Reason : Your Heart Needs Exercise
Your instinct may be to baby a heart damaged by heart failure, but the opposite is true.
Aerobic exercise strengthens all muscles in the body, including the heart, says Cardiac Rehabilitation Director Erik Van Iterson, PhD, MS.
A heart that pumps more strongly increases the delivery of oxygenated blood throughout the body, which your body needs to generate energy and battle fatigue. You can actually make yourself worse by doing nothing.
A cardiac rehabilitation program and guided exercise training therapy can put you on the right track, both physically and mentally. All heart failure patients need cardiac rehab, he says.
If you were not raised in a culture that promoted exercise, you may find the concept intimidating. Dr. Van Iterson emphasizes that any exercise you do will be beneficial.
Exercise means different things to different people. There is no one-size-fits-all model to follow, he says.
Attending a cardiac rehab program enables you to be assessed for the type of exercise that will be safe based on your age, experience, overall condition and the condition of your heart. You may never have thought that walking around your neighborhood would be beneficial, but if you are for example in your mid-70s, have heart failure and have never exercised before, it will be, says Dr. Van Iterson.
Be patient and stay motivated. You wont feel better overnight. It may take weeks or months of consistent exercise to feel the difference, says Dr. Van Iterson.
Possible Causes Of Inflammation
Much of the ME/CFS research community takes inflammation as a given. In the alternative name myalgic encephalitis , which has been adopted by some researchers, encephalitis means inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
Some researchers point to possible inflammatory triggers that dont involve autoimmunity.
A 2012 study published in Psychiatry Research attempted to separate chronic fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myalgic encephalitis into different categories. Researchers found that ME patients had higher levels of two specialized immune proteins called cytokines, which promote inflammation. Theyre called interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. They also found elevated levels of neopterin, which is an indicator of pro-inflammatory immune activity.
More recently, studies have shown that inflammatory markers can accurately distinguish ME/CFS from depression or sickness behaviors.
A study published in Metabolic Brain Disease is just one of a growing body considering oxidative and nitrosative stress coupled with low antioxidant levels as a possible mechanism of ME/CFS, suggesting that these factors could point to an immuno-inflammatory pathology.
Other researchers have suggested that certain pathogens may, in predisposed people, trigger a chronic immune activation, which would create chronic inflammation and a cascade of problems. One of the main suspects in this scenario is the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis .
Heart Failuresigns And Symptoms
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart fails to function properly. The terms âheart failureâ and âcongestive heart failure â donât mean that the heart has actually âfailedâ or stopped but mean one or more chambers of the heart âfailâ to keep up with the volume of blood flowing through them.
Heart failure is brought on by a variety of underlying diseases and health problems.
Your condition may involve the left side, the right side or both sides of the heart. Each side has two chambers:
- An atrium or upper chamber
- A ventricle or lower chamber
Any one of these four chambers may not be able to keep up with the volume of blood flowing through it.
Two types of heart dysfunction can lead to heart failure, including:
- Systolic Heart Failure This is the most common cause of heart failure and occurs when the heart is weak and enlarged. The muscle of the left ventricle loses some of its ability to contract or shorten. In turn, it may not have the muscle power to pump the amount of oxygenated and nutrient-filled blood the body needs.
- Diastolic Failure The muscle becomes stiff and loses some of its ability to relax. As a result, the affected chamber has trouble filling with blood during the rest period that occurs between each heartbeat. Often the walls of the heart thicken, and the size of the left chamber may be normal or reduced.
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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.
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Blood Tests For Fatigue If Youre Always Tired
Feeling fatigued might make you want to consider having certain blood tests run by your doctor. If you are tired, you may have a health issue.I became very tired a few years ago, and I couldnt explain why. My doctor asked me to have my thyroid tested since thyroid problems run in my family. My thyroid condition was progressively worsening every day, indicating severe hypothyroidism. The blood tests I requested for fatigue were such a relief. The situation would have worsened without me knowing the cause. Slowly, I began feeling better after receiving the right treatment.
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High Blood Pressure And Fatigue
High blood pressure can make your heart work harder and increase your risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. either have high blood pressure or take medications to treat it. Your risk for high blood pressure increases with age.
High blood pressure is another condition that may make you feel extremely tired. Though high blood pressure is often called a silent killer, because it often doesnt cause any symptoms, some people do feel extreme fatigue. Some signs you might have high blood pressure include fatigue, lightheadedness, feeling weak, and shortness of breath.
Also, you can also feel extremely tired due to heart conditions that may be caused by high blood pressure. For example, high blood pressure can lead to coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, heart failure, and enlarged heart, all of which may cause fatigue.
When you come in for a health assessment from our womens health care providers, we screen for many different conditions to help find underlying causes of your symptoms. We check your blood pressure and can help you find treatment solutions to reduce your blood pressure and the serious risks associated with it.
How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated
There’s no known cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, but the symptoms can be treated. Experts suggest focusing on the most disruptive symptoms first, and working with a doctor to manage them:
- Post-exertional malaise. For someone whose symptoms get worse after even mild activity, experts suggest pacing their activities. This means planning for a balance of activity and rest based on what the person feels are their limits. This can be different from one person to the next. Someone with CFS should not be pushed to do more than they feel they can tolerate, as this can lead to a crash, or worsening of symptoms.
- Dizziness. People who get dizzy or feel weak or lightheaded when they sit up or stand might need to drink more fluids, use more salt in their foods, or wear support stockings.
- Sleep problems. Getting good sleep can help someone overcome CFS-related sleep problems.
- Problems with concentration and memory. Finding ways to keep track of important things can help with concentration or memory problems.
- Headaches and stomachaches. Gentle massage and heat may help some people with pain from CFS.
Doctors may also suggest over-the-counter or prescription medicines for some of these symptoms.
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What Are The Symptoms Of A Cardiac Cough
Verywell / Laura Porter
The symptoms of a cardiac cough will vary depending on the specific cause. Symptoms may include:
- A wet cough that produces sputum, or mucus, that may be slightly pink due to blood
- Heavy wheezing, or a whistling sound that happens while breathing, accompanied by coughing
- Shortness of breath while engaging in activities or lying down
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, a condition where you are awakened during sleep due to coughing and shortness of breath
- A bubbling feeling in the chest due to fluid buildup in lungs
- A long-term dry cough that doesnât get better when treated
Keep in mind, if you are showing signs of a cardiac cough, you may also have other symptoms of heart failure such as fatigue and swelling.
Fatigue Is Always A Sign Of A Serious Medical Condition
At some point, nearly everyone suffers from fatigue. In most cases, it’s acute fatigue — fatigue that occurs suddenly but lasts less than three months and is usually caused by lifestyle or environmental factors such as physical exertion, stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, or inadequate diet. In most cases, it’s easily treated by addressing the cause: by reducing stress getting more rest, sleep, or better nutrition or hydrating properly.
Chronic fatigue lasts longer — for more than a few months — and it’s more likely to be associated with an underlying medical condition.
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What Stage Of Liver Disease Is Itching
Just about as common as fatigue in PBC, itching of the skin affects a majority of individuals at some time during the disease. The itching tends to occur early in the course of the disease, when individuals still have good liver function. As a matter of fact, itching can even be the initial symptom of PBC.
Exercise Can Worsen The Symptoms Of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Stndrome
While exercise can be helpful for more common forms of fatigue, the relationship of exercise to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is much more complex. Exercise can, in fact, temporarily worsen the symptoms of CFS a phenomenon sometimes referred to as post-exertional malaise or payback. This can strike ME/CFS patients about 12 to 48 hours after exercise and make their symptoms worse for days or even weeks.
Even so, ME/CFS patients are not discouraged from exercising. A carefully structured and balanced program of exercise can, over time, help build stamina. Not exercising can cause deconditioning, which can make symptoms worse.
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Traditional Understanding Of Heart Failure
Historically, heart failure was thought to be a disorder of its pumping function and the ejection fraction therefore, these became an important component and determinant of the condition. The increasing prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and the current lack of disease-modifying therapy for this group of patients raise the question again of whether we truly understand the mechanisms that drive the entire spectrum of the heart failure syndrome. How can all the different described types of heart failure be linked up to create a spectrum and a story that is easily understandable? Can we link the relationship of the core mechanism of heart failure with EF and then with the types of HF such as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction , HFPEF or even with the old classification of high-output, low-output, forward and backward failure, right and left heart failure? Unless we progress further in answering these questions, discovering treatment for the entire heart failure population will be difficult.
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Illnesses That Can Cause Extreme Fatigue
Many people do not understand how someone can be feeling tired all the time. However, the reality is that many people have trouble dealing with chronic fatigue. They always feel tired, have trouble staying awake, have trouble concentrating, and ultimately fatigue seems to take over all facets of their lives. While normally we all feel fatigued when suffering from some bacterial or viral infection or any other medical condition, there are many reasons why you might be feeling fatigued all the time. A constant lack of energy and continuing fatigue could be an indication of an underlying medical condition. There are many illnesses that can make you feel fatigued. So what illnesses can cause extreme fatigue and how do you deal with chronic fatigue? Lets take a look.
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What Is The Treatment For Tiredness
There is no specific treatment for tiredness. The days of doctors prescribing a “tonic” are over, as there is nothing which really works. The secret is to try to narrow down the cause and then do something about that.
If the cause is a medical condition then often treatment of the condition will resolve the tiredness. For example, if you have anaemia then iron supplements can treat this and the tiredness resolves as your blood count improves. It is thought that even supplementing low-range-of-normal iron levels helps with tiredness. If you are found to have an underactive thyroid gland then a pill which replaces the thyroid hormone you are missing is usually very effective and you will find you have more energy.
If you are found to have chronic fatigue syndrome, you may be referred to a specialist in this illness for help through psychological therapy, graded exercise therapy, or medication.
If you have anxiety or depression, this can be helped by talking therapy , cognitive behavioural therapy , medication or various other possible treatments.
It may seem bizarre, but physical exercise can actually be remarkably effective for treating tiredness. Any moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming or cycling, can help you feel less tired. Regular exercise is also an excellent way to stay healthy.
What Causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Scientists have been researching chronic fatigue syndrome for many years, but they still dont know for sure what causes it.
Many doctors believe that the way some conditions interact within the body and mind might leave some people at risk for CFS. For example, if someone has a and is under a lot of stress, the combination of these two things might make them more likely to develop CFS.
These things are believed to interact with each other in this way, putting some people at risk for CFS:
- infections. Experts have wondered if infections like measles or Epstein-Barr virus might increase the risk for CFS. The role Epstein-Barr plays in CFS is not clear because studies have not confirmed it as a cause.
- problems with the immune system or the nervous system
- hormone imbalances
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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 that’s the case, or your fatigue gets worse or lasts longer than a week or two, it’s time to see your doctor. Your fatigue might be related to an underlying illness or infection, especially if it’s 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, don’t 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 night’s sleep.
by Howard LeWine, M.D.
Which Of The Following Can Cause Acute Fatigue
Hypothyroidism tends to make people feel tired, sluggish, and depressed.
It is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. Inflammation of the thyroid gland is the most common cause. Other symptoms may include hair loss, depression, heavier menstrual periods, weakness, unintentional weight gain and being more sensitive to cold.
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Fatigue Due To Insufficient Or Poor Quality Sleep
Not surprisingly, if you are not getting a sufficient number of hours of sleep, you will feel tired. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that adults sleep 7-8 hours each night, yet one in three of us are not getting that. You may be able to function on more or less than the recommended number of hours, but its important to get in the habit of achieving them every night.
You may also feel extreme tiredness if your sleep is of poor quality. Signs that your sleep quality needs to improve are:
- You take more than half an hour to fall asleep after getting into bed
- You tend to wake up more than once per night
- Once awake in the middle of the night, it takes you more than 20 minutes to get back to sleep
- You are asleep less than 85% of your time in bed
Generally, poor sleep is due to bad sleeping habits which can be improved. There are also medical causes of poor sleep quality, such as sleep apnea.
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Is It Clinically Significant
Perceptions of fatigue and fatigability are normal physiologic reactions to prolonged or intensive activity. In healthy adults, perceptions of fatigue and fatigability are predictable and transient phenomena typically brought about by prolonged exertion that diminish with rest and do not interfere with usual daily activities. In some disorders, particularly neurologic illnesses, perceptions of fatigue or fatigability may be chronic, vary in their response to exertion or rest, decrease quality of life, and cause disability,51 and patients often report a qualitative difference in their experience of fatigue after acquiring a neurologic illness.52 In clinical research, the term fatigue often implies a clinical syndrome of chronic or disabling fatigue, as when speaking about fatigue prevalence. Because perceptions of fatigue and fatigability also occur in healthy people, it is important to clearly define how clinical significance was determined.
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