What Are The Common Causes Of Fatigue
Remember, feeling tired every now and then is something we all experience. This sort of tiredness might be caused by a change in eating habits, taking new medications, or simply not getting enough sleep. Still, if youre feeling fatigued and there have been no significant changes in your day to day, it might be a sign of something more.
Stretch If You Feel Like It
For something so many of us do either before or after exercise, there isnt a whole lot of evidence that stretching is effective at reducing injury risk.
A lot of athletes say that if they dont stretch, they feel more sore the next day, Dr Halson said.
But in terms of scientific evidence to say we should be stretching after exercise, theres not a huge amount.
For those who find it beneficial, theres no reason to stop, she said.
Stretching can be something that might reduce soreness and stiffness, especially if youre someone thats doing something youre not really accustomed to.
Who Gets Myasthenia Gravis
Myasthenia gravis affects both men and women and occurs across all racial and ethnic groups. It most commonly impacts young adult women and older men , but it can occur at any age, including childhood. Myasthenia gravis is not inherited nor is it contagious. Occasionally, the disease may occur in more than one member of the same family..
Although myasthenia gravis is rarely seen in infants, the fetus may acquire antibodies from a mother affected with myasthenia gravisa condition called neonatal myasthenia. Neonatal myasthenia gravis is generally temporary, and the childs symptoms usually disappear within two to three months after birth. Rarely, children of a healthy mother may develop congenital myasthenia. This is not an autoimmune disorder but is caused by defective genes that produce abnormal proteins in the neuromuscular junction and can cause similar symptoms to myasthenia gravis.
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What Was Underlying This Teens Sudden Fatigue And Muscle Weakness
Diabetes, Lyme disease, a mysterious virus or a rare autoimmune disease with neuromuscular consequences?
In clinic, pediatric neurologist Matt Elrick tests Erics strength, much of which he recovered with immunosuppressant therapy.
Gary Logan
A few days after Thanksgiving 2020, Eric Lang suddenly felt muscle weakness and fatigue. He also started losing weight rapidly. A visit to the emergency room uncovered inflammation in his arms but no clear cause. Worse, two weeks later, the 17-year-old had difficulty breathing and was admitted to Johns Hopkins Childrens Center for what would become a four-week stay.
For the first 10 days, he was on a ventilator. He couldnt move, he couldnt breathe, says Erics mother, Sue Lang. This was a pretty wild time when they were trying to figure out what was going on.
Among the suspects were diabetes, Lyme disease, myositis muscle inflammation triggered by an autoimmune disease and an infection or a virus taxing Erics entire body. COVID-19 came up, but tests were negative. Myasthenia gravis , a rare chronic autoimmune disease in which antibodies attack the connections between nerves and voluntary muscles, was also on the list of possible diagnoses.
It was an unusual presentation for myasthenia to begin with, and required a number of people from different disciplines to sort out what was going on, says pediatric neurologist Matthew Elrick. And then a lot of different pieces came together at once.
Leg Muscle Weakness In Seniors
Are you a senior whos lost some mobility due to having leg muscle weakness in one or both legs? Maybe youve had a fall or two because youve been experiencing weak leg muscles?
Weak legs are a common problem in seniors because we lose muscle mass as we get older. As we age, we tend to become less active, and this causes a reduction in our muscle strength.
While some physical conditions can cause leg weakness, chances are, your weak leg muscles are part of the aging process. But dont fret, there may be some things you can do to improve the strength in your legs and help you become more active.
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How Long Does Fatigue Or Weakness Last
Fatigue that is due to cancer and its treatment can last for weeks, months, or years. It often continues after treatment ends.
- For people who have surgery for cancer with no other treatment, fatigue often decreases or goes away over time as they recover from surgery.
- For people getting chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy in cycles, fatigue often gets worse at first and may get better until the next treatment, when the pattern starts again.
- For those getting radiation therapy, fatigue usually gets worse as the treatment goes on and often lessens within a few months after treatment is complete.
Fatigue can:
- Differ from one day to the next in how bad it is and how much it bothers you
- Be overwhelming and make it hard for you to feel well
- Make it hard for you to be with your friends and family
- Make it hard for you to do things you normally do, including going to work
- Make it harder for you to follow your cancer treatment plan.
Why Do My Legs Feel Weak And Heavy
Feeling weakness in one or both of your legs is called monoparesis or paraparesis and can be a direct result of MS. You can also feel weakness in your arms and other areas of your body, but to feel it in your legs often occurs more frequently.
The weakness can make your legs feel heavy, as if they are being weighed down by something. They may also ache and hurt. Some people with MS describe it as like having bags of sand attached to their legs.
This muscle weakness combined with MS fatigue can be upsetting. Weakness in your legs can cause balance and walking difficulties and you may be more likely to fall. You may find that your legs can tire quickly making you feel a lack of physical strength, while fatigue brings on an intense exhaustion and lack of energy. Due to your legs feeling weak you need that extra energy to keep moving! Its a vicious cycle as muscle weakness and MS fatigue are closely linked and one can make the other worse.
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Firstly Why Do We Need Sleep
Our bodies require a long period of sleep for optimal health and wellbeing. During sleep, our bodies consolidate memories and experiences, restore and rejuvenate, repair tissues, grow muscle, and synthesize hormones. When we do not get enough consecutive hours of sleep, our bodies are not able to complete all of these necessary tasks in order to perform at our best.
Interestingly, our bodies regulate sleep similarly to the way we regulate breathing, eating, and drinking. Therefore, while scientists are still exploring theories for why we sleep, there is consensus that sleep serves a critical role in our health and well-being. Unfortunately, when we are in perimenopause, there are a number of symptoms that prevent women from getting enough sleep. Consequently, fatigue during perimenopause further aggravates an already stressed body.
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Causes Muscle Weakness And Fatigue
Weakness and fatigue are nonspecific symptoms that may be encountered in a bewildering number of medical and psychiatric disorders they also may be the expected physiologic consequence of normal human activities 17). Most patients with weakness or fatigue have self-limited conditions and do not seek medical care. Among those who visit a physician, weakness and fatigue are often part of an easily identified symptom complex. The patient who presents with chronic weakness or fatigue as the sole or major complaint may represent a more difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problem.
The bedside examination is of unique value in evaluating these symptoms. The initial history and physical examination usually allow the clinician to characterize the problem as medical, psychiatric, or physiologic in origin. In a specific patient, weakness or fatigue may be due to multiple causes, or the cause may not be initially apparent.
A precise understanding of the patients description of weakness or fatigue is imperative. Is there a loss of muscle strength, or is the problem a vague loss of energy, weariness, or lassitude? True weakness usually indicates a medical disorder. Fatigue, in contrast, may result from medical, psychiatric, or physiologic causes. Other symptoms should not be confused with weakness. For example, some patients speak of weakness when they are actually experiencing shortness of breath, generalized malaise, or joint pain and limitation of motion.
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Doctors Recommend Getting A Blood Test For Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndome If You Have Experienced Fatigue For Longer Than:
There is no blood test for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndome. However, if you have experienced unexplained fatigue lasting longer than three months, you may want to see your doctor to rule out possible medical problems.myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may be considered if you have experienced fatigue for longer than six months especially if you have chronic pain or other common symptoms of ME/CFS. Diagnosis is usually based on an evaluation of the patients history and a thorough physical and mental examination that rules out other potential causes.
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General Measures For Leg Weakness
In general, some general measures can be used to improve the feeling of weakness in the legs , however, a medical evaluation is necessary in any of the aforementioned cases to indicate the specific treatment:
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Heart Attack Or Stroke
While you may be on the lookout for chest pain to signal problems with your heart, you should also add sudden-onset fatigue to the list, per the American Heart Association. .
In addition, the AHA points out that fatigue or confusion can be one of the initial symptoms of a stroke. Other signs might include a severe headache, arm weakness and difficulty with walking or talking.
Warning
If you have sudden exhaustion along with any other symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, call 911 immediately. In either case, your likelihood of recovery is better the sooner you get treatment.
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Were Worried About Syringe Shortage Says Prof Glenda Gray
We are not going to withhold a vaccine. We would rather work with you to do it properly and we have had some people, who have had severe allergies who called us before they got the vaccine. We were able to manage that whole process much better. Dont be scared to tell us if you have had any severe allergies from vaccines.
Speaking at the same webinar, Dr Simbarashe Takuva revealed out of the 145 215 vaccinations, about 3 030 adverse events had been reported.
Takavu said some of the common adverse effects reported in the Sisonke implementation study included a small swelling, redness, induration/hardness and a rash. He said they had not seen any adverse events that were of concern.
If you experience either rash, hives, difficulty breathing or a bad reaction, contact a medical provider. For pain or fever, you may take pain medication like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Apply a cool, wet cloth over the injected area.
Individuals who are experiencing side effects or adverse effects may report via three different streams which are:
- The safety desk call centre at 0800 014 956.
- The electronic adverse report form which is available on the electronic vaccination data system .
- Data is also captured manually from forms that are found at health facilities.
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Prevent Deconditioning Using Exercise
Exercising as part of the Overcoming MS program will help you to gently build up muscle strength and endurance which will improve any fatigue and weakness. Regular exercise will also ensure that you prevent any deconditioning and muscle wastage.
Strength exercises such as squats, lunges and leg lifts will all help you to strengthen your legs if you have been feeling heaviness. Hold onto something as you are doing these exercises at first and you will gradually build up the strength and balance.
Written byDr. Victor MarchionePublished onMarch 16, 2017
Fatigue is a common symptom of aging that is often ignored or attributed to another condition, but when left untreated, fatigue in the elderly can lead to a decline in normal functioning. While there is no one succinct definition of fatigue, it may be generally characterized by feelings of weariness, tiredness, a persistent lack of energy, and weakness. To find out how fatigue affects the elderly and how it can be treated, continue reading below.
What Are The Causes Of Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness is commonly due to lack of exercise, ageing, muscle injury or pregnancy. It can also occur with long-term conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. There are many other possible causes, which include stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome .
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Overreaching And Overtraining Syndrome
There are two general problems associated with fatigue after exercise. Overtraining syndrome occurs over time from too much training. The other problem occurs very quickly and is known as overreaching. Both issues come from too much exercise and not enough rest.
The symptoms of overreaching usually resolve quickly once you stop exercising and get more rest. However, the symptoms of overtraining can last two months or more. If you have either problem, youll notice that youre constantly fatigued and sore. You might also get sick more often due to a suppressed immune system.
Your mental health is affected by overtraining and overreaching too. Your sleep can be disrupted, and you may feel depressed. Women can experience the absence of menstruation.
Getting Adequate Rest Can Fight Short
In most cases, chronic fatigue is not substantially improved by rest. Chronic fatigue often makes it more difficult to get adequate rest. Similarly, fatigue can interfere with sleep, resulting in unrefreshing sleep, difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakening, or sleep apnea.
Rest is unlikely to relieve fatigue caused by a medical condition.
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How Treating Insomnia Can Improve Depression
The first step to better sleep is to diagnose and treat the sleep disorder and/or the underlying depression. âIf you treat the insomnia in someone with depression, you will improve their chances of achieving remission from the depression,â Auger says.
Your primary care doctor may be able to educate you about sleep habits that will help your insomnia. In some cases, your doctor may treat insomnia with prescription sleeping aids. Some individuals will respond to them. Others may not if they have another underlying sleep disorder such as sleep apnea that is also robbing them of quality sleep.
Your primary care doctor may also refer you to a sleep specialist.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica And Giant Cell Arteritis
Some people with polymyalgia rheumatica experience giant cell arteritis . Giant cell arteritis involves painful inflammation of the blood vessels of the skull. Symptoms include:
- severe headache
- pain in the side of your jaw or face when chewing
- temples are tender to touch
- scalp tenderness.
Seek urgent medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms. If not treated promptly, giant cell arteritis can cause damage to the arteries of the eye, which can lead to blindness.
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Treatment Of Dizziness During Menopause
With the exclusion of all other causes and confidence that the attacks of menopause dizziness and lightheadedness are associated precisely with climacteric changes, then the approach to the treatment of dizziness with menopause should be comprehensive. All drugs and non-drug treatment methods must be selected individually with a doctor, depending on the additional manifestations available and the degree of general condition disturbance. So, if the dizziness menopause symptoms are severe, and depend on a sharp deficiency of sex hormones, substitution therapy with estrogen preparations in strictly selected dosages and under the control of tolerance may be indicated. Non-hormonal drugs that improve the general condition, medications with a sedative effect and anti-stress protection can also be used in the treatment of dizziness menopause. A course of multivitamins with minerals is shown to replenish the bodys reserves, to prevent anemia and osteoporosis.
Additionally, the treatment of vertigo with menopause involves the use of dizziness menopause natural remedies soothing, restorative herbal teas , as well as non-pharmacological measures that increase the overall tone of the body and normalize blood circulation, including in the brain area.
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How Can My Doctor Manage Fatigue
To find out what is causing your fatigue, your healthcare provider will ask questions about your lifestyle and medications and will conduct a physical examination. They might order some lab tests to test blood and urine. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, your provider will probably order a pregnancy test.
To relieve fatigue, your provider will treat the condition or disorder thatâs causing it. Depending on your health, your treatment plan may include a combination of medication, exercise, or therapy. If youâre taking a medication that makes you feel exhausted, talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of stopping the medication or trying another one.
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