Constant fatigue can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'minor' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose constant fatigue, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
General Toxicity | 95% | Confirm |
Stress | 28% | Unlikely |
Congestive Heart Failure | 27% | Unlikely |
Hepatitis | 4% | Ruled out |
Manganese Need | 2% | Ruled out |
Sleep Apnea | 0% | Ruled out |
Hemochromatosis | 0% | Ruled out |
Male Menopause | 0% | Ruled out |
Do you have fatigue that is present most of the time, not improved by ordinary sleep? In other words, do you wake up tired or not have the energy to do what you want to, even after a good night of sleep?
Possible responses:
→ Don't know→ No → It is a slight problem but I function quite well → Moderate problem - I can not function sometimes → Major problem - I am unable to perform my duties |
Fatigue is the most common symptom of Anemia.
A British study of 71 healthy volunteers aged 21 to 76 found that a daily 30 minute program of yogic stretching and breathing exercises had an invigorating effect on mental and physical energy and mood.
An early symptom of congestive heart failure is fatigue.
Depression robs the brain of some of the chemicals needed for optimal function. Serotonin, for example, helps regulate the internal body clock. Depression can lead to decreased energy levels and daytime tiredness, as well as difficulty falling asleep at night. It can also cause us to wake up earlier in the morning than we had planned.
One study found that all those subjected to carb-free diet complained of fatigue after just two days. "This complaint was characterized by a feeling of physical lack of energy... The subjects all felt that they did not have sufficient energy to continue normal activity after the third day. This fatigue promptly disappeared after the addition of carbohydrate to the diet." [Arch Internal med 112(1963): p.333]
Daytime grogginess is a possible symptom of environmental illness.
Unusual and excessive sleepiness/fatigue is a symptom.
Fatigue can be one of the most debilitating symptoms experienced by people with HIV disease, as well as one of the most under-reported and under-recognized aspects. The rate of fatigue increases as the disease progresses and women are more likely to experience fatigue than men. HIV-positive men with CD4 cell counts below 500 cells/ml experienced more fatigue than men with CD4 cell counts above 500. However, studies so far have not found a consistent correlation between viral load and fatigue. The fatigue may be due to anemia, depression, the HIV virus, secondary infections, hormone deficiency (testosterone, adrenal exhaustion), malnutrition, poor sleep quality or quantity, inactivity, or drug side-effects.
Early symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include fatigue, anorexia, irritability, insomnia, and muscle tremors or twitching.
As nephrotic syndrome progresses, the patient feels increasingly weak and fatigued.
In individuals with sleep apnea, the brain detects that they are not getting rid of enough CO₂, so it wakes up briefly in an alarmed state. This happens repeatedly during the night, without the subject noticing, and results in an inability to achieve or maintain the deep stages of sleep. This can lead to unexplained daytime sleepiness and nonrestorative sleep. Patients often complain of waking up feeling like they had not slept at all, and often feel worse after taking a nap than before napping.
Phosphorus helps your body metabolize protein, fat and carbohydrates into energy. A lack of phosphorus can lead to lower energy levels and fatigue.
Many patients with even mild IgAN report extreme fatigue.