Is Pots More Common In Certain People
There are no established risk factors for POTS. However, it is known to run in families, so it could have a genetic component. Researchers have also established a link between POTS and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome . So if you have one of these conditions, you might also have the other.
A big group of those diagnosed with POTS is young women and teens. However, this doesnt mean they are more likely to develop this condition.
What Causes ‘your’ Fatigue
Many physical and mental illnesses, as well as lifestyle factors, can cause your fatigue, and that can make it hard to diagnose. In some cases, it might be something simple and easy to fix, like having caffeine at bedtime. But other causes, like heart disease or COPD, are serious, and you may need to start long-term treatment right away.
Your doctor can help you sift through your health issues, as well as diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits, in order to zero in on the cause and help you on the road to recovery.
Show Sources
How Is Shortness Of Breath Diagnosed
Your doctor or other health care provider will ask you about your symptoms. Try to give him or her as much information about your symptoms as you can.
Your provider will listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope. He or she may order additional tests, which could include:
- Chest imaging scans
Visit your health care provider when a normal activity causes unexpected shortness of breath. Get your breathing difficulty checked if it:
- Comes on suddenly
- Interferes with your daily activities
Its important that you contact your health care provider if your shortness of breath doesnt get better with treatment or is combined with other symptoms, such as chest pain. In such a case, you may need to seek emergency care.
Read Also: Why Do Radiation Treatments Cause Fatigue
Sleep Disorders And Fatigue
Symptoms: Chronic fatigue, feeling exhausted upon awakening, snoring
Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that disrupt or prevent restful, restorative sleep. That can take a toll on your health and quality of life, so its important to look out for signs and symptoms.
Continued
Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders. If you or your partner notices loud snoring and you wake up tired and stay that way, you could have sleep apnea. More than one-third of adults in the U.S. snore at least a few nights a week. But if the snoring stops your breathing for seconds at a time, it could be sleep apnea. Learn more about the best sleep positions and see if sleeping on your stomach is bad or not.
Obstructive sleep apnea causes low blood oxygen levels. Thats because blockages prevent air from getting to the lungs. The low oxygen levels also affect how well your heart and brain work. Sometimes, the only clue that you might have sleep apnea is chronic fatigue.
Your doctor may prescribe a medical device called CPAP that helps keep your airways open while you sleep. In severe cases of sleep apnea, surgery may help. The surgeon will remove tissues that are blocking the airways. If left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of a stroke or heart attack.
But sleep apnea is just one of many sleep disorders that cause fatigue. Other common types include:
Continued
What Do Heart Palpitations Feel Like
Heart palpitations can occur once in a while or regularly. Some people even experience heart palpitations all day. They may vary in strength too. Some people have mild flutters and others have them so strong that they feel like a heart attack. The sensation can be different from person to person too. Some people experience a pounding heart rate, others feel as if their heart is flipping, fluttering, skipping a beat. Sometimes they can be a pounding in the chest or neck and other times they may just manifest as a general feeling of unease.
This variability shows just how worrying this symptom can be. Fortunately, most palpitations are caused by a harmless, momentary interruption in the hearts rhythm. But others can be a signal for more serious problems in the heart or elsewhere.
You May Like: Vitamin D Deficiency And Fatigue
How Do I Know Whats Causing My Shortness Of Breath
To try to figure out whats causing your dyspnea, your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope and taking your blood pressure. Theyll put a sensor on your finger to see how much oxygen you have in your blood.
They may also do additional testing, including:
- Chest X-ray, CT scans or other special imaging tests. Your provider can use pictures of the inside of your chest to know if theres an issue with your lungs.
- Blood tests. Your provider can use blood tests to look for anemia or illnesses.
- Lung function tests. Tests that indicate how well youre breathing.
- Cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Your provider will have you use a treadmill or stationary bike for this test. The tests can tell your provider the amount of oxygen you take in and carbon dioxide you let out during exercise.
When Is Being Too Tired A Problem
Lets face it: We arentwhat we used to be as we get on up there. Aging has many wonderful aspects, butone of the many problems is that we do not have the stamina and energy we didwhen younger. That is a normal part of aging and just something that comes withthe territory. However, being excessively tired or listless can be termedfatigue.
You May Like: Fatigue Due To Heart Problem
Physiology Of Shortness Of Breath
Normally, theres a balance between the demand to breathe and ability to breathe. When theres a balance, you have no awareness of breathing. Your body handles it for you. You feel shortness of breath when theres an imbalance between the brains demand to breathe and the bodys ability to breathe.
In a healthy person, shortness of breath can be caused by:
- Very strenuous exercise
Major Respiratory Diseases That Cause Shortness of Breath
Major Non-Respiratory Diseases That Cause Shortness of Breath
Who Treats Dyspnea/shortness Of Breath
Dyspnea patients benefit from the Dyspnea Centers clinical team and the wide range of specialists at The Lung Center and Heart & Vascular Center, including pulmonary and critical care medicine, thoracic surgery, cardiovascular medicine, neurology and thoracic and cardiovascular imaging. This collaboration ensures world-class, comprehensive care for dyspnea as well as its underlying causes.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Treatment For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
How To Treat Shortness Of Breath
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for shortness of breath. Shortness of breath can range from mild to severe.
In mild cases, your shortness of breath may go away simply by changing your position or doing breathing exercises.
In moderate cases, your shortness of breath may go away after taking medications that open the airway or reduce inflammation .
No matter the case, never take shortness of breath lightly, and contact your healthcare provider immediately if you are struggling to breathe.
Medical management is specific to the cause of your shortness of breath. For example, if a medication you are taking is the cause of your shortness of breath your healthcare provider may suggest that you cut back or discontinue the use of the offending agent. They will likely take a thorough history checking for any potential drug interactions, allergic reactions, or even misunderstandings on how to take your medications.
If the cause of your shortness of breath is pleural effusion , draining the effusion may result in the resolution of your symptoms. Resolving the underlying issue is always the most effective way to treat shortness of breath.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Associated With Fatigue
Fatigue is a symptom that usually has some underlying cause. Fatigue may be described by people in different ways, and may include some combination include weakness, lack of energy, constantly tired or exhausted, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and/or difficulty starting and completing tasks.
Other symptoms such as fainting or loss of consciousness , near-syncope, rapid heartbeat , dizziness or vertigo may also be described as part of the fatigue experienced by the affected individual. The presence of these symptoms may actually help lead a health care practitioner to discover the underlying cause of the fatigue.
The potential causes of fatigue are numerous. The majority of diseases known to man often list fatigue or malaise as possible associated symptoms. This is complicated by the fact that fatigue can occur in normal healthy individuals as a normal response to physical and mental exertion. However, normal fatigue may begin to become abnormal if it becomes chronic, extreme or prolonged fatigue usually this occurs when a person experiences chronic or prolonged physical or mental exertion. For example, unusually hard physical or mental exertion for one day can result in normal fatigue that may last about a day or sometimes more, depending on the exertion level, while daily unusually hard physical or mental exertion may result in prolonged fatigue . This latter situation may develop into abnormal fatigue.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
You May Like: Kitchen Rug Anti Fatigue Floor Mat
The Quality Of The Sensation And What It Might Mean
Many things contribute to a sensation of shortness of breath, and the symptom breaks down into three messily overlapping qualities, which are interesting but dont tell us much about whats going on, just a couple rough clues:
- Effort: a sensation of excessive work or effort to breathe, like breathing is just a slog. It is loosely associated with impairment of the muscular function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .
- Tightness: feeling tight may involve actual contstriction of airways as would occur in the early stages of an asthma attack . However, tightness can also be caused by actual spasticity of respiratory muscles, which could be ordinary muscle pain or more serious, like the infamous squeezing hug of multiple sclerosis.
- Air hunger: the most complex sensation, unsatisfied inspiration is described by patients in many ways, like starved for air or my breaths feel too small. Of the treatable causes, it is most clearly associated with anxiety. Although it sure doesnt feel like it, it can occur without any actual loss of respiratory capacity.
You May Like: New Treatments For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Causes Of Shortness Of Breath
Heart and lung conditions cause most cases of shortness of breath. You may feel shortness of breath for many reasons. Factors can include your overall health, medical history, and genetics. Talk to a health care provider to find out more about why you feel shortness of breath.
Acute Shortness of Breath
Acute shortness of breath can come on suddenly and last for a short period of time. Causes include:
Lung conditions:
- Increased fluid around the heart
Psychological conditions:
Chronic Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath can also be chronic, meaning it lasts for several weeks or longer. Causes include:
Recommended Reading: Fatigue Symptom Of Breast Cancer
Also Check: How To Prevent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
What Are Breathing Problems
Breathing problems are when you feel you cant get enough air, your chest feels very tight, you are breathless or you feel like youre being suffocated.
You might feel short of breath if you are obese or if you have just done some strenuous exercise. It can also happen in extreme temperatures or if you are at high altitude.
If you have breathing problems for any other reason, it is probably the sign of a medical problem.
Food Allergies Food Intolerance And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, sleepiness, continued exhaustion
Although food is supposed to give you energy, medical research suggests that hidden food intolerances or allergies can do the opposite. In fact, fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance or food allergy. Celiac disease, which happens when you cant digest gluten, may also cause fatigue.
Ask your doctor about the elimination diet. This is a diet in which you cut out certain foods linked to a variety of symptoms, including sleepiness within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them, for a certain period of time to see if that makes a difference. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test or invest in a home test such as ALCAT which may help you identify the offending foods.
Dont Miss: Labs To Check For Fatigue
You May Like: Stomach Pain Loss Of Appetite Nausea Fatigue Weight Loss
What Causes Fatigue
Many conditions, disorders, medications and lifestyle factors can cause fatigue. Fatigue can be temporary, or it can be a chronic condition . You may be able to relieve your symptoms by changing your diet, medications, exercise or sleep habits. If an underlying medical condition causes fatigue, doctors can usually treat the condition or help you manage it.
Causes of fatigue include:
- Lifestyle habits: Poor diet, excessive alcohol, drug use, too much stress and a sedentary lifestyle can all contribute to fatigue. Jet lag commonly causes temporary fatigue .
- Medical conditions: Fatigue is a symptom of a wide range of diseases, disorders and deficiencies affecting various parts of the body.
- Sleep disorders: Insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy can cause extreme exhaustion and long-term fatigue.
- Medications and treatments: Several prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including antihistamines and blood pressure medications, can cause fatigue. Fatigue is a common side effect of bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy and treatments for a range of conditions.
Dont Miss: How Do You Know If You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Why Should You Care
Even survivors with mild initial symptoms can have persistent symptoms that last for a month or more after infection with COVID-19.
Top 5 Symptoms of Long COVID
If you are experiencing lingering symptoms after being infected with COVID, or you feel worse or develop any new symptoms, you should contact your healthcare provider. The American Lung Association has also launched a Long COVID online community to offer additional support.
Read Also: How To Relieve Chronic Fatigue
Can I Experience Heart Palpitations During Panic Attacks
The startle effect releases substances in the body such as adrenaline which cause the heart rate to increase and the heart to beat more vigorously, creating a sensation of panic, heart pounding and heart racing. This is the experience of becoming aware of a natural or normal functioning of the nervous system. Anxiety, panic, and startling cause the adrenaline level to rise and create the sensation of palpitation.
Also Check: Shabby Chic Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mat
When To Phone A Doctor
You should phone your GP immediately if you have sudden unexpected shortness of breath, as there may be a problem with your airways or heart.
Your GP will assess you over the phone, and may either visit you at home or admit you to hospital. If your shortness of breath is mild or the result of anxiety, you may be asked to come to the surgery rather than a home visit.
If youve struggled with your breathing for a while, dont ignore it. See your GP as its likely you have a long-term condition, such as obesity, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , which needs to be managed properly.
Your doctor may ask you some questions, such as:
- Did the breathlessness come on suddenly or gradually?
- Did anything trigger it, such as exercise?
- How bad is it? Does it only happen when youve been active, or when youre not doing anything?
- Is there any pain when you breathe?
- Do you have a cough?
- Do certain positions make it worse for example, are you unable to lie down?
Feeling like you cant get enough air can be terrifying, but doctors are well trained in managing this. You may be given extra oxygen to breathe if this is needed.
Also Check: Extreme Fatigue And Chest Pain
When Should I See A Healthcare Provider
Contact a healthcare provider if you have severe shortness of breath or if your breathlessness interferes with your everyday activities. Sometimes, shortness of breath is a sign of a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
If you have a condition that makes you short of breath often, ask a healthcare provider if there are additional treatments to help you breathe better.
Lets Win This Together
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. Support the innovative research, education and prevention services that protect the women we love.
Weve all seen the movie scenes where a man gasps, clutches his chest and falls to the ground. In reality, a heart attack victim could easily be a woman, and the scene may not be that dramatic.
Although men and women can experience chest pressure that feels like an elephant sitting across the chest, women can experience a heart attack without chest pressure, said Nieca Goldberg, M.D., medical director for the Joan H. Tisch Center for Womens Health at NYUs Langone Medical Center and an American Heart Association volunteer. Instead they may experience shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, upper back pressure or extreme fatigue.
Even when the signs are subtle, the consequences can be deadly, especially if the victim doesnt get help right away.
Also Check: Anti Fatigue Steel Toe Shoes
Also Check: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Disability Living Allowance
The Dangers Of Fatigue
Fatigue refers to general tiredness and lack of energy. However, it is important to note that fatigue is more than just feeling tired. “Fatigue is a daily lack of energy, lethargy, brain fog, weakness, heaviness, tiredness, that is not relieved with sleep, says American Lung Association Volunteer Medical Spokesperson Jamie Garfield, M.D. Fatigue can be long lasting and severe. Whereas tiredness is common, and everyone experiences it at some point, it is predictable, and it is relieved with sleep.
Chronic lung disease, such as COPD, can cause extreme fatigue because your body is working so much harder to accomplish basic bodily functions like breathing compared to those without lung disease. COPD-related fatigue, for example, can be caused by factors such as oxygen deprivation, overall reduced strength and endurance and complications or comorbidities such as heart failure or depression.
Fatigue is the second most common symptom patients with COPD report however, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. This is unfortunate because over time, chronic fatigue can impact physical and mental well-being. Feeling fatigue can interfere with your ability to perform daily tasks such as cooking or dressing and enjoy the fun activities in your life.
