Fatigue and cures Fatigue, also referred to as tiredness, exhaustion, lethargy, and listlessness, describes a physical and/or mental state of being tired and weak. Although physical and mental fatigue are different, the two often exist together - if a person is physically exhausted for long enough, they will also be mentally tired. When somebody experiences physical fatigue, it means they cannot continue functioning at their normal levels of physical ability. Mental fatigue, however, is more slanted towards feeling sleepy and being unable to concentrate properly. Fatigue is a symptom, rather than a sign. A symptom is something the patient feels and describes, such as a headache or dizziness, while a sign is something the doctor can detect without talking to the patient, such as a rash. Fatigue is a non-specific symptom, i.e. it may have several possible causes. Mental and physical fatigue Physical fatigue - the persons muscles cannot do things as easily as they used to. Climbing stairs or carrying laden supermarket bags may be much harder than before. Physical fatigue is also known as muscle weakness, weakness, or lack of strength. Doctors usually carry out a strength test as they go about diagnosing and trying to find out the causes of individual cases of physical fatigue. Psychological (mental) fatigue - concentrating on things has become harder. When symptoms are severe the patient might not want to get out of bed in the morning, or perform his/her daily activities. Mental fatigue often appears together with physical fatigue in patients, but not always. People may feel sleepy, have a decreased level of consciousness, and in some cases show signs similar to that of an intoxicated state. Mental fatigue may be life threatening, especially when the sufferer has to perform some tasks, such as driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery. Fatigue among training doctors is a serious public health concern; both for the health of the junior doctor and patients under their responsibility. What are the signs and symptoms of fatigue? The main symptom of fatigue is exhaustion (severe fatigue) after a physical or mental activity. The patient does not feel refreshed after resting or sleeping. Severe fatigue may undermine the persons ability to carry out their usual activities. Patients describe fatigue, especially chronic fatigue (chronic fatigue syndrome) as overwhelming, and describe the tiredness as completely different from what they have experienced before - not a result of overdoing things, but simply a loss of motivation. Fatigue is a common symptom among people with clinical depression. Some people find symptoms get worse after exercise - known as post-exertional malaise, or payback. Sometimes post-exertional malaise may not emerge until several hours after the exercise; sometimes even a day later. Fatigue signs and symptoms may be of a physical, mental or emotional nature. Below is a list of some more possible signs and symptoms: Bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, possibly problems similar to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) Aching or sore muscles Painful lymph nodes Apathy, lack of motivation Chronic (long-term) tiredness Difficulty in concentrating Dizziness Hallucinations Hand-to-eye coordination may be impaired Headache Impaired judgment Indecisiveness Irritability Loss of appetite Moodiness Poorer immune system function Short-term memory impairment - there may be problems organizing thoughts and finding the right words to say (brain fog) Sleepiness, drowsiness Slow responses to stimuli Slower-than-normal reflexes Some vision problems, such as blurriness
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 01:16:27 +0000