Definition, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Fatigue is often described as a lack of energy and motivation—both physical and emotional. It is different than sleepiness or drowsiness, which describe the need for sleep. Fatigue is also a response to physical and mental activities. Normally, fatigue can be resolved with rest or reducing activity. Fatigue is a common complaint related to health issues. Notably, it is a symptom and not a specific disease or health condition. Many illnesses cause fatigue, and the symptoms can be physical, psychological, or a combination of both.

Verywell / Lara Antal

Symptoms

According to a 2019 report in the journal Biological Research for Nursing, fatigue can be defined as an “overwhelming, debilitating, and sustained” exhaustion that makes it harder to carry out activities and function. Family practice physicians report that at least 20% of their patients report fatigue and up to 35% of adolescents report fatigue that occurs at least four days a week. 

Men and women will describe fatigue differently. For example, men may say they are feeling tired, whereas women may report their fatigue as a feeling of anxiety or depression. People may also describe fatigue using a variety of terms, including feeling exhausted, weary, listless, or rundown.

People with fatigue experience one or more of three primary complaints. These vary person-to-person. They are:

• Lack of motivation or the ability to start activities
• Getting tired easily
• Experiencing mental fatigue or problems with concentration or memory

Often, fatigue is a symptom with a gradual onset, meaning it comes on slowly and gets worse with time. Most people who experience fatigue may not be aware early on how much energy they are losing. They can only determine this when they try to compare their ability to perform tasks from one time frame to another.

Further, they may think fatigue is a common symptom—due to aging, being busy or overworked, not getting enough sleep, or a combination of all of these—and ignore the symptom.  

Don’t ignore fatigue or delay seeking out medical care to determine the source of your fatigue. Your doctor can help you pinpoint the cause and improve your quality of life.

Common Symptoms

Even though fatigue is a symptom of some underlying condition, it can still cause a combination of mental and physical symptoms, including:

• Weakness
• Lack of energy
• Constant tiredness or exhaustion
• Lack of motivation
• Difficulty with concentration
• Difficulty starting and completing tasks

Additional Symptoms

Fatigue is generally not a lone symptom. With it usually come other symptoms that can help your doctor to determine the cause or causes of your fatigue.

Additional symptoms that may accompany fatigue include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Sore, achy muscles
• Muscle weakness
• Slowed reflexes and response
• Impaired judgment and decision-making
• Moodiness, including irritability
• Appetite loss
• Impaired hand-to-eye coordination (the ability to do activities that require the use of both the hands, such as writing or driving)
• Reduced immune system function
• Attention difficulties and poor concentration
• Memory problems
• Blurry vision

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Fatigue is considered chronic when the feelings of exhaustion or lack of energy have lasted six or more months. Regardless of the cause, chronic fatigue will impact a person’s day-to-day functioning and quality of life.

A diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is made if a person has experienced chronic and ongoing fatigue for six months or more with no known cause, that is not improved with sleep or rest and that gets worse with physical or mental activity.

Symptoms of CFS can affect different parts of the body and may include unrefreshing sleep, weakness of muscles or joints, problems with memory and concentration, and headaches. Symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe, and may come and go or last for weeks or months at a time. They can come on gradually or suddenly.

Causes

There are numerous potential causes of fatigue. For the majority of medical illness, fatigue is a possible symptom.

Normal fatigue—that is, fatigue that occurs from mental or physical exertion—is not unusual. However, normal fatigue can become abnormal if it becomes chronic (long-lasting) or severe.

Causes of chronic and severe fatigue can be anything from medical to lifestyle-related to stress (both work stress and emotional concerns).

Medical

Medical causes of fatigue may cause unrelenting exhaustion with additional symptoms. There are a number of diseases that trigger fatigue. If you find yourself experiencing long periods of fatigue, talk to your doctor to determine the root cause.

The medical causes of fatigue can be classified under broad disease categories. Some of these disease categories are:

• Metabolic / endocrine: Conditions such as, anemia, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, or liver or kidney disease
• Infections: Influenza, tuberculosis, or malaria
• Cardiac (heart) and pulmonary (lungs): Congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), arrhythmias, and asthma
• Mental health: Depression and anxiety
• Sleep problems: Sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome
• Vitamin deficiencies: Vitamin D deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, or iron deficiency
• Other conditions: Cancers and rheumatic/autoimmune diseases
• Medications you are taking to treat other health conditions may also cause fatigue.  This can include anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications, sedative medication, some blood pressure medications, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and steroids.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle causes tend to be related to sleep disturbances, diet, lack of regular exercise, the use of alcohol or drugs, or other factors.

Sleep disturbances: If you are not getting enough sleep, too much sleep, or waking up during the night, you may experience daytime fatigue.

Diet: If you are eating a lot of high-carb, high-fat, or quick-fix foods, sugary foods and drinks, or caffeinated drinks, you are not providing your body enough fuel or nutrients to function at its best. Moreover, these foods may cause you to experience energy boosts that quickly wear off, leading to a “crash” and worsening fatigue.

Alcohol and drugs: Alcohol is a depressant that will slow down the nervous system and disturb sleep. Cigarettes and caffeine will stimulate the nervous system and cause you trouble with falling asleep and staying asleep.

Lack of regular activity: Physical activity is known for improving your health and well-being, reducing stress, and improving your energy levels. It will also help you sleep better and reduce daytime fatigue.

Individual factors: Personal or family illness or injury, having too many commitments, and financial problems can cause a person to feel fatigued.

Stress

Stress causes can be related to a stressful work environment, toxic relationships, or mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety.

Workplace-related fatigue: People who work night shifts may experience daytime fatigue. This is because the human body is designed to sleep at night, and a person who works the night shift confuses the body’s circadian clock. Poor workplace practices, such as irregular working hours, physical labor, long hours, noisy workplaces, fixed concentration, and repetitive tasks also contribute to fatigue. Burnout and other workplace stressors, such as a heavy workload, conflict with bosses or coworkers, workplace bullying, or threats to job security can all be contributors to fatigue.

Mental health: Depression, anxiety, and grief can all lead to fatigue. These conditions exhaust the body physically and emotionally and cause severe fatigue to set in.

Diagnosis

Fatigue presents with a range of symptoms and is often caused by a number of different factors working in combination. That makes finding a diagnosis more difficult. Therefore, your doctor will try to determine what is causing fatigue using a number of tests, including the following.

Medical history: Your doctor will ask about recent stressful (good and bad) events in your life, such as the birth of a child, surgery, work stress and family problems, or other symptoms you have experienced in addition to fatigue.

Physical exam: A physical exam will help your doctor check for signs of disease.  Your doctor may also ask about your current diet and lifestyle.

Testing: Tests can include blood work, urine screens, X-rays, and other imaging. Your doctor will want to rule out physical causes.

When to See a Doctor

You should see your doctor if your fatigue:

• Has come on suddenly and is not the result of normal short-term physical or mental stress   
• Is not relieved with rest, sleep, or removal of stressors
• Has become severe or chronic
• Is accompanied by other unexplained symptoms
• Associated with weakness, fainting, or near fainting
• Is accompanied with unexplained weight loss, masses or lumps anywhere on the body, fever (greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit), abnormal vaginal bleeding, and/or unexplained pain anywhere in the body

Signs of a Medical Emergency

Go to your local hospital emergency department if you experience the following symptoms, with or without fatigue:

• Fainting
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Bleeding (e. g., vomiting blood or rectal bleeding)
• Severe abdominal, pelvic, or back pain
• Severe headache
• Irregular or fast heart rate

Treatment

Treatment for fatigue depends on the causes. Some treatments for conditions that cause fatigue include medications, vitamins, diet, exercise, and avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking, using drugs, or drinking alcohol in excess.

Fortunately, many of the causes of fatigue are treatable. For example, anemia can be treated with iron supplements, sleep apnea can be treated with medicine and CPAP machines, medications can maintain blood sugar and blood pressure, antibiotics can treat infections, and vitamins can regulate vitamin deficiencies.

There are also a number of things you can to lessen fatigue caused by daily activity and boost energy levels and overall health. These include:

• Staying hydrated
• Eating healthy foods
• Exercising regularly
• Getting enough sleep
• Avoiding known stressors
• Avoiding over-demanding work and social schedules
• Practicing relaxation activities, such as yoga

Lifestyle changes are helpful in easing fatigue, but it is also important to follow your doctor’s treatment plan for any diagnosed medical condition.  Left untreated, fatigue can negatively affect your physical and mental health.

A Word From Verywell 

The prognosis for fatigue is generally good, because many of the causes are easy to treat. However, the prognosis varies based on the cause, underlying conditions, and your overall health.

While you can manage fatigue, you probably cannot prevent its many causes. Therefore, it is important to recognize when fatigue is a problem in order to seek appropriate medical care and a prompt diagnosis.

Sometimes, fatigue is a gradual symptom and is difficult to figure out. If family and friends bring to your attention gradual declines in your ability to be as active as you used to be, don’t dismiss this information; bring it to your doctor’s attention. Self-awareness of gradual decline in health is sometimes missed because people make small accommodations to compensate, and therefore may miss developing problems. 

A medical definition of fatigue in multiple sclerosis

Background:

The symptom of fatigue has been described in a variety of ways but absence of a single taxonomy may be hindering research into this prevalent symptom.

Objective:

To define the symptom of fatigue, as experienced by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), in terms of a common framework, typical of a medical history.

Design:

Qualitative phase followed by cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

Method:

Forty patients, with clinically definite MS, underwent semi-structured interviews which were analysed within a common framework of: experience (with derived themes of motor, cognitive, somatic/energy, sleep, other features) cadence (i.e. short-term variability), chronicity, precipitating and aggravating factors, relieving factors, severity and associated features. The prevalence of each feature of fatigue, emergent from the interviews, was subsequently determined by questionnaire survey of a further 635 MS patients.

Results:

Despite variance across patients, fatigue could be described within the derived themes and framework. Nearly all themes were endorsed by the majority of questionnaire respondents. In summary, fatigue could be defined as reversible motor and cognitive impairment, with reduced motivation and desire to rest. It could appear spontaneously or may be brought on by mental or physical activity, humidity, acute infection and food ingestion. It was relieved by daytime sleep or rest without sleep. It could occur at any time but was usually worse in the afternoon.

Conclusion:

A framework, not only derived from patient experience but also meaningful in a medical context, was shown to be capable of describing fatigue in a large cross-section of MS patients. The definition may facilitate inter-disease comparison of fatigue as well as physiological enquiry.

10 medical reasons for feeling tired

Any serious illness, such as cancer or stroke, or recovering from medical treatments can make you tired. But other illnesses can also leave you feeling washed out.

What’s the difference between tiredness and fatigue?

We all experience tiredness at times, which can be relieved by sleep and rest. Fatigue is when the tiredness is often overwhelming and isn’t relieved by sleep and rest.

Here are 10 health conditions known to cause tiredness or fatigue.

Anaemia

One of the most common medical reasons for feeling constantly run down is iron deficiency anaemia.

Women with heavy periods and pregnant women are especially prone to anaemia.

But it can also affect men and postmenopausal women, when the cause is more likely to be problems with the stomach and intestines, such as an ulcer or taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Typically, you feel you can’t be bothered to do anything, your muscles feel heavy, and you get tired very quickly.

Read more about iron deficiency anaemia.

Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia can also cause tiredness.

It’s possible to have too much iron, which can also cause tiredness, when it’s known as iron-overload disorder (haemochromatosis).

This is a relatively rare inherited condition that affects men and women between the ages of 30 and 60.

Read more about haemochromatosis.

Sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea is a condition where your throat narrows or closes during sleep and repeatedly interrupts your breathing.

This results in loud snoring and a drop in your blood’s oxygen levels. The difficulty in breathing means you wake up often in the night and feel exhausted the next day.

It’s most common in overweight middle-aged men. Drinking alcohol and smoking makes it worse.

Read more about sleep apnoea.

Underactive thyroid

An underactive thyroid gland means you have too little thyroid hormone (thyroxine) in your body. This makes you feel tired.

You’re also likely to put on weight and have aching muscles and dry skin. It’s most common in women and happens more often as you get older.

Your GP can diagnose an underactive thyroid by taking a blood test.

Read more about having an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Coeliac disease

This is a lifelong disease caused by the immune system reacting to gluten.

Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley and rye, and can be found in foods like pasta, bread, cakes and cereals.

One in 100 people in the UK are affected, but research suggests many of them don’t know they have the condition, according to charity Coeliac UK.

Other symptoms of coeliac disease, apart from tiredness, are diarrhoea, bloating, anaemia and weight loss. Your GP can do a blood test to check if you may have coeliac disease.

Read more about coeliac disease.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME) is a severe and disabling fatigue that goes on for at least 4 months. There may be other symptoms, such as muscle or joint pain.

Read more about chronic fatigue syndrome.

Diabetes

One of the main symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is feeling very tired.

Other key symptoms are feeling very thirsty, peeing a lot (particularly at night) and weight loss. Speak to a GP if you think you might have diabetes symptoms.

Glandular fever

Glandular fever is a common viral infection that causes fatigue, along with fever, sore throat and swollen glands.

Most cases happen in teenagers and young adults. Symptoms usually clear up within 4 to 6 weeks, but the fatigue can linger for several more months.

Read more about glandular fever.

Depression

As well as making you feel very sad, depression can also make you feel drained of energy.

It can stop you falling asleep or cause you to wake up early in the morning, which makes you feel more tired during the day.

Read more about clinical depression.

Restless legs syndrome

This is when you get an overwhelming urge to move your legs, which can keep you awake at night.

You might also have an unpleasant crawling sensation or a deep ache in your legs. Or your legs might jerk spontaneously through the night.

Whatever your symptoms, your sleep will be disrupted and poor quality, so you’ll feel very tired throughout the day.

Read more about restless legs syndrome.

Anxiety

Feeling anxious is sometimes perfectly normal. But some people have constant uncontrollable feelings of anxiety that are so strong they affect their daily life. 

Doctors call this generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). It’s a common condition, affecting slightly more women than men. As well as feeling worried and irritable, people with GAD often feel tired.

Read more about generalised anxiety disorder in adults.

Page last reviewed: 15 March 2021
Next review due: 15 March 2024

Definition of Fatigue by Merriam-Webster

fa·​tigue

| \ fə-ˈtēg

\

b

: manual or menial work (such as the cleaning up of a camp area) performed by military personnel

c
fatigues plural

: the uniform or work clothing worn on fatigue and in the field

2a

: weariness or exhaustion from labor, exertion, or stress

We were overcome by fatigue after the long hike.

c

: a state or attitude of indifference or apathy brought on by overexposure (as to a repeated series of similar events or appeals)

… a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton launched within days of Barack Obama’s 2013 inauguration. Voter fatigue is just one drawback to the long campaigns, though.— Martin Wisckol Most of the Romney voters they visited were fairly chipper, but there is an air of election fatigue in a state where most television commercial breaks are dominated by attack ads and the phone rings off the hook with campaign calls.— Daniel Malloy and Katie Leslie Waning media coverage of a humanitarian crisis is usually a precursor to “donor fatigue,” in which assistance from other nations fades. — Christian Science Monitor

— see also compassion fatigue

3

: the tendency of a material to break under repeated stress

metal fatigue

transitive verb

1

: to weary with labor or exertion

2

: to induce a condition of fatigue in

1

: consisting of, done, or used in fatigue

fatigue detail

When Could Fatigue Mean a Medical Problem? : Shots

Before you consider medical reasons for feeling tired, make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night.

Paul Bradbury/Getty Images/Caiaimage

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Paul Bradbury/Getty Images/Caiaimage

Before you consider medical reasons for feeling tired, make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night.

Paul Bradbury/Getty Images/Caiaimage

When I ask friends how they’re doing, “tired” is often part of the response. A 2015 YouGov.com poll found 38 percent of Americans were poorly rested at least four days of the week. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from a few years earlier found that 15 percent of women and 10 percent of men said they were “very tired or exhausted” most days or every day of the week.

“It’s very, very common,” says Susan Hingle, chair of the board of regents for the American College of Physicians and an internist at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

If you’re tired all the time, should you worry? It can be hard not to, since a Google search will show you that fatigue can be a symptom of a host of diseases, including serious ones.

Before you go there, consider the most obvious problem, especially if you’re young and otherwise healthy: Maybe you’re not sleeping enough. The CDC reported last year that one-third of Americans aren’t getting seven or more hours of sleep per day. Some studies put that percentage even higher. If you are a woman with children, each kid increases the odds of insufficient sleep by 50 percent, according to a study presented at the recent meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The study did not find the same result for men with kids.

It doesn’t mean you should blow off your tiredness, but it does mean it might be helped by what sleep experts call “sleep hygiene.” That means working backward from the time you need to wake up and setting a bedtime so you get sufficient sleep, then sticking to it. Limit daytime napping if you don’t fall asleep until late at night. Cut out the caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Exercise regularly. And keep screens — televisions, smartphones and tablets — out of the bedroom if possible, and stop using them an hour or two before bedtime. The light they emit and the stimulation they provide may contribute to sleep problems.

If it doesn’t seem to just be a matter of getting an hour or so more of sleep, talk to your doctor. There is a wide range of medical conditions associated with feeling tired all the time, some more serious than others.

“We try to get [people] to define what they mean by ‘tired,’ ” says Hingle. For example, are you sleepy during the day? Or has your ability to get around and exercise without becoming exhausted or out of breath changed? John Meigs Jr. , a family physician in Centreville, Ala., and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, says he has a patient who reported a decline in his stamina for turkey hunting from last season to this one. “He couldn’t walk,” he says. “That’s a pretty big change in a year.” That kind of exhaustion is a common sign of heart disease, he says, so it’s important to get it checked out.

Other potentially serious ailments include sleep apnea, which can cause people to feel tired all the time even if they’re getting the recommended number of sleep hours per day, says Hingle. In addition to not feeling rested despite sufficient sleep, symptoms include snoring or gasping for air at night. Sleep apnea can increase the risk of heart disease and needs to be taken seriously, so bring it up with your doctor. According to the American College of Physicians, treatments for sleep apnea can include weight loss, if appropriate, or a CPAP device.

One condition many people have heard of is chronic fatigue syndrome, which is a serious disease that leads to more than everyday tiredness. According to the latest definition, it includes profound fatigue that lasts for at least six months, cognitive impairment and total exhaustion after even minor exertion. Those symptoms require medical attention. The Institute of Medicine estimates between 836,000 and 2.5 million Americans suffer from the disease.

Some people may be tired because they’re anemic from losing blood, says Hingle. That might happen in women who have heavy menstrual periods, which can occur around menopause. A physician may advise you to take iron supplements, but you should be checked out to rule out any other causes of anemia. Colon cancer can also produce blood loss in the stool that leads to anemia, so for some people the resulting tiredness can be an early indication that they need to be tested for the disease.

There is no medical evidence supporting a diagnosis of “adrenal fatigue,” a term that has been used to describe a group of symptoms including tiredness, according to the Endocrine Society.

Type 2 diabetes can also produce fatigue, though it would be unusual for that to be the only symptom, says Hingle. (You’d very likely also be peeing a lot and thirsty all the time.) Same with hypothyroidism; it may make you tired, but you’d also probably notice changes in your skin and hair, as well as constipation, she says. Fatigue is also linked to depression and anxiety, so if you’re experiencing signs of those, or have noticed your sleepiness comes on the heels of stressful life events, talk to a physician, says Meigs.

Katherine Hobson is a freelance health and science writer based in Brooklyn, N.Y. She’s on Twitter: @katherinehobson

Fatigue

Definition (NCI)	A sign or symptom of weakness and diminished or absent energy and strength.
Definition (NCI_NCI-GLOSS)	Weakness; lack of energy and strength.
Definition (MSH)	Clinical sign or symptom manifested as debility, or lack or loss of strength and energy.
Definition (PSY)	Physical weakness, lack of strength and vitality, or a lack of concentration.
Concepts	Sign or Symptom (T184)
MSH	D001247
ICD10	R53. 1
SnomedCT	274236006, 206768006, 274638001, 158170006, 13791008
English	Asthenias, ASTHENIA, [D]Asthenia (context-dependent category), [D]Asthenia NOS (context-dependent category), [D]Asthenia NOS, Asthenia [D], asthenia (diagnosis), asthenia, Asthenia NOS, Asthenia [Disease/Finding], [D]Asthenia (situation), Asthenia [D] (situation), [D]Asthenia, [D]Asthenia NOS (situation), Asthenia (finding), Asthenia, Asthenia [D] (finding)
French	ASTHENIE, Asthénie
Portuguese	ASTENIA, Astenia
Spanish	ASTENIA, [D]astenia, SAI (categoría dependiente del contexto), [D]astenia (categoría dependiente del contexto), [D]astenia, SAI (situación), [D]astenia, SAI, [D]astenia (situación), [D]astenia, astenia (hallazgo), astenia, Astenia
German	ASTHENIE, Asthenie
Italian	Astenia
Japanese	無力症, ﾑﾘｮｸｼｮｳ
Swedish	Kraftlöshet
Czech	Astenie
Polish	Astenia
Hungarian	Asthenia
Dutch	asthenie, Astenia, Asthenie, Krachteloosheid, Zwakte
Russian	АСТЕНИЯ

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Lab Tests Online

Sources Used in Current Review

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CDC. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The 1994 Case Definition. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/case-definition/1994.html. Accessed October 2016.

CDC. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Diagnosis. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/. Accessed October 2016.

CDC. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Patient Examination Process for CFS. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/step-6.html. Accessed October 2016.

Feb. 16, 2016. CDC Public Health Grand Rounds: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Advancing Research and Clinical Education. Available online at https://www.cdc.gov/cdcgrandrounds/pdf/archives/2016/feb2016.pdf. Accessed October 2016.

Nov. 13, 2015. Healthline. CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Available online at http://www. healthline.com/health/chronic-fatigue-syndrome#Overview1. Accessed October 2016.

December 2015. The Lancet Psychiatry. Rehabilitative treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome: long-term follow-up from the PACE trial. Available online at  http://thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(15)00317-X/fulltext. Accessed October 2016.

(February 10, 2015) National Academy of Medicine. Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness. Available online at http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2015/ME-CFS.aspx. Accessed November 2016.

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Klein, J., Reviewed (2002 June, Reviewed). KidsHealth for Parents, The Nemours Foundation [On-line information]. Available online at http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/cfs.html.

Hanna, E. (2002 September, Reviewed). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)? 4woman.gov, The National Women’s Health Information Center [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.4woman.gov/faq/cfs.htm.

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(2012 May 16) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. CDC.gov/cfs (Online information). Available online at http:// www.cdc.gov/cfs/general/. Accessed September 2012.

(2012 February 2) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, pubmed.com (Online information). Available online at http://Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002224. Accessed September 2012.

(October 2011) Carruthers B, et al. Myalgic encephalomyelitis: International Consensus Criteria. Journal of Internal Medicine Volume 270, Issue 4, pages 327–338. Available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2011.02428.x/abstract. Accessed June 2012.

90,000 Chronic fatigue syndrome – causes, symptoms and treatment

Fatigue is a natural reaction of our body to overwork, stress or stress. If you have to drink vitamins from fatigue, and after a full sleep you do not feel rested, this is probably a chronic fatigue syndrome. It is widespread among residents of large cities, who are subject to frequent stress and overwork.

Scientists call chronic fatigue the disease of the 21st century.Until 1988, this condition was not isolated as a separate disease.

According to statistics, more than 2% of people have fatigue syndrome, which manifests itself regularly. Often such people have other diseases of the nervous system: neuroses, panic attacks, etc. According to statistics, CFS is four times more likely to occur in women. The average age of patients is 25-45 years. Adolescents and children get sick less often, however, there are cases of manifestation of this syndrome in children aged 5 years and younger.

Why is there a state of constant fatigue? The reasons for the manifestation of CFS can be:

• Constant nervous tension;
• chronic stress;
• sleep too short or too long;

90,013 sedentary lifestyle without physical activity;

• hormonal imbalance;
• long-term use of a certain group of medicines;
• problems in the digestive tract;
• viral diseases.

Most often, a combination of several factors leads to chronic fatigue.

Statistics show that many CFS have developed after a period of increased performance, so it is not surprising that many successful people suffer from lack of sleep and chronic fatigue.

Signs of overwork

The main symptom that can become an alarm bell is constant fatigue after sleep. You can spend a full 8 hours in bed, but in the morning, when you wake up, you will feel tired.

Also, patients who are suspected of having CFS complain about:

• persistent headaches;
• distracted attention;
• joint pain;
• muscle aches;
• coordination disorder;
• memory problems;
• depressed mood;
• increased irritability.

In many patients, the onset of CFS is similar to that of a classic viral infection.Lethargy, muscle aches, enlarged lymph nodes, sometimes symptoms of respiratory diseases appear.

Such manifestations of the disease will not go away on their own. You should definitely see your doctor. Before making a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, a full diagnosis should be carried out in order to exclude other diseases with similar symptoms. For example, often a feeling of weakness and weakness are symptoms of a weakened immune system.

Prolonged fatigue can lead to serious neurological damage.A significant proportion of patients with CFS suffer from increased sleepiness or, conversely, from insomnia.

Chronic fatigue treatment

More than 70% of patients with chronic fatigue have hidden diseases that they do not even know about. All this is clarified by the example of a doctor, to whom the patient turns in case he is disturbed by constant fatigue and weakness.

A physician therapist will help to find the cause of chronic fatigue. You can make an appointment with an experienced therapist at Daily Medical.

The therapist will prescribe a comprehensive examination and, based on its results, send for additional consultations to related specialists: a neuropathologist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, etc.

To clarify the diagnosis, studies are assigned:

The results of the examination are used to make a diagnosis. It is likely that your chronic weakness may be a manifestation of a completely different disease. So, constant fatigue in the legs, heaviness and swelling can be symptoms of developing varicose veins.In this case, the specialist will refer you to a phlebologist for a consultation.

First of all, patients are advised to avoid nervous tension and stressful situations. You may need to visit a psychotherapist and undergo special auto-training. Drug treatment is prescribed individually, depending on the reasons that led to the development of CFS. There is no one-size-fits-all scheme. You may be prescribed antidepressants, hormones, sedatives, anti-fatigue vitamins for women, men, children, or pregnant women (depending on the patient).

Prevention

The best prevention of chronic fatigue is to revise the daily regimen. It is important to start getting enough sleep. Try to get yourself a full 8 hours of sleep.

Take a daily walk in the fresh air to calm the nervous system. Moderate physical activity is also beneficial. This can be light running, swimming, dancing, or yoga.

Eat well. Do not go on strict diets that lead to depletion of the body. Diversify your diet, add foods rich in vitamin B:

• beef;

90,013 poultry meat;

• greens;
• legumes;
• yolks.

Vitamin C, which is found in citrus fruits, is also useful for strengthening the nervous system.

Modern nutritionists advise adding superfoods to the diet. These are foods rich in complexes of vitamins and minerals, they are able to overcome chronic fatigue. Superfoods include:

• chia seeds;
• amaranth seeds;

90,013 guarana;

• spirulina and others

Magnesium is an essential element for the normal functioning of our nervous system.Under stress, our body actively destroys magnesium, which leads to its deficiency. Eat magnesium-rich foods if your life is filled with stressful situations.

Are you constantly tired? Can’t sleep and feel overwhelmed in the morning? You may need to see a specialist. At Daily Medical, you can undergo a full examination and identify the cause of your ailment, as well as receive effective treatment, individually tailored to your case.

Scientists told how to overcome chronic fatigue

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Scientists told how to defeat chronic fatigue

Scientists told how to defeat chronic fatigue – RIA Novosti, 19.03.2019

Scientists told how to defeat chronic fatigue

From chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) around 17 million people are affected worldwide. According to experts, as many more have not been diagnosed with the disease … RIA Novosti, 19.03.2019

2019-03-19T08: 00

2019-03-19T08: 00

2019-03-19T08: 00

Science

USA

Netherlands

Great Britain

Stanford University

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MOSCOW, 19 Mar – RIA Novosti, Alfiya Yenikeeva. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects about 17 million people worldwide. According to experts, the same number of patients have not been diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms – constant loss of strength, headaches, insomnia, frequent muscle cramps. However, many experts are still skeptical about the phrase “chronic fatigue”, considering it more of a psychological problem.RIA Novosti understands what is the reason for CFS and how to get rid of it. Fatigue Is a Disease In 2017, biologists at Stanford University School of Medicine analyzed blood samples from more than 500 people. Some of the volunteers were healthy, and nearly two hundred were diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a disease in the physiological cause of which experts did not believe for a long time. Its main symptom is unreasonable and persistent fatigue, which practically halves working capacity. In addition, patients complain of headache, memory impairment, insomnia, nausea, and more.Due to the variety of symptoms, the disease is difficult to diagnose. Scientists from Stanford, comparing the blood counts of sick and healthy people, tried to find parameters by which it is easier to detect this disease. Although no markers specific to the syndrome could be found, the researchers drew attention to a strange relationship. The more severe the disease was, the higher was the concentration of 17 proteins in the blood associated with the development of inflammatory reactions. This confirmed the hypothesis that the cause of the external manifestations of the syndrome is inflammation and impaired functioning of the immune system.Some of the molecules found were also associated with other processes in the body. For example, the protein leptin, which controls satiety and is more common in women, and the hormone TGF-b, which is responsible for cell growth and division. The increased concentration of both substances, according to the authors of the work, explains why chronic fatigue syndrome occurs mainly among women and why its carriers are more often victims of various forms of cancer of the lymphatic tissue. in the work of the immune system, and with its hyperactivity, which is probably due to genetic factors, British and German researchers clarify.Scientists have tested the drug interferon alpha (IFN-α) on patients with hepatitis C. This substance provokes a heightened immune response, similar to a serious infection. Six months later, they noticed that 18 volunteers had the first symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Blood tests showed an increased level of cytoxins – the very proteins that Stanford scientists had linked to the emergence of CFS a year earlier. However, a comparison of the immune system indicators of fifty healthy volunteers and 54 people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome did not reveal significant differences.The authors of the work suggest that these differences may be noticeable only for a certain period of time after the immune response. Hormonal imbalance Dutch and Spanish endocrinologists believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is associated not with disorders in the immune system, but with iodine deficiency and thyroid problems. Scientists drew attention to the fact that fatigue, poor eyesight and many other symptoms of CFS are characteristic of another disease – hypothyroidism, a lack of thyroid hormones.By comparing blood samples from healthy people and those suffering from chronic fatigue, the researchers found that the latter had lower levels of the two main thyroid hormones, T3 and T4. However, subjects with CFS also had high levels of thyrotropin, a brain hormone that normally causes the body to produce large amounts of these signaling molecules. The authors of the paper suggest that people with CFS should be helped by a diet consisting of foods high in iodine. They are currently testing whether an “iodine” diet will help people with chronic fatigue return to their normal lives.Exercise for Fatigue According to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, chronic fatigue syndrome can be overcome by adding foods rich in B vitamins, magnesium and L-carnitine to the diet. Thus, it is known that bacteria from the genus Alistipes, considered one of the probable causes of CFS, disrupt the production of vitamin B6 in the body. And magnesium regulates almost all processes of production and consumption of energy in the body. Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have found that the best remedy for chronic fatigue is sports, only the load should be moderate.For three months, doctors monitored the health of two hundred volunteers diagnosed with CFS. In addition to medication, the subjects did a daily set of physical exercises and by the end of the study felt much better than those who did not play sports. Researchers from King’s College London, who analyzed several dozen studies on the methods of treating CFS, came to similar conclusions. The most effective were sports training with a gradual increase in load.At the same time, the subjects alternated between physical activity and rest, which made it possible to develop an optimal mode of life that promotes recovery.

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USA, Netherlands, Great Britain, Stanford University

MOSCOW, 19 Mar – RIA Novosti, Alfiya Enikeeva. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects about 17 million people worldwide. According to experts, the same number of patients have not been diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms – constant loss of strength, headaches, insomnia, frequent muscle cramps. However, many experts are still skeptical about the phrase “chronic fatigue”, considering it more of a psychological problem.RIA Novosti understands what is the reason for CFS and how to get rid of it.

Fatigue is a disease

In 2017, biologists at Stanford University School of Medicine analyzed blood samples from more than five hundred people. Some of the volunteers were healthy, and nearly two hundred were diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a disease in the physiological cause of which experts did not believe for a long time.

Its main symptom is unreasonable and persistent fatigue, which practically halves working capacity.In addition, patients complain of headache, memory impairment, insomnia, nausea, and more. Due to the variety of symptoms, the disease is difficult to diagnose.

Scientists from Stanford, comparing the blood counts of sick and healthy people, tried to find parameters by which it is easier to detect this disease. Although no markers specific to the syndrome could be found, the researchers drew attention to a strange relationship. The more severe the disease was, the higher was the concentration of 17 proteins in the blood associated with the development of inflammatory reactions.This confirmed the hypothesis that the cause of the external manifestations of the syndrome is inflammation and impaired functioning of the immune system.

Some of the molecules found were also associated with other processes in the body. For example, the protein leptin, which controls satiety and is more common in women, and the hormone TGF-b, which is responsible for cell growth and division. The increased concentration of both substances, according to the authors of the work, explains why chronic fatigue syndrome occurs mainly among women and why its carriers are more often victims of various forms of cancer of the lymphatic tissue.

31 July 2017, 22:00 Science Scientists have proved that chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease

Too active immunity

factors, say British and German researchers.

Scientists have tested the drug interferon alpha (IFN-α) on patients suffering from hepatitis C. This substance provokes an increased immune response, as if you were infected with a serious infection.Six months later, they noticed that 18 volunteers had the first symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Blood tests showed elevated levels of cytoxins, the very proteins that Stanford scientists had linked to CFS a year earlier.

True, comparison of the immune system indices of fifty healthy volunteers and 54 people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome did not reveal significant differences. The authors of the work suggest that these differences may be noticeable only for a certain period of time after the immune response.

28 February 2015, 07:00 Most patients suffer from a common set of symptoms, including frequent cramps, insomnia, fatigue, and headaches.

Hormonal imbalance

Dutch and Spanish endocrinologists believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is associated not with disorders in the immune system, but with iodine deficiency and thyroid problems.

Scientists have drawn attention to the fact that fatigue, poor eyesight and many other symptoms of CFS are characteristic of another disease – hypothyroidism, a lack of thyroid hormones. By comparing blood samples from healthy people and those suffering from chronic fatigue, the researchers found that the latter had lower levels of the two main thyroid hormones, T3 and T4. However, subjects with CFS also had high levels of thyrotropin, a brain hormone that normally causes the body to produce large amounts of these signaling molecules.

The authors suggest that people with CFS should benefit from a diet high in iodine. They are currently testing whether an “iodine” diet will help people with chronic fatigue return to their normal lives.

March 20, 2018, 3:43 pm Science Scientists have found a new explanation for chronic fatigue syndrome

Exercise for fatigue

According to researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles, chronic fatigue syndrome can be overcome by adding foods rich in B vitamins, magnesium and L-carnitine.Thus, it is known that bacteria from the genus Alistipes, considered one of the probable causes of CFS, disrupt the production of vitamin B6 in the body. And magnesium regulates almost all processes of production and consumption of energy in the body. Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have found that the best remedy for chronic fatigue is sports, only the load should be moderate. For three months, doctors monitored the health of two hundred volunteers diagnosed with CFS. The subjects, in addition to drug treatment, performed a set of physical exercises daily and by the end of the study felt much better than those who did not play sports.

Scientists from King’s College London, who analyzed dozens of studies on the treatment of CFS, came to similar conclusions. The most effective were sports training with a gradual increase in load. At the same time, the subjects alternated between physical activity and rest, which made it possible to develop an optimal mode of life that promotes recovery.

26 April 2017, 10:53 differential diagnosis of fatigue due to the presence of exhausting fatigue lasting over 6 months; a combination of cognitive dysfunction, pain throughout the body and sleep that does not bring vigor and restoration of normal function; as well as post-load weakness, when exposure to other stressors leads to an exacerbation of such symptoms, developing immediately after such exposure for several hours or in the evening.

The World Health Organization classifies CFS / ME as a neurological disease.

There are no objective diagnostic tests, verified biomarkers, drugs or techniques that provide cure for CFS / ME. The primary goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms and improve functional ability. Initial treatment should be individualized and based on the patient’s most pronounced complaints.

Chronic but fluctuating disability requires significant lifestyle changes in order to carefully plan daily activities, conserve energy resources for the most important tasks, schedule rest periods so that people do not overwork themselves and improve the quality of sleep.

Up to 30.5% of the population suffers from chronic fatigue. [1] van’t Leven M, Zielhuis GA, van der Meer JW, et al. Fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome-like complaints in the general population. Eur J Public Health. 2010 Jun; 20 (3): 251-7.
https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/20/3/251/429061

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19689970?tool=bestpractice.com
Thus, diagnostic criteria and exclusion criteria must be considered when evaluating patients with long-term persistent fatigue.

Several diagnostic criteria for CFS / ME are used in clinical practice. There are also differences and disagreements regarding the use of the concepts of ME, CFS and ME / CFS (doctors often, but not always, use them interchangeably). According to many patients, the name “chronic fatigue syndrome” is superficial, simplistic and carries a negative assessment. The notion of “myalgic encephalomyelitis” is also problematic, given the limited evidence supporting brain inflammation.

CFS / ME is characterized by the sudden or gradual development of persistent fatigue, disabling the patient’s ability to work, post-workload weakness (PNS) / exertional exhaustion, sleep that does not bring recovery of strength, cognitive and autonomic disorders, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, sore throat and tenderness of lymph nodes (without palpable lymphadenopathy), with symptoms lasting at least 6 months [2] Komaroff AL. Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: a real illness.Ann Intern Med. 2015 Jun 16; 162 (12): 871-2.
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-0647

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26075760?tool=bestpractice.com
Fatigue is not associated with other medical or psychiatric conditions, and symptoms do not improve with sleep or rest.

Definitions of CFS / ME have evolved from a focus on fatigue and impairment, as described in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria, to Post-Exercise Malaise (PEM) / Exercise Waste in ME / CFS, as defined by the Canadian Criteria consensus, and Systemic Exercise Intolerance Disease (SISD), presented in 2015 by the US National Academy of Medicine (then known as the Institute of Medicine [IOM]).[3] Fukuda K, Straus SE, Hickie I, et al. The chronic fatigue syndrome: a comprehensive approach to its definition and study. International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Study Group. Ann Intern Med. 1994 Dec 15; 121 (12): 953-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7978722?tool=bestpractice.com
[4] Carruthers BM, Jain AK, De Meirleir KL, et al. Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical working case definition, diagnostic and treatment protocols. J Chron Fatigue S. 2003 Dec; 11 (1): 7-115.https://www.mefmaction.com/images/stories/Medical/ME-CFS-Consensus-Document.pdf
[5] Jason LA, Evans M, Porter N, et al. The development of a revised Canadian myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome case definition. Am J Biochem Biotechnol. 2010; 6 (2): 120-35.
http://thescipub.com/pdf/10.3844/ajbbsp.2010.120.135
The definition of SZNFN was formulated on the basis of a large-scale analysis of the literature, and this concept was introduced as an alternative to CFS / ME to emphasize that dysfunction affects the entire body and is exacerbated by physical or cognitive stress, as well as by other stressors.[6] Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Beyond myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: redefining an illness. Feb 2015 [internet publication].
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/19012/beyond-myalgic-encephalomyelitischronic-fatigue-syndrome-redefining-an-illness
[7] Jason LA, Brown A, Evans M, et al. Contrasting chronic fatigue syndrome versus myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome. Fatigue. 2013 Jun 1; 1 (3): 168-83.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3728084/

http: // www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23914329?tool=bestpractice.com
Diagnosis of SZNFN suggests disability-related fatigue, PNS, and restless sleep, which are stable, moderate to severe, and present at least 50% of the time, as well as cognitive or orthostatic intolerance of a similar severity and frequency. [6] Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Beyond myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: redefining an illness.Feb 2015 [internet publication].
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/19012/beyond-myalgic-encephalomyelitischronic-fatigue-syndrome-redefining-an-illness
Pain is not considered a unique symptom in CFS / ME and was therefore not included in the CFSN criteria. The use of the term SZNFN is not widespread today, and in this topic we will use the designation CFS / ME. These three definitions (CDC, Canadian Consensus Criteria and National Academy of Medicine / IOM) combine criteria focused on PNS, disability, sleep, pain, and perception.[8] Jason LA, Evans M, Brown A, et al. Chronic fatigue syndrome versus sudden onset myalgic encephalomyelitis. J Prev Interv Community. 2015; 43 (1): 62-77.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4295655/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25584529?tool=bestpractice.com
[9] Jason LA, Brown A, Clyne E, et al. Contrasting case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis. Eval Health Prof. 2012 Sep; 35 (3): 280-304.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658447/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22158691?tool=bestpractice.com

PNS is the most characteristic feature of CFS / ME according to the criteria of the National Academy of Medicine / MI [6] Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Beyond myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: redefining an illness. Feb 2015 [internet publication].
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/19012/beyond-myalgic-encephalomyelitischronic-fatigue-syndrome-redefining-an-illness
[7] Jason LA, Brown A, Evans M, et al.Contrasting chronic fatigue syndrome versus myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome. Fatigue. 2013 Jun 1; 1 (3): 168-83.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3728084/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23914329?tool=bestpractice.com
PNS is a collection of symptoms after mental or physical exertion, the duration of which is 24 hours or more. PNS symptoms include fatigue, headache, myalgia, cognitive deficits, and insomnia.PNS can occur even after performing simple tasks (such as walking or maintaining a conversation) and requires significant lifestyle changes for people with CFS / ME to maintain their physical resources and mental focus to remain functional in normal professional, educational and social settings. [ 10] Jason LA, Evans M, So S, et al. Problems in defining post-exertional malaise. J Prev Interv Community. 2015; 43 (1): 20-31.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4295644/

http: // www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25584525?tool=bestpractice.com
Often, the productive efforts of patients are limited to a few hours a day, the rest of the time they spend resting, slowly and only partially recovering from disorganized thoughts, general body pain, weakness and other signs of chronic fatigue. The definition of fatigue as mental and mental fatigue is too simplistic to denote the area of ​​damage in CFS / ME and indicates an inconsistency with the word “fatigue”.There is a significant bias in the use of the vocabulary of acute viral diseases such as influenza or polio, as they are historically considered prerequisites for CFS / ME. [11] Sigurdsson B. Clinical findings six years after outbreak of Akureyri disease. Lancet. 1956 May 26; 270 (6926): 766-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13320872?tool=bestpractice.com

The World Health Organization classifies CFS / ME as a neurological disease. [12] World Health Organization.International classification of diseases 11th revision for mortality and morbidity statistics (ICD-11 MMS). 2018 [internet publication].
https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/569175314

How people who struggle with terrible fatigue live every day

• David Robson
• BBC Future

September 1, 2016

Photo by Thinkstock

Those who have experienced severe trauma or neurological disease often face mysterious, unimaginable fatigue that can last for years.BBC Future columnist talks about what it is – cognitive fatigue.

One evening in 1999, Danny found himself in the middle of a fight in the closet of a nightclub in London’s East End, where he had come to celebrate his friend’s 21st birthday.

He was young, drunk and self-confident. “They won’t do anything to me,” he assured his friend.

It all ended with the fact that he hit the leader of the quarrel with them. According to him, this was the worst mistake of his life.One moment – and five pounced on him.

His injuries were so severe that he remained in a coma for three weeks. Doctors feared the onset of brain death, but he still got out.

Thanks to rehabilitation treatment, he was able to restore speech and memory, but one symptom still remained – severe and merciless fatigue.

Seventeen years later, little has changed. Fatigue still cloudes his mind and confuses him, turning even ordinary daily activities into a serious test of strength.

He may forget something very simple, like his computer password, or take the wrong train or bus on his way home from work.

An ordinary telephone conversation with the bank can make him lose his temper and deprive him of his last strength.

“In truth, it can happen at any minute, at any time,” he tells me. “It doesn’t depend on how much I work: if I didn’t go to work at all, I would still feel tired “.

According to him, the only way to relax is for him to lie down in complete silence and allow his brain to gradually recover.

Several years passed before Danny heard a medical explanation for this phenomenon. However, his case is far from unique.

Scientists devote much attention to the study of many other physical and speech disorders, but “cognitive fatigue” is one of the most serious symptoms of a number of diseases of the nervous system, as well as an important obstacle to an active lifestyle.

It can develop as a result of a stroke or brain damage, or as a result of a neurodegenerative disease such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

However, a lack of awareness and understanding of these issues means that many people are not receiving much-needed support.

Photo author, Thinkstock

Photo caption,

Just the sight of a store, the sounds of a supermarket can be a real challenge for a person suffering from cognitive fatigue

Danny and I met at the Headway East London charity center located in London’s Hackney district. It helps people suffering from brain damage.

Previously, Danny was one of the visitors to the center, but now he is a regular volunteer. No one sits idle here, and this is confirmed by the vivid pictures painted by visitors and the sounds of music coming from the music therapy hall.

Danny now acts as a mentor to people like him who have experienced brain trauma. He emphasizes that he is not the same aggressive young man who came to the club that fateful night.

“I have become different, kinder and calmer,” he says.However, due to cognitive fatigue, he may feel frustrated or angry.

Danny says that many of those who come to Headway have also tried to fight fatigue, but most of them felt they were alone with their problem.

“They feel tired but don’t know why. They have no idea what it’s called.”

However, according to studies, more than 60% of people who have experienced brain damage cite fatigue as one of the main symptoms.

“This figure is impressive,” says Donna Mally of the Oliver Zangwill Center for Neurophysiological Rehabilitation in Ely, UK.

“However, even in clinics treating people with brain damage, very few people understand this problem. People are not even asked if they experience symptoms such as fatigue.”

According to her, doctors first of all pay attention to the immediate, physical symptoms of the disease.

It is important for the doctor whether a person who has suffered a brain injury can eat, dress and wash.

And fatigue can become evident much later, when a person returns to daily life.

“Porridge in the head”

Misunderstandings can also be caused by the fact that cognitive fatigue is very different from the daily fatigue that accompanies normal stress.

First, most of us know in advance when we will feel tired — for example, on a Friday night or after a day in the lecture hall. But cognitive fatigue comes on suddenly.

“It takes the person by surprise,” says Mally. “Patients often complain that their brains are shutting down, or that they are being overwhelmed by a wave that seems to come from nowhere.”

They say that their consciousness is clouded, or that they have a “mess in their heads”, or that all the gears in their brain are suddenly jammed.

“They think things are happening too fast,” says Mally. The mere sight of the store, the sounds of the supermarket, or the need to choose the right kind of milk can be overwhelming, she said.

All this is familiar to Danny. Due to fatigue, he periodically experiences irritation and mood changes.

“It’s a domino effect,” Danny says.

He is now the father of a one-year-old toddler, and it can be very difficult for Danny to look after him. “My son needs 24/7 attention and it’s hard for me to keep up with him,” he says.

Cognitive fatigue can also manifest as general apathy.”You don’t care about anything, there is no enthusiasm and motivation.”

For some brain injury survivors, these obstacles seem insurmountable.

“Due to fatigue, they are often unable to start or continue to work,” says Natasha Lockyer, an occupational physician at Headway East London.

“It affects their personal relationships, family life and ability to make decisions. Some people simply withdraw into themselves and find themselves cut off from the world around them.”

Photo author, SPL

Photo caption,

Fatigue can occur due to damage to the basal nuclei. Pictured is the brain of a patient with Parkinson’s disease

Not surprisingly, many of them would love to find a cure for their ailment. However, this problem is so serious that, despite numerous attempts, doctors have not yet found a precise explanation for why brain damage causes these sensations.

To measure the level of fatigue, researchers ask patients to fill out a questionnaire or use simple cognitive tests to measure changes in brain function as they fatigue.

Oddly enough, the degree of fatigue does not always depend on the extent of the brain damage, but the activity of some areas of the brain is still critical.

These include the areas that connect the frontal cortex – the furrowed, bark-like surface of the brain located just behind the eye sockets and responsible for conscious analytical thinking, attention and memory – with deeper areas of the brain.

The latter include the basal nuclei and the amygdala – areas associated with automatic, instinctive actions and behavior.

“Perhaps when certain connections are broken, the brain is no longer so efficient at transmitting information and gets tired faster,” says Mally.

If this is the case, then any kind of mental activity will require more energy. Consequently, the body’s resources can run out even with a small load.

Ekaterina Dobryakova, a researcher at the Kessler Foundation, West Orange, New Jersey (USA), is studying one specific system – the cortical-striatal pathway, which is involved in the formation of sensations such as pleasure and motivation.

“This system is activated when you win a thousand dollars at the casino, eat a hamburger at the end of the day, or receive praise from your teacher.”

She explains that the prefrontal cortex and basal nuclei send signals back and forth, comparing the effort required to perform an action with the potential benefit.

Photo author, Thinkstock

Caption,

The worst thing is that an attack of fatigue can catch you at any moment, for no particular reason

It depends on the neurotransmitter dopamine, and if its production is disturbed, these calculations will be incorrect. and therefore even the most mundane action will seem like a very difficult task.

Importantly, people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and some types of brain damage have abnormal activity in these areas of the brain, apparently related to levels of fatigue.

If dopamine signaling does play a role in this process, the solution to the problem may be to take drugs that increase the level of this neurotransmitter reaching the brain synapses.

At this time, the early phases of clinical trials for one such drug, methylphenidate (also known as “Ritalin”), give good hope that it will soon be possible to help people suffering from cognitive fatigue caused by traumatic brain injury.

In addition, researchers are currently trying to find out if this drug can reduce the level of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

However, this is just one link in a huge chain, and fatigue can be influenced by many factors, including increased anxiety, problems with memory, attention, communication and mood changes, which can also contribute to faster fatigue.

In the meantime, professionals like Malli and Lockyer help their clients cope with fatigue by making changes to their daily routine.

Before teaching patients to recognize the first warning signs, they show them how to recognize and describe their symptoms.

“It can be ringing in the ears or vision problems. The person may feel awkward, upset, anxious, or less tolerant of the world around them,” says Mally.

Photo author, Thinkstock

Photo caption,

Everyone has their own idea of ​​rest: some prefer a walk in the park, some prefer loud rock music

Having learned to recognize these signs, the patient can find a way to organize their activities so that the reserves of its energy are restored in time.

It is important to note that rest does not have to be passive, as this can lead to anxiety in the person about the work that he still has to do.

“Sometimes you have to go outside and move around. Changing activities can help refresh your mind,” says Mally.

Research shows that mental practices can also help some brain injury survivors cope with fatigue.

Lokier agrees that everyone has their own idea of ​​rest.”Someone needs to meditate, and someone needs to listen to rock music, take a walk in the fresh air, or just sit in silence.”

Although full recovery is unlikely, she says, significant improvements are still possible. “Getting the feeling that you are able to control your fatigue is already a good result.”

Towards the end of our short conversation with Danny, he starts to get tired again. This can be seen in his movements and slowed down speech.

As part of his treatment, he has kept a diary for the last 10 days.This is the first step towards identifying what exactly is causing him fatigue.

However, he does not expect rapid changes. Danny would like to see new drugs for his disorder, but above all he thinks that such problems need to be given due attention.

“There are many different support groups out there, and another would be worth organizing for those suffering from cognitive fatigue,” says Danny. “I don’t think there will be a shortage of participants.”

Weakness, loss of muscle strength – causes, examination and treatment in Astrakhan | Symptoms

Brain tumors

Signs: Headaches, personality changes, disorientation, difficulty concentrating, drowsiness, loss of balance and coordination, and paralysis and numbness, sometimes seizures.

Multiple sclerosis (affects the brain, spinal cord)

Signs: Usually other symptoms of impaired nervous system function (loss of sensation, loss of coordination and visual impairment).Weakness, which is transient, sometimes affects various parts of the body, worse during hot weather.

Stroke

Signs: Sudden symptoms: weakness or paralysis, usually on one side of the body; disturbances or loss of sensation on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, sometimes slurred speech, confusion, blurred, blurry, or loss of vision, especially in one eye, dizziness, or loss of balance and coordination.

Acute transverse myelitis (sudden inflammation of the spinal cord)

Signs: Tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness that develops rapidly (from several hours to several days), starts in the feet and goes up.Usually tight, enveloping tension around the chest or abdomen, often difficult urination. With severe damage, loss of control over the function of the bladder and intestines and / or a decrease in sexual response, including erectile dysfunction in men. In patients with
multiple sclerosis, inflammation of the blood vessels with Lyme disease or syphilis.

Cauda equina syndrome (due to pressure on several roots of the spinal nerve) Signs: Loss of sensation in the upper inner thighs, in the buttocks, bladder, genitals.Usually low back pain, weakness in both legs Loss of bladder and bowel control and / or decreased sexual response, including erectile dysfunction in men. It occurs in patients with a ruptured or herniated disc, the spread of a malignant tumor to the spinal cord.

Spinal cord compression (acute)

Signs: Symptoms develop over hours or days. Weakness or paralysis of the legs and sometimes the arms, and loss of sensation.In the presence of abscesses or tumors, a feeling of soreness when touching the area of ​​compression. It occurs in patients with abscesses, hematomas, neck or back injuries, cancer.

Spinal cord compression (chronic)

Signs: Symptoms appear over several weeks to several months. With severe damage, loss of control over the function of the bladder and intestines and / or a decrease in sexual response, including erectile dysfunction in men. It occurs in patients with cervical spondylosis, spinal stenosis, with some tumors.

Compression of the spinal nerve root with a torn disc

Signs: Weakness, numbness, or both, in one leg or arm. Usually pain in the back or neck that shoots along the leg or arm.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Signs: Progressive muscle weakness, which often begins in the hands, sometimes affects one side more than the other. Clumsiness, involuntary muscle contractions, and muscle spasms.Drooling and difficulty speaking and swallowing. As the disorder progresses, breathing becomes difficult and ultimately fatal.

Post-polio syndrome

Signs: Rapid muscle fatigue and progressive muscle weakness. Sometimes muscle twitching and loss of muscle tissue. In people who have had polio.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Signs: Weakness and often numbness, which usually begins in both legs and then travels up to the arms.In severe cases, difficulty in swallowing and breathing.

Nerve damage

Signs: Muscle weakness that often begins in both feet, then affects the hands, then travels up the legs and arms. Loss of sensation, usually before muscle weakness, disappearance of reflexes. It occurs in patients with alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, infections (diphtheria, hepatitis C, HIV infection, Lyme disease or syphilis), sarcoidosis, vitamin deficiencies (thiamine, vitamin B6 or vitamin B12 deficiency).

Hereditary neuropathies (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease)

Signs: Muscle wasting (atrophy), sometimes loss of reflexes. Loss of sensation, including the ability to sense limb position, vibration, pain, and temperature.

Botulism

Signs: At first, dry mouth, drooping eyelids, blurred vision (such as double vision), difficulty swallowing and speaking, and rapidly progressive muscle weakness, often beginning on the face and moving down the body.If contaminated food is the source, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. No change in sensitivity.

Myasthenia gravis

Signs: Weak and drooping eyelids, double vision, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and weakness in the arms and legs. Excessive weakness of the affected muscles, which is noted after stress on the muscles, disappears at rest, and reappears with repeated stress on the muscles.

Poisoning with organic phosphates (insecticides)

Signs: Watery eyes, blurry vision, increased salivation, sweating, coughing, vomiting, frequent bowel movements and urination, and muscle weakness with twitching.

Botulinum toxin

Signs: Weakness of the muscles in which the drug was injected, or sometimes all of the muscles.

Muscle dysfunction due to the use of alcohol, corticosteroids or various other drugs.
Signs: Weakness, usually leading at first to difficulty standing up or raising arms overhead. Use of drugs that cause muscle damage (statins). If the cause is alcohol or certain drugs – muscle aches and pain

Viral infections causing muscle inflammation

Signs: Muscle aches and pains that get worse with movement, especially walking.Sometimes fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, and / or fatigue.

Conditions and diseases causing general muscular atrophy

Signs: When there are obvious signs of impairment Loss of muscle tissue. Occurs as a result of burns, cancer, inaction due to prolonged bed rest or immobilization in a plaster cast, sepsis, starvation

Electrolyte imbalance

Signs: Weakness affecting the whole body is of a transient nature,
often accompanied by muscle spasms and twitching.Occurs as a result of certain diseases or the use of diuretics.

Muscular dystrophies (Duchenne muscular dystrophy and pelvic-humeral muscular dystrophy)

Signs: Progressive muscle weakness that can begin in infancy, childhood, or adulthood, depending on the type, can progress rapidly to early death. In some types, pathological curvature of the spine (scoliosis) and weakness of the back muscles, which often develop in childhood.

What is it / treatment of asthenia

The most common causes of chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency are atherosclerosis of the great vessels of the brain, arterial hypertension and their combination. Asthenic manifestations occur approximately 5-10 years before the detection (verification) of cerebral vascular lesions, therefore, are the earliest symptoms of the disease.

Most often, in a patient with cerebrovascular diseases, asthenic manifestations proceed according to the hypersthenic or hyposthenic variant.

The hypersthenic variant of asthenic syndrome is characterized by a slight appearance of irritability in situations of communication with a large number of people, as well as during intense mental or physical exertion. Such patients seek solitude and reduce the number and duration of contacts. Their concentration of attention worsens, their mental performance decreases. Severe sleep disturbances are almost always present: difficulty falling asleep, shallow sleep, heavy awakening, sleepiness during the day.Somatic manifestations: chilliness, palpitations, intolerance to stuffy rooms, feeling of lack of air. Senestopathies also often occur: various unpleasant, including painful sensations in different parts of the body, most often in the head.

With the hyposthenic variant, weakness, fatigue and rapid exhaustion prevail during active loads. It is difficult for a person to “get involved” in work; it is impossible to maintain interest in any activity for a long time. Often there is a feeling of powerlessness, combined with discomfort in the back and limbs.Such a patient begins to save energy, spending them only on the most necessary actions.

Insufficient blood circulation leads to hypoxia of the brain tissue. As you know, the brain is very sensitive to a lack of oxygen. Disturbances are manifested primarily at the level of regulatory systems, including the RAS (reticular activating system) of the brain stem, which explains the formation of asthenic syndrome. In the early stages of cerebrovascular diseases, it is asthenia that is a signal of a violation of the regulatory function of the brain.At later stages, asthenia limits the patient’s physical and mental activity, leads to the formation of affective emotional disorders (depression), which further asthenises and isolates the patient. Treatment of asthenia allows not only to improve the condition, but also restores the regulatory function of the brain, prevents the progression of vascular insufficiency, allows you to maintain activity for a long time, and prevents depression. In our clinic, we use modern effective methods of recovery for patients with asthenic disorders on the background of vascular diseases of the brain: TLNS, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, kinesio correction, massage, IRT, drug treatment.

How to prevent postpartum depression

14 March 2018

“Features of the psychoemotional state of a woman after childbirth.

How to prevent postpartum depression? ”

Prepared by: medical psychologist at the antenatal clinic Glebova N.A.

Childbirth is a very powerful physiological process.Naturally, it affects both the physical and psychological state of a woman. According to statistics, 80% of women in labor experience “postpartum blues” or “sadness syndrome” (or “blues” syndrome) and this percentage tends to rise. Let’s dwell on the emotional state after childbirth.

Emotional upsurge and euphoria , arising immediately after the birth of a child, in most women by 2 – 3 days after childbirth are replaced by by mood decline, sadness, uncertainty, confusion, emotional discomfort. A mother may experience an inexplicable urge to cry, depression, and even irritation. The reason for this condition after childbirth is not reliably known, but there are versions of its occurrence. First, a quick and powerful change hormonal levels in the last weeks of pregnancy and especially after childbirth cannot but affect a woman’s mood. “Hormonal shock” is a biological factor in the onset of anxiety. Secondly, for women who have become mothers for the first time the new role of “mother” brings a lot of anxiety and anxiety .In addition, after the long months of pregnancy were passed, and the expectant mother got used to her condition , after childbirth, even a feeling of losing something important and expensive arises. Third, the stress can be caused by physical fatigue . Constant sleep deprivation caused by the baby’s routine and household chores can throw a woman out of psychological balance. Fourthly, a dysfunctional family environment (conflict and discord in a married couple, lack of support from loved ones and a sense of “family happiness” or a serious illness of a family member) can aggravate a woman’s stress state and lead to depression.

Psychologists also note that typological personality traits and age women exacerbate her emotional state in the postpartum period:

• In the “risk group” of women-mothers under the age of 18 years. and above 35 liters.

• Emotionally unstable type (excitable, spontaneous, impulsive).

• Anxious personality type with increased sensitivity and suspiciousness (increased sensitivity to external influences).

• Emotionally immature, infantile women who cannot withstand the blows of life.

• Rigid, straightforward, over-responsible women with hyper-normative attitudes (do “.

An unsuccessful obstetric and gynecological history, unwillingness to have a child or the severity of the child’s condition (for example, identified pathology or features in the baby’s health) also create the basis for the occurrence of postpartum depression.

Distinguish the deterioration of mood after childbirth from postpartum depression . Immediately after childbirth, against the background of hormonal changes, the mother’s mood worsens and “postnatal sadness” occurs with the presence of depressive reactions – they are not so deep, short and reversible – approximately in the first two to three weeks up to 1 month of the child’s life. Such “ postpartum blues” is manifested by tearfulness of a woman, a feeling of oppression, insecurity, fear, self-doubt.

Actually postpartum depression begins from 3-4 months of a child’s life and lasts up to six months and more than . Symptoms of postpartum depression include: feeling of constant, deep melancholy , inability to enjoy the child and life in general, lack of interest in caring for the baby, decreased appetite, increased anxiety, insomnia.

While mood swings usually do not greatly affect the overall well-being and pass rather quickly, then postpartum depression affects the entire body and can last for a very long time . Anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, anxiety attacks, a feeling of unreality of what is happening, poor sleep, loss of appetite and libido, helplessness in household chores, loss of love for your child – these are all signs of a fairly common postpartum depression. And its consequence is that a woman ceases to experience the joy of her own motherhood, ceases to monitor her appearance, avoids communication and may even become addicted to drugs or alcohol.

So, there are three types of postpartum crises , these are:

• “postpartum blues” (melancholy) , which appears during the first few days after childbirth, when you want to cry, you feel depressed, insecure, afraid, insecure – you need support and help from your close circle;

• mild depression , which is accompanied by sadness, bouts of helplessness, loneliness, fear – consultation of a psychologist is necessary;

• chronic depression : severe nervousness, feelings of inadequacy, constant bouts of anxiety and fear, when ordinary affairs seem completely unbearable.The mood is lowered, there is no joy in life. A woman often refuses food, libido decreases; seeks solitude, refuses to breastfeed. Sleep disturbed (insomnia or nightmares). Such depression can persist for a whole year, and sometimes even three to four years. A variant of postpartum depression may form, resembling a manic-depressive disorder (a state of excitement, euphoria and fussiness are replaced by passivity, lethargy, melancholy, apathy).Of course, in this case, the help of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist is needed.

Modern medicine today considers depression as a natural reaction of the body to childbirth and motherhood. Therefore, a young mother should be mentally prepared in advance for the fact that after the birth of a child her feelings may become somewhat unstable and rapidly change in different directions: from joy to despair and vice versa. Your relatives should also be warned about this, so that they do not perceive such a state solely as the whims of a spoiled lady and help the woman get through this period as easily and quickly as possible.

What should a woman do to prevent postpartum depression? Tips for women in labor:

1. Remember that the onset of motherhood will require you to revise your entire life , as a result of which you just have to adapt to a lot (for example, you may not have time to watch TV).

2. Try to prioritize and do not try to keep the house in the same condition , you simply will not have the strength to maintain an impeccable cleanliness.Reassure yourself that the chaos that has reigned in your once so tidy house is a temporary phenomenon.

3. Do not forget that you just need to find time to be alone with yourself , wander around the shops, look at your girlfriend or go to the beauty parlor to find balance and connection with the world around you. Therefore, do not hesitate at least occasionally to ask your loved ones to sit with your child and do not take into account what people think of you.

4. Distribute responsibilities in the family , involve your spouse in helping you care for the child and do not forget to praise him.

5. No less important for you after childbirth and rest. Try to set specific hours for rest , preferably if it is naps . In the event that you do not want to sleep, just relax, close your eyes and do not communicate with anyone at this time. Have a cup of mint or chamomile tea.These herbs have soothing properties. And also watch your diet.

6. While the baby sleeps, read a good book . Reading is one of the best ways to avoid stress. Rent a comedy cassette. Laughter relieves tension perfectly.

7. Switch off the phone and take a hot bath with aromatic oils . Put on some nice music and ask your husband to give you the massage you need to relieve muscle tension and boost your mood.And in order to enhance relaxation, add a few drops of aromatic oil to the massage oil. Ylang ylang, sandalwood, lemon, orange, lavender and chamomile oils have soothing properties.

8. Take time to do gymnastics. It has already been proven that if you do gymnastics during a period of depression, your emotional state improves much faster. And regular gymnastics reduces stress, fatigue, aggressiveness and depression, invigorates and improves mood.In addition, exercise distracts from everyday worries. By doing them, you can forget about your problems at least for a while.

9. Breastfeed your baby, more often take him in your arms and talk to him and smile.

10. Share your experiences with your close environment, maintain emotional contact with them, find support and approval in them.

11. If you cannot cope with depressive reactions, then seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.

Dear women! Remember that the child needs a happy mother, who has nerves in perfect order, who is generally happy with her life. The baby, before and after his birth, subtly feels your mood, rejoices and gets upset with you. When a mother is bad, her child is also bad, the more anxious the mother is, the more anxious the baby will be. The “mother-child” dyad will be reliable if the woman knows how to properly take care not only of the child, but also of herself.