appetite.
Other reasons to see your doctor about fatigue are if you often wake up exhausted despite sleeping well, do not feel motivated to begin the day, or struggle to do activities that are ordinarily easy. These could be symptoms of a sleep disorder or depression.
During your exam, your doctor will try to rule out issues like medication side effects. He or she also may order blood tests to determine if the fatigue is related to a specific problem, such as anemia, an underactive thyroid , or liver inflammation . However, dont be surprised if your doctor does not find a cause. I have found that in most cases people bounce back from fatigue after some rest and a good nights sleep.
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How Will Your Doctor Diagnose Fatigue And Loss Of Appetite
While there isnt a specific test for fatigue and loss of appetite, your doctor will review your medical history, perform a physical exam, and ask about your other symptoms. This will help narrow down potential causes so that your doctor can order the right tests.
After asking questions about your health, they may order:
- blood tests to search for potential conditions, like hypothyroidism, celiac disease, or HIV
- a CT scan or ultrasound scan of the stomach
- an EKG or stress test for suspected cardiac involvement
- gastric emptying test, which can diagnose delayed gastric emptying
Sudden Vision Changes May Be Signs Of A Stroke
As you age, its normal for your vision to progressively worsen. But dont ever ignore visual changes that affect only one eye, the sudden onset of double vision, or the inability to see the center of what youre looking at.
Vision changes that occur suddenly can be signs of a stroke. Theyre particularly alarming if they come with other warning symptoms of stroke, such as numbness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking or finding the right words. More subtle variations on these symptoms could indicate a transient ischemic attack, commonly called a mini-stroke. Getting them checked out could prevent a larger stroke later, Baechler says.
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How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosed
Right now, there’s no test to tell if someone has chronic fatigue syndrome. Doctors ask a lot of questions . They also will do a thorough physical exam.
Doctors also usually order blood, urine , or other tests to check for conditions that cause similar symptoms. They may send a person to see other specialists to help with the diagnosis.
A doctor may suggest meeting with a psychologist or a therapist who can see whether mental health disorders might contribute to or mask CFS.
Treatment For Nausea And Fatigue
There are some things you can do to ease nausea in general, including getting plenty of fresh air, drinking ginger or peppermint tea and eating smaller meals. Read more about natural remedies for nausea.
And if you have really bad nausea, a doctor may give you medication, known as antiemetics, to help you stop feeling sick.
Fatigue can often get better with general measures like getting more high-quality sleep. But while these strategies can help your symptoms, the best treatment for nausea and fatigue usually depends on the cause.
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How Common Are Headaches In Children And Adolescents
Headaches are common in children and adolescents. Among children ages 5 to 17 years of age, 20% have reported getting headaches. The most common types of headaches in this age group are tension headaches and migraine . Many parents worry that their childs headache is the sign of a brain tumor or serious medical condition. However, less than 3% of headaches are the result of these conditions. Many headaches in children and adolescents are the result of stress and lifestyle issues.
Coping With A Loss Of Appetite
The approach to handling this issue depends on the cause, Dr. Finkelstein says. If the person is nauseated, treat the nausea. Try ginger teaits an old wives tale that actually works. If its a digestive problem, he says, try eating more fruits and vegetables. Also: Yogurt and fermented foods like kimchee are natural probiotics, which may replace bacterial flora if the person has been sick. And, as always, he recommends drinking more water. Staying well hydrated can help your appetite. Dont miss these 13 genius ways to make sure you drink enough water.
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Tips For Caring For A Loved One With Cancer Cachexia
Watching your loved one lose their appetite and weight can cause anxiety and stress. As a caregiver, one of your roles is to make sure that your loved one eats. However, cachexia causes many symptoms in people with cancer that make eating and drinking very difficult. That often makes food a source of increased tension between patients and their caregivers. Here are some tips to consider:
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Recognize that loss of appetite may be out of your loved ones control. Trying harder to eat does not always work.
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Pushing food on your loved one can make the issue worse, not better. Avoid making food a battle.
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Recognize that your loved one may ask for food, but by the time you prepare it, they may not want it anymore. This is incredibly frustrating, but very common.
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You are not a failure as a caregiver if your loved one does not want to eat. This is out of your control.
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Be creative. Find ways to show you care outside of food, including giving your loved one a massage, holding hands, reading, or playing games.
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Preparing and eating food is often a major focus of social gatherings. Find ways to support your loved one during social gatherings that do not involve eating food.
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Make sure you are getting help with caregiving duties and taking time to take care of yourself.
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Connect with other caregivers to find support and develop creative strategies that may best suit your loved one.
Stress Anxiety And Depression
If youve got nausea and fatigue thats caused by emotional and mental factors, removing the cause or managing the condition may help improve your symptoms. If your stress levels are high, identify the things that are causing you stress and take steps to better manage your daily schedule to prevent them from piling up on you. Taking up some stress-relieving activities may also help.
There are many ways to manage depression and anxiety, from talking therapies and exercising often, to taking medication. See a doctor for advice on the best treatment for you if you have depression, anxiety or another mood disorder.
Read more about the 5 common types of anxiety and how self-care can help you manage depression.
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See Your Doctor For Unexpected Bowel Habit Changes
Bowel movements are a measure of how things are passing through your body, which means they can be a good indicator of something thats awry. Conditions like colon cancer and anal cancer can have similar symptoms. These include bleeding or blood in the stool, and any major changes in the amount, frequency , consistency, or appearance of stools.
Bowel changes that dont go away after a couple of days or weeks should be checked out with your doctor. It’s really normal most of the time, but its just always good to get routine checkups if something is changing, Baechler says.
How Are Headaches Evaluated And Diagnosed In Children And Adolescents
Headache history. Gathering details about the headaches is key to diagnosis and for creating an effective treatment plan. The headache history should be obtained from both the child and his or her parents. Questions you will be asked include:
- How the headaches started
- How long the headaches have been present
- Whether there is a single type of headache or multiple types of headaches
- How often the headaches occur and if they are becoming more frequent
- What triggers the headaches, if known
- If physical activity aggravates the headache pain
- What other symptoms are associated with the headache
- Who else in your family has headaches
- What symptoms, if any, occur between headaches
Your doctor will also ask questions about how well the child is performing at school, any history of substance abuse, and other medical problems.
Clinical description of headaches. The patient will be asked to describe how he or she feels when a headache occurs. Questions you will be asked include:
- Where the pain is located
- What does the pain feel like
- How severe is the headache pain, using a scale from 1 to 10
- If the headaches appear suddenly without warning or with other symptoms
- What time of day the headache usually occurs
- If there is an aura before the headache
- What other symptoms occur with a headache
- How long the headache lasts
- What makes it feel better
Consultation with other specialists. Your doctor may request consultation with other specialist to obtain additional information including:
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When To Contact A Doctor
A person should go to the emergency room or call 911 immediately if they notice these symptoms in themselves or someone else. Delaying care can result in death.
There is no safe home treatment for a stroke. A doctor may perform surgery, admit a person to the hospital, or recommend long-term care, such as physical or speech therapy.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complicated disease for doctors to diagnose and even fully understand.
CFS is a physical condition, but it can also affect a person psychologically. This means that someone with CFS may feel physical symptoms, such as being very tired and weak , headaches, or dizziness. But the person may also notice emotional symptoms, such as a loss of interest in favorite activities.
To make it even more complicated, different people with CFS can have different symptoms. And the symptoms of CFS often are similar those of other health conditions, like mono, Lyme disease, or depression. And the symptoms can vary over time, even in the same person.
This makes treating the illness complicated because no single medicine or treatment can address all the possible symptoms.
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Your Health Questions Answered
- Answered by: Healthily’s medical teamAnswered: 22/06/2021
Yes, even though stress feels like an emotional and mental issue, it can sometimes cause physical symptoms like nausea and fatigue. If this is the cause of your symptoms, you may find they improve when you take steps to manage your stress levels. Aside from doing your best to reduce the source of your stress, you may also find that stress-relieving activities, like spending time with friends and exercising, make you feel better.
When Youre Just Not Hungry
When you just dont feel like eating the way you usually doand perhaps youre also tired and losing weight without intending toyour body is trying to tell you something. It may take some detective work to identify the cause, which could be physical, psychological, or a reaction, say, to a medication. There are tons of things that can cause a lack of appetite and fatigue, says Michael Finkelstein, MD, an internist at Scarsdale Medical Group. Its important to look at the whole patient and take a holistic approach to figure out whats going on. Its just one of the 50 health symptoms you should never ignore.
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Causes Of Fatigue And Loss Of Appetite
Even though fatigue and loss of appetite may initially appear quite harmless, and not a cause for worry, if it persists for several days or even longer, it is important for you to try and determine what the root causes are.
Several conditions can contribute to the prevalence of symptoms, while others may be related to lifestyle traits and habits. Common causes include:
Could My Symptoms Be Covid
Feeling out of breath with activity
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling out of breath with activity
Nausea and vomiting
Out of breath with activity
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Severe shortness of breath at rest
Dry cough
Severe muscle and joint pain
Feeling out of breath with activity
Rashes
Blisters on toes and fingers
Chills and body aches
Loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Severe shortness of breath at rest
Tightness in chest
Feeling out of breath with activity
Palpitations, chest pain
Blisters on toes and fingers
Severe muscle and joint pain
Chills and body aches
Loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Shortness of breath at rest
Tightness in chest
Out of breath with activity
Palpitations, chest pain
Severe muscle and joint pain
Blisters on toes and fingers
Chills and body aches
Loss of taste and smell
Sore throat
Shortness of breath at rest
Tightness in chest
Out of breath with activity
Palpitations, chest pain
Severe muscle and joint pain
Blisters on toes and fingers
Chills and body aches
Loss of taste and smell
Sore throat
Severe shortness of breath at rest
Tightness in chest
Feeling out of breath with activity
Palpitations, chest pain
Blisters on toes and fingers
Severe muscle and joint pain
Chills and body aches
Loss of taste and smell
Sore throat
Severe shortness of breath at rest
Dry cough
Severe muscle and joint pain
Feeling out of breath with activity
Rashes
Blisters on toes and fingers
Chills and body aches
Loss of taste and smell
Sore throat
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Dizziness Nausea Headaches Tired And Loss Of Appetite
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i have the same symptoms and im only 14 they did blood work but no one has called me yet my doctors office is unreliable and im getting worse
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When To Call The Doctor For Out
The size, feel, and look of your breasts are as individual as you are, and breasts often change predictably throughout the month. Some women normally have lumps others get a lump every month before their period. But something outside of your usual breast condition could be a symptom of a health problem, says Rachel Freedman, MD, MPH, a medical oncologist at the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
Look for anything new that persists, such as a mass, skin change, or rash that doesnt go away in a day but sticks around, Dr. Freedman says. Breast cancer can appear as an unusual redness of the skin that looks like an infection, swelling, lumps, bumps, or nodules. Other potential symptoms include nipple discharge thats bloody , and breasts that become unusually asymmetrical.
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What Are Nausea And Fatigue
Do you feel nauseous and tired all the time, but dont know why? Nausea is an uneasy feeling in your stomach, like you want to be sick . And fatigue is when you feel really tired and lack the energy you need to do normal activities.
Feeling sick and tired often happen separately, but sometimes both can strike at the same time. This can be due to a number of things, including your diet and lifestyle, emotional and mental factors or a medical condition.
Many causes of nausea and fatigue are treatable, and the symptoms get better once youve addressed the cause. But sometimes, having nausea and fatigue at the same time can be a sign of a more serious condition that needs medical attention.
