The main vitamin deficiencies that cause anemia along with chronic fatigue are vitamin B12, iron and folic acid deficiency. In case of underactive thyroid gland, besides weight gain, swelling in the body, constipation, sleeping too much, the most common complaint is fatigue.
What are Lifestyle-Related Causes of Continuous (Chronic) Fatigue?
Fatigue can be described as a general feeling of weakness, avoidance of activity, and deterioration in performance. It has both physical and psychological causes. Fatigue is not considered a disease by itself, but it can be a precursor and symptom of many diseases. It is a very common complaint in society. When most people feel tired, it can be improved with rest and sleep. The fatigue we will talk about here is the state of not feeling well despite sleep and rest.
Fatigue can be caused by factors that become routine in your daily life but go unnoticed. These factors are:
- Alcohol and drug use,
- Excessive physical activity,
- Excessive inactivity,
- Sleep failure and irregular sleep,
- Drugs such as antihistamines and cough syrups,
- Unhealthy diet,
- Jet-lag (seen after travel between countries with time difference),
- Being overweight
- Emotional stressful periods
- Consuming too much caffeine
- Boredom.
Chronic Fatigue Can Be a Herald of Which Diseases?
- Acute liver failure: It is the sudden deterioration of the liver in a previously healthy person. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin and eyeballs (jaundice), pain in your upper right abdomen, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, confusion, sleepiness.
- Anemia (anemia): The symptoms seen in this situation where red blood cells decrease; fatigue, weakness, pale or yellowish skin, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, cold hands and feet, headache.
- Anxiety disorders: Occasionally Experiencing anxiety is part of normal life. However, people with anxiety disorders often have intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Anxiety disorders� Other symptoms seen in the disease are nervousness, restlessness, tension, feeling of panic, feeling in danger, rapid breathing, palpitations, sweating, tremors, fatigue, concentration problems, sleep problems, stomach ailments, and a desire to avoid anxiety-provoking things.
- Cancer: Cancer patients may feel very tired both initially and during treatment.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex illness characterized by extreme fatigue that cannot be explained by any underlying medical condition. Fatigue may worsen with physical or mental activity but does not improve with rest. The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown, although there are many theories, from viral infections to psychological stress. Signs and symptoms may include fatigue, loss of memory or concentration, sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or armpits, unexplained muscle or joint pain, headache, and extreme exhaustion lasting more than 24 hours after physical or mental exercise.
- Chronic infections: The immune system works continuously during the fight against these infections. Chronic fatigue may be the prominent symptom in chronic diseases accompanied by malnutrition (eg, tuberculosis). defines. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue and weakness, sleep problems, change in urine output, mental weakness, muscle cramps, swelling in the feet, itching, chest pain, shortness of breath, uncontrolled high blood pressure.
- Previous concussion: Other symptoms other than fatigue include headache, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, blurred vision.
- Depression: Depression is a mood disorder that causes constant sadness and loss of interest. It is also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression. This affects feeling, thinking and behavior; It can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems. There may be problems doing normal daily activities and sometimes life may be perceived as not worth living.
- Diabetes: Diabetes Fatigue is also a common symptom in people with diabetes. Signs of high blood sugar include sleepiness and fatigue, accompanied by excessive drinking and urination. It is a characteristic disease. Symptoms sometimes begin after physical trauma, surgery, infection, or significant psychological stress.
- Heart diseases: Fatigue is a side symptom that can be seen in many heart diseases.
- Hyperthyroidism: It is the overactivity of the thyroid gland and overproduction of hormones. This hormone accelerates metabolism and fatigue occurs as a result of excessive activity.
- Inflammatory bowel diseases: In Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are the main diseases in this group, digestive system findings are accompanied by fatigue.
- Multiple sclerosis (MS): It is a progressive central nervous system disease that causes loss of myelin plaque in the brain and spinal cord. The main symptoms are sudden onset of numbness in the legs or one side of the trunk, weakness, sudden electric shock sensations in certain neck movements, tremors, and impaired gait. It is necessary to pay attention to chronic fatigue and forgetfulness in MS patients.
- Sleep apnea: These patients may feel tired because they do not have enough restful sleep.
When Should a Physician Be Seen in Chronic Fatigue?
Physician evaluation should be performed in the following cases:
- In the absence of any reason to explain the fatigue
- If there is accompanying fever
- Unexplained weight loss ,
- Depressive feelings,
- High blood pressure, palpitations, shortness of breath,
- Drinking a lot of water, eating a lot,
- In the body Unexplained pains,
- Mental deterioration, confusion,
- Chronic constipation or diarrhea accompanied by fatigue,
- Blood from the rectum,
- Bloody urine,
- Severe headache,
- Feeling faint, dizziness,
- Thoughts of harming oneself or others,
- Recognized in the body mass and lumps,
- Unexplained weight gain.
What Can Be Done for Chronic Fatigue?
Some precautions to take are the fatigue felt in daily life. can reduce. These are:
What is Adrenal Fatigue and How to Treat it
Adrenals are the adrenal glands. They are very important for the body. Its main tasks are to ensure the burning of fats and proteins, to regulate sugar, to regulate blood pressure, to react to stress. Adrenal fatigue is the name given to the picture in which high stress levels cause mild adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms associated with adrenal insufficiency are fatigue, weakness, dizziness, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, low blood pressure, and body hair loss.
Adrenal fatigue symptoms are fatigue, difficulty in sleeping, difficulty in waking up, craving for sugary foods, cravings for salty foods, unexplained weight loss, loss of motivation and unconsciousness. If these symptoms are present, a doctor should be consulted. Appropriate treatment is initiated after tests to determine the underlying cause(s). Those diagnosed with adrenal fatigue should increase their consumption of protein foods and grains; It is recommended to consume plenty of vegetables and fruits. Sugar consumption should be reduced, processed foods, excessive caffeine and fried foods should be avoided. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises to reduce stress are helpful. Restricting the use of electronic devices and using vitamins according to physician advice are helpful measures and treatments.
Is Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Fatigue?
Some studies have shown that 4-week acupuncture treatment is effective in reducing complaints in chronic fatigue syndrome.
Acupuncture can improve complaints by reducing both mental and physical fatigue and depression. It is also claimed that some types of massage, including Chinese massage, may be beneficial for patients with chronic fatigue. Studies have shown that acupuncture treatment improves quality of life and mental health. It has been shown that it reduces or eliminates heat, can be beneficial in patients suffering from anorexia and insomnia, and can increase the general energy status of the person.
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