Causes, symptoms, treatment, and more

Fatigue and nausea are common symptoms that often occur together. In some cases, these symptoms may develop as a result of lifestyle factors, such as poor sleep or diet, or lack of exercise. In other cases, they may signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.

Fatigue is a term that describes a lack of energy or a feeling of tiredness or sluggishness. Nausea is a feeling of discomfort in the stomach or a feeling of needing to vomit.

This article outlines the potential causes of combined fatigue and nausea and lists the medical treatments and home remedies that may help alleviate these symptoms. We also provide advice on how to prevent fatigue and nausea and when to see a doctor.

Fatigue and nausea can co-occur as a result of:

• lifestyle factors
• short-term, or acute, illnesses
• long-term, or chronic, conditions

Some possible causes of fatigue and nausea are outlined below.

Lifestyle factors

The following lifestyle factors may cause fatigue and nausea:

• staying awake too late
• not getting enough sleep
• eating too much
• eating too late at night
• drinking too much alcohol the night before
• using recreational drugs
• lacking physical activity
• overexerting oneself
• being jet-lagged

Infections

Certain infections may also cause symptoms of fatigue and nausea. Examples include:

• bacterial infections, such as:
  • Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
  • Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection
  • chlamydia
• viral infections, such as:
  • influenza
  • Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)
  • hepatitis
  • poliovirus
  • Ebola virus
  • malaria
  • dengue fever
• parasitic infections, such as:
  • hookworm infections

Psychological causes

Mental health issues can sometimes cause physical symptoms, including fatigue and nausea. Examples include:

• anxiety
• stress
• depression
• loss and grief

Hormonal issues

Fatigue and nausea can sometimes occur as a result of a condition that affects the hormones or the endocrine system that makes the hormones. Examples include:

• hyperthyroidism
• hypothyroidism
• hyperparathyroidism
• hypercalcemia
• Addison’s disease

Neurological conditions

Issues that affect the nerves and the nervous system may also cause symptoms such as nausea and fatigue. Examples include:

• migraines
• epilepsy
• concussion
• traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• brain tumor

Other conditions

Other conditions could also cause nausea and fatigue with or without additional symptoms. Some examples include:

• reactions to animal bites or stings
• food poisoning
• food intolerances or allergies
• celiac disease
• inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• peptic ulcer
• hypertension
• heatstroke
• premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• endometriosis
• sleep apnea
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• diabetes
• kidney disease
• liver cirrhosis, or liver failure

Fatigue and nausea are common during the early stages of pregnancy. Doctors use the term “morning sickness” to refer to nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, although these symptoms may occur at any time of day. A 2014 study notes that morning sickness occurs in around 85% of pregnancies.

If there is any possibility that a person may be pregnant, they should take a pregnancy test. If they are not pregnant, they should see their doctor to determine the cause of their morning nausea.

Feeling nauseous upon waking up may simply be the result of poor sleep or an upset stomach from the night before. However, it could also signal a more chronic underlying health issue.

It is fairly normal for a person’s energy levels to dip after eating. This happens because the body redirects blood to the digestive system to help break down food in the stomach.

Eating too much may cause a large dip in energy levels since the body has more food to digest. Overeating may also cause feelings of fullness or nausea.

Symptoms of fatigue and nausea after eating can sometimes signal a digestive issue. Other possible symptoms of a digestive disease include:

• difficulty swallowing
• acid reflux
• heartburn
• vomiting
• bloating
• abdominal pain
• belching or flatulence
• constipation
• diarrhea
• bowel incontinence
• blood in stool
• unexplained weight gain or weight loss

The treatment for fatigue and nausea depends on the underlying cause. Treating the cause should help eliminate or control the symptoms. Chronic conditions may require a long-term treatment plan.

Doctors may also prescribe treatments for the symptoms themselves. For example, a doctor may prescribe antiemetic drugs to reduce nausea and vomiting.

Certain home remedies may help manage the symptoms of fatigue and nausea. Some examples are outlined below.

Home remedies for nausea

The following home remedies may help settle an upset stomach and reduce feelings of nausea:

• sipping a cold drink
• drinking ginger or peppermint tea
• eating foods containing ginger, such as ginger biscuits or candied ginger
• eating multiple small portions
• getting a lot of fresh air
• finding distractions, such as listening to music, watching a movie, or reading a book

In addition, people should avoid the following:

• preparing or eating strong-smelling foods
• eating foods that are spicy, fried, or greasy
• eating too fast
• drinking while eating
• wearing clothing that is tight around the waist or abdomen
• lying down shortly after eating

Home remedies for fatigue

The following home remedies may help reduce fatigue:

• eating smaller meals and healthful snacks every 3–4 hours
• gradually decreasing caffeine intake over the course of 3 weeks
• limiting alcohol intake and avoiding alcohol before bedtime
• drinking more water to prevent dehydration and associated fatigue
• gradually increasing physical activity
• reaching or maintaining a moderate weight
• going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends
• avoiding daytime naps
• establishing or maintaining a relaxing bedtime routine
• reducing stress levels through one or more of the following:
  • working out
  • practicing yoga or tai chi
  • spending time with friends
• receiving counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for fatigue caused by stress, anxiety, or low mood

Experiencing fatigue and nausea is not always a cause for concern. Sometimes, these symptoms are the result of poor lifestyle habits. Changing these habits should lead to an improvement or reduction in symptoms.

However, people should see a doctor if they experience severe, persistent, or worsening episodes of fatigue and nausea.

It is important to seek immediate medical attention for fatigue and nausea that are accompanied by any of the following symptoms:

• chest pain or pressure
• difficulty breathing
• slurred speech
• persistent confusion
• continuous or repeated vomiting
• fever
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• suicidal thoughts

The above symptoms may indicate a serious underlying medical condition that requires prompt medical treatment.

The outlook for people experiencing combined fatigue and nausea depends on the underlying cause of these symptoms.

Fatigue and nausea are not always a cause for concern. This combination of symptoms sometimes goes away following appropriate lifestyle adjustments, such as changes in eating, sleeping, or exercise habits.

However, severe, persistent, or recurrent episodes of fatigue and nausea can indicate an underlying medical condition that requires treatment. In some instances, it may take time for a doctor to diagnose and treat the cause. Once a doctor has established a diagnosis and a treatment plan, a person will typically find relief from these symptoms.

It may not be possible to prevent all causes of fatigue and nausea. However, the following factors may reduce a person’s risk of developing these symptoms:

• staying hydrated
• limiting alcohol and caffeine intake and avoiding either before bedtime
• avoiding large meals and eating late at night
• getting plenty of sleep each night
• following basic personal hygiene to help prevent infections
• eating a healthful diet and exercising regularly to reduce the risk of health conditions that can cause fatigue and nausea
• alleviating stress through one or more of the following:
  • mindfulness meditation
  • breathing exercises
  • yoga or tai chi
• seeking therapy for mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression

Fatigue and nausea are symptoms that commonly occur together. In some cases, they are the result of lifestyle habits, such as poor sleep or diet, or lack of exercise. In other instances, they may signal an underlying mental or physical health issue that requires treatment.

Sometimes, a person may experience symptom relief after using home remedies to aid sleep, alleviate stress, or improve diet. However, if these changes do not lead to an improvement in symptoms, a person should see their doctor.

Anyone who experiences severe, persistent, or recurrent episodes of fatigue and nausea should seek a medical diagnosis and treatment. Following appropriate treatment, most people should experience an improvement in their symptoms.

Causes, treatment, and when to see a doctor

A person may feel sick due to a short-term issue or as a result of a chronic condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2019, around 60% of American adults had at least one chronic or long-term condition, and 40% had two or more.

Below are some common reasons why someone might feel sick, plus their symptoms and how to treat each.

• infections
• digestive disorders
• immune conditions
• anxiety
• chronic stress
• lack of sleep
• diet
• alcohol, drugs, and medications
• pregnancy

Infection

Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections can all cause a person to feel sick. Food poisoning is a common reason that a person may feel sick.

However, infections can also spread through other means. People may be more at risk of catching an infection if they:

• work with children
• work in the healthcare industry
• live in close quarters with other people, such as in dormitories
• travel a lot or use public transportation frequently

Learn more about the types of infection here.

Treatment

Infections such as food poisoning will typically resolve independently with rest. If someone experiences vomiting or diarrhea due to infection, they must ensure they drink plenty of fluids.

A person can reduce their risk of infection through

• proper food preparation and storage
• frequent handwashing
• covering the face when close to someone with a contagious illness
• using hand sanitizers

Digestive disorders

Many common digestive disorders can cause a person to feel sick. These include:

• hiatal hernia
• gastritis
• stomach ulcers
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

Learn more about common digestive disorders here.

Treatment

The treatment of common digestive disorders will vary depending on the cause. However, most treatment plans will include a combination of lifestyle modifications and medication.

Immune conditions

Autoimmune conditions weaken the immune system and make it easier to develop infections, colds, and flu. People with chronic immune conditions tend to feel sick more often and may take longer to recover from illnesses. More than 23.5 million Americans live with an autoimmune condition.

Common immune conditions that can make people feel sick include:

• lupus
• HIV
• celiac disease
• inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• asthma
• allergies
• type 1 diabetes
• multiple sclerosis
• Graves’ disease

Autoimmune conditions cause many symptoms, including fatigue, rashes, insomnia, and gastrointestinal problems.

Discover more about autoimmune conditions.

Treatment

The only way to treat symptoms related to an autoimmune condition is to seek medical treatment and monitoring for the condition.

Anxiety

Many people may not associate anxiety with feeling sick, but often it can make a person feel sick to their stomach.

A person with anxiety may feel nauseous or find that they get sick more often because their anxiety weakens their immune responses.

Other symptoms of anxiety include:

• sweating
• shortness of breath
• feeling dizzy
• increased heart rate
• shaking or trembling

It is natural for people to experience anxiety. When a person feels anxious continuously, and this gets in the way of daily life, they may wish to talk with a doctor about anxiety disorders.

If a person feels anxiety on most days for 6 months or more, a doctor may diagnose them with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

A person may have a specific anxiety disorder or a phobia if their anxiety is specific to certain situations, such as social contact or unhygienic places.

Learn more about the types of anxiety and their symptoms here.

Treatment

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are treatable. Possible options include:

• Lifestyle changes: Resolving the cause of anxiety, which may be lifestyle factors, relationships, drugs, or alcohol, may reduce symptoms.
• Psychotherapy: Talking therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT) are effective at treating many anxiety disorders.
• Medication: Doctors may prescribe medications such as beta-blockers to treat anxiety.

Discover more treatments for anxiety here.

Chronic stress

Stress is a natural response to a perceived threat. However, continual stress can affect the mind and body.

People with chronic or extreme stress can have many different symptoms, as stress affects the immune system, nervous system, hormones, and heart functioning.

Other symptoms of chronic stress can include:

• a lack of energy
• digestive problems, such as diarrhea and constipation
• insomnia, or difficulty sleeping
• anxiety
• muscle pain or stiffness
• headaches

Discover more about chronic stress here.

Treatment

Treatment will start with identifying what stressors are causing the condition. From here, a person may be able to take steps to reduce the influence of these stressors. However, not all causes of stress are within a person’s control.

If possible, people may be able to reduce their exposure to stressors. However, this is not always possible. Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help people manage their response to stressors.

Many traditional and alternative therapies exist to help manage or alleviate stress.

• resolving sources of conflict
• regular exercise
• practicing exercises for mindfulness and stress release, such as yoga
• seeking support

Learn more about stress management here.

Lack of sleep

Proper, regular sleep is important for mental and physical health. Sleep deprivation can increase a person’s risk of developing physical and mental health problems.

Common symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation, or a lack of adequate sleep, include:

• stomach discomfort
• high blood pressure
• joint pain
• daytime sleepiness
• fatigue
• difficulty concentrating or completing tasks
• irritability and anxiety
• more frequent infections and longer healing time
• depression

Treatment

Common ways to improve sleep deprivation include:

• develop a regular sleep schedule
• remove any sources of distraction from the bedroom
• treat conditions that hinder sleep, such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and anxiety
• limit caffeine intake

Why is sleep so important for good health? Learn more here.

Poor diet and dehydration

Dehydration and malnutrition or having a poor diet, put stress on the body. A chronic lack of proper nutrients and hydration can cause many problems, including:

• feeling sick
• vomiting
• chronic fatigue and weakness
• dizziness or light-headedness
• difficulty concentrating
• poor immune health and extended healing time
• weight loss

Treatment

There is no single amount of plain water a person should drink daily. Recommendations for daily water intake differ depending on a person’s age, sex, pregnancy status, and illness. However, some health professionals recommend around 6-8 glasses of water per day.

If a person feels persistently dehydrated despite adequate fluid intake, they should visit their doctor

To treat and prevent malnutrition, people should eat a balanced diet rich in various nutrient-dense foods.

Alcohol, caffeine, drugs, or medications

Alcohol, caffeine, recreational drugs, and many prescription medications can affect a person’s physical health.

For example, some anticancer drugs cause sickness, and alcohol consumption can affect sleep and cause gastrointestinal diseases.

Treatment

If a prescription medication is causing a person to feel sick, they should speak with their doctor to discuss alternatives or supplementary treatments.

In cases of caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drug use, reducing consumption or abstinence can often improve symptoms.

Learn more about detoxing from alcohol here.

Seeking help for addiction may seem daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support. If you believe that you or someone close to you is showing signs of addiction, you can contact the following organizations for immediate help and advice:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 800-662-4357 (TTY: 800-487-4889)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

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Pregnancy

During pregnancy, a person may feel sick due to morning sickness. Despite its name, this can occur at any time of the day.

Learn more in our dedicated pregnancy and parenthood hub here.

People who always feel sick are more likely to have to skip work or school, or they may be less able to perform day-to-day activities. This is especially true when a person has a chronic condition.

Chronic conditions can also cause anxiety and interfere with activities that are important to good health, such as proper sleep, exercise, and socializing.

Though the specific complications depend on the cause, a person who feels sick all the time and whose symptoms do not improve may develop depression, anxiety, or fatigue.

Anyone who feels sick for more than a week or two should seek medical attention. A doctor can figure out the cause of the sickness and provide treatment.

A doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes or therapies that can reduce symptoms.

Talking with a doctor about prolonged sickness is also important so they can rule out or treat underlying medical conditions.

It is common for people to feel sick, and it is not a cause for concern. Symptoms are often self-limiting and may resolve independently or with minor home treatments.

However, feeling sick continuously can signal an underlying health condition. Treating these conditions will often resolve sickness symptoms.

People may feel sick due to medical conditions, environmental factors or unhealthy habits

Rest, adequate hydration, and dietary changes can treat many short-term causes of sickness. However, when symptoms result from a chronic condition, treating the underlying cause is necessary to resolve symptoms.

Chronic fatigue syndrome | Family Doctor

Loss of strength, weakness, lethargy, fatigue, impotence, “woke up and was already tired”, drowsiness, “I don’t feel rested after a good sleep”, decreased concentration, memory impairment, etc. A significant proportion of people who consult an endocrinologist or other doctors experience these or similar symptoms. The latter are not specific, because they can be with a variety of diseases and conditions.

Let’s figure out what common endocrine diseases can cause symptoms of chronic fatigue.

With a decrease in thyroid function (hypothyroidism):

a breakdown is often combined with dry skin, hair loss, swelling of the face, hands and lower extremities, constipation, chilliness, memory impairment; in women – with a violation of the menstrual cycle.

With an excess of thyroid hormones in the blood (thyrotoxicosis):

weakness and fatigue are accompanied by constant heart palpitations, increased excitability and sweating, trembling of the hands and / or body, sleep disturbances, weight loss with increased appetite, in some cases with protrusion, pain and redness of the eyeballs.

For high blood glucose (type 1 diabetes):

patients complain of thirst, frequent urination, dry mouth, itchy skin, changes in visual acuity, weight loss with increased appetite. In type 2 diabetes, such symptoms occur much less frequently, since they develop only with severe decompensation of carbohydrate metabolism several years after the onset of the disease. With a moderate increase in blood glucose, in most cases there are no symptoms.

Phosphorus-calcium metabolism disorders

It is possible to suspect violations of phosphorus-calcium metabolism in persons with general and muscle weakness, bone pain, low mood, with complaints of thirst, frequent urination, vomiting and diarrhea (not due to other causes), urolithiasis, frequent recurrence of gastric and duodenal ulcers, low-traumatic (occurred with minimal trauma) fractures, muscle cramps, with chronic kidney disease, long-term use of glucocorticosteroids, with low or no insolation, including people who completely cover themselves with clothes for religious or national reasons or do not leave the house.

Testosterone deficiency

Testosterone deficiency in men is also often accompanied by fatigue, mood lability with a tendency to depression, decreased sex drive, memory impairment, hot flashes, excessive sweating, palpitations, decreased muscle mass, and sleep disorders.

Adrenal insufficiency

In adrenal insufficiency, asthenia is always accompanied by weight loss, loss of appetite, and orthostatic hypotension (darkening of the eyes and/or dizziness when standing up). In addition, cravings for salty foods and darkening of skin folds and postoperative sutures may appear.

Hypercortisolism

Hypercortisolism (excess production of cortisol by the adrenal glands) is characterized by muscle weakness in the arms and legs, weight gain with predominant deposition of fat on the body with relatively thin limbs, the appearance of bright purple, wide (usually more than 1 cm wide) stretch marks on the skin, increased blood pressure, carbohydrate metabolism disorders (impaired carbohydrate tolerance or type 2 diabetes), sexual dysfunction, decreased body resistance to infections.

If you have noted a combination of asthenic symptoms with the above manifestations, contact an endocrinologist. The specialist will help eliminate endocrine disorders and normalize hormone levels, if necessary.

To prevent endocrine diseases, consume iodized salt with food, consume dairy products daily, maintain a normal and stable weight, sleep well (at least 7-8 hours a day), do aerobic exercise, walk in the fresh air, take prophylactic doses of vitamin D.

You can sign up for a consultation with an endocrinologist and get all the answers you need on the diagnosis of endocrine diseases by calling in Moscow +7 (495) 775 75 66

Prepared information for you:

Grechkina Alla Pavlovna – endocrinologist. Conducts a reception in the building of the clinic on Ozerkovskaya.

Depressive triad, main symptoms of depression

Author

Irina Korobkova

Head of the Department of Post-Stress Conditions and Sleep Disorders

Chief Specialist of the Network

Candidate of Medical Sciences

Psychiatrist

Creation date: 2017.01.26

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Depression is a mental disorder, that is, a disease. And in this, depression differs from a simple state of dissatisfaction that can occur in every person. Our emotional perception is uneven, and this is normal. Periods of bad mood are acceptable and understandable, especially when there is an objective reason for this. But usually periods of depression and sadness are not too long, there will definitely be something to rejoice at, and our emotional background rises. But if you feel that in this situation you should be happy, but it doesn’t work out, if gloomy thoughts don’t leave you, if you don’t want to do anything – there is neither mental nor physical strength, then it is very likely that you have depression.

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Causes of depression

Depression results from a combination of social, biological, and psychological factors.

Depression

There are psychological types who are more likely to develop depression. If a person has excessive demands on himself, is inclined to scrupulously maintain order, wants his actions to always fully correspond to his understanding of correctness, then, faced with circumstances that do not allow him to follow a given high standard, such a person is inclined to experience the deformation of the picture of the world he created is especially tragic. At risk are also people with low self-esteem, prone to constant worries and insecure.

biological factors include heredity, head injuries, side effects of certain medications. Contribute to the development of depression can be a lack of hormones, hypovitaminosis. Among the causes are also called chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbance.

The group of social factors includes causes that can be interpreted as a trigger for depression. It is because of specific events that a person sinks into depression, but this is possible if other (biological and psychological) factors are added to the social cause. Among the social factors are stress (frequent stressful situations), negative relationships in the family or at work (for children – at school), abrupt changes in life, precedents of abuse or sexual harassment.

Symptoms of depression

The clinical picture of depression is formed by a complex of symptoms called depressive triad . This:

Decreased mood

The mood is usually characterized as anxious, depressed, oppressed, melancholy. Such a state can be defined as anhedonia – loss of the ability to experience joy. In depression, a person constantly experiences dissatisfaction. Sometimes it is directed outward and manifests itself as irritability, sometimes it is directed at oneself, and then the person is engaged in self-flagellation, feels a sense of guilt.

Decreased mental activity

Guilt would crush a person – with depression, thoughts of suicide sometimes really arise, but suicide attempts are extremely rare, since there is no acuteness of experiences. Psychological reactions are slowed down, smoothed out. A person becomes apathetic, perceiving what is happening to him more and more indifferently and indifferent to what is happening around him. He experiences difficulties in engaging in purposeful activities, eschews communication. It is difficult for him to concentrate, to make any decisions whatsoever.

Decreased physical activity

A person simply does not have the strength to perform any actions, including the most necessary ones. Appetite disappears. The person stops taking care of himself. It is difficult for him to leave the house. Movements become slow, reactions are inhibited. Depression is characterized by sleep disturbances: either increased drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia.

Methods for diagnosing depression

Depression is diagnosed if the complex of symptoms persists for more than 2 weeks. At the same time, it is believed that there should be at least 5 symptoms, which must include either a depressed mood, or a loss of a sense of pleasure or interest in life.

Psychotherapeutic testing

Depression is diagnosed by a psychotherapist or psychiatrist on the basis of a patient interview using special tests. Tests can also help determine the severity of depression.

To accurately diagnose the disease, make an appointment with the specialists of the Family Doctor network.

Treatments for depression

Various methods, as well as their combination, can be used in the treatment of depression. The more severe the depression, the more important is the use of drug therapy. However, the use of medications is not always necessary. In some cases, the effect can be achieved with the help of psychotherapy. Physiotherapy can also be used to treat depression.

In order to prevent depression, doctors recommend taking walks in the fresh air. It is especially important to catch fine days in the autumn-winter period.

Psychotherapeutic methods

Depression can be treated with individual and group methods. Effective family therapy. Rational psychotherapy can be combined with suggestive (based on suggestion).

Physiotherapy

The complex of physiotherapeutic methods for the treatment of depression includes physiotherapy exercises, massage, electrosleep, oxygen therapy, darsonvalization of the face and scalp.