Fatigue is a subjective feeling of fatigue that is different from weakness, and has a gradual onset. Unlike weakness, fatigue can be reduced with rest periods. Fatigue can have physical or mental causes. Physical fatigue is a temporary inability of the muscles to maintain optimal physical performance, and is made worse with intense physical exercise. Mental fatigue is a temporary decrease in maximum cognitive performance resulting from prolonged periods of cognitive activity. It can manifest as somnolen, lethargy, or attention directed towards fatigue.
Medically, fatigue is a nonspecific symptom, which means that it has many possible causes and accompanies various conditions. Fatigue is considered a symptom, not a sign, because it is a subjective feeling reported by the patient, rather than an objective one can observe by others. Fatigue and 'feeling tired' are often confusing.
Video Fatigue (medical)
Classification
Physical exhaustion
Physical fatigue, or muscle fatigue, is a physical inability while the muscles to perform optimally. The onset of muscle fatigue during physical activity is gradual, and depends on the level of one's physical fitness, as well as on other factors, such as lack of sleep and overall health. It can be reversed with rest. Physical fatigue can be caused by a lack of energy in the muscles, by decreasing the efficiency of the neuromuscular junction or by the reduction of drives originating from the central nervous system. The main component of fatigue is triggered by increased serotonin levels in the central nervous system. During motor activity, serotonin is released in the synapses associated with motoneuron increasing muscle contraction. During high-level motor activity, the amount of serotonin released increases and spillover occurs. Serotonin binds to an extracinaptic receptor located in the early segment of the axon motoneuron with the result that the initiation of nerve impulses and thus muscle contraction is inhibited.
Muscle strength tests can be used to determine the presence of neuromuscular disease, but can not determine the cause. Additional tests, such as electromyography, can provide diagnostic information, but information obtained from muscle strength testing alone is not sufficient to diagnose most neuromuscular disorders.
People with multiple sclerosis experience a form of lethargy or extreme fatigue that can occur at any time of the day, for any duration, and it does not always appear in a recognizable pattern for each patient, referred to as "neurological fatigue".
Mental exhaustion
Mental fatigue is a temporary incapacity to maintain optimal cognitive performance. The onset of mental fatigue during cognitive activity is gradual, and depends on individual cognitive abilities, as well as on other factors, such as lack of sleep and overall health. Mental fatigue has also been shown to decrease physical performance. It can manifest as somnolen, lethargy, or attention directed towards fatigue. Reduced attention can also be described as a level of consciousness that is less or less. In any case, this can be dangerous when performing tasks that require constant concentration, such as operating a large vehicle. For example, a person who is sleepy may experience a microsleep. However, objective cognitive testing can be used to differentiate neurocognitive deficits of brain diseases from those caused by fatigue.
Perception of mental fatigue is believed to be modulated by the brain's reticular activation system (RAS).
Maps Fatigue (medical)
Comparison with drowsiness
Fatigue is generally considered more long-term than sleepy (somnolen). Although sleepiness can be a symptom of a medical problem, it usually results from poor sleep, or lack of stimulation. Chronic fatigue, on the other hand, is a symptom of a larger medical problem in many cases. It manifests in mental or physical exhaustion and inability to complete tasks on normal performance. Both are often used interchangeably and even categorized under the description of 'being tired.' Often fatigue is described as uncomfortable fatigue, while sleepiness feels comfortable and inviting.
Cause
Fatigue is a normal result of work, mental stress, overstimulation and understimulation, jet lag or active recreation, depression, boredom, illness and lack of sleep. There may also be chemical causes, such as poisoning, low blood sugar, or lack of minerals or vitamins. Chronic blood loss often results in fatigue, as do other conditions that cause anemia. Fatigue is different from drowsiness, where patients feel that sleep is needed. Fatigue is a normal response to physical activity or stress, but it can also be a sign of a physical disorder.
Temporary fatigue may be a mild illness like the common cold as one part of the disease behavior response that occurs when the immune system is fighting off infections.
Chronic fatigue
Prolonged fatigue is a self-reported, persistent (constant) fatigue lasting at least one month. Chronic fatigue is a self-reported fatigue lasting at least six consecutive months. Chronic fatigue can be persistent or recurrent. Chronic fatigue is a symptom of many diseases and conditions. Some of the major categories of conditions that feature fatigue include:
- Autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, SjÃÆ'¶gren syndrome, and spondyloarthropathy
- Blood disorders such as anemia and hemochromatosis
- Cancer, which in this case is called cancer fatigue
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
- Drug abuse includes alcohol abuse
- Depression and other mental disorders featuring depressed mood
- Developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder
- Eating disorders, which can cause fatigue due to inadequate nutrition
- Endocrine diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism
- Fibromyalgia
- Gulf War Syndrome
- Heart disease
- HIV
- Congenital metabolic error such as fructose malabsorption.
- Infectious diseases such as infectious mononucleosis.
- Irritated bowel syndrome
- Leukemia or lymphoma
- Failed heart
- Lyme disease
- Neurological disorders such as narcolepsy, Parkinson's disease and post-concussion syndrome
- Physical trauma and other pain-causing conditions, such as arthritis
- Lack of sleep or sleep disorder
- Spring fever
- Stroke
- Thyroid disease
- Uremia, caused by kidney disease
Fatigue can also be a side effect of certain drugs (eg, lithium salts, ciprofloxacin); beta blockers, which can lead to exercise intolerance; and many cancer treatments, especially chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Diagnosis
One study concluded that about 50% of people who experience fatigue receive a diagnosis that can explain fatigue after one year with the condition. In people who have a possible diagnosis, musculoskeletal (19.4%) and psychological problems (16.5%) are the most common. The exact physical condition is only found in 8.2% of cases.
If a person with fatigue decides to seek medical advice, his overall goal is to identify and rule out any treatable condition. This is done by considering a person's medical history, other existing symptoms, and evaluating the quality of the fatigue itself. The affected person may be able to identify patterns of fatigue, such as more fatigue at certain times, whether fatigue increases throughout the day, and whether fatigue is reduced after nap.
Because disturbed sleep is a significant contributor to fatigue, diagnostic evaluations consider sleep quality, people's emotional states, sleep patterns, and stress levels. The amount of sleep, hours set aside for sleep, and how many times a person wakes up at night is important. A sleep study may be ordered to rule out sleep disorders.
Depression and other psychological conditions can produce fatigue, so people reporting fatigue are routinely screened for this condition, along with drug abuse, poor diet, and lack of physical exercise, which paradoxically increases fatigue.
Basic medical tests can be performed to rule out common causes of fatigue. These include blood tests to check for infection or anemia, urinalysis to look for signs of liver disease or diabetes mellitus, and other tests to examine kidney and liver function, such as comprehensive metabolic panels. Other tests may be selected depending on the patient's social history, such as an HIV test or a pregnancy test.
Measurement
Fatigue can be measured quantitatively. Devices to measure medical fatigue have been developed by Japanese companies, among them Nintendo. However, such devices are not commonly used outside of Japan.
See also
- Cancer-related fatigue
- Fight stress reaction
- Attention focused attention
- Fatigue (security)
- Gaucher's Disease
- Hot pain
- Malaise
- Microsleep
- Presenteeism
- Lack of sleep while driving
References
Further reading
Byung-Chul Han: MÃÆ'¼digkeitsgesellschaft . Matthes & amp; Seitz, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-88221-616-5. (Philosophical essay on fatigue as a sociological problem and phenomenon).
- Danish edition: TrÃÆ'Â|thedssamfundet. MÃÆ'¸ller, 2012, ISBNÃ, 9788799404377.
- Dutch edition: De vermoeide samenleving. van gennep, 2012, ISBNÃ, 9789461640710.
- Italian edition: La societÃÆ' della stanchezza. nottetempo, 2012, ISBN 978-88-7452-345-0.
- Korean edition: ??? ?? | ??? ??. Moonji, 2011, ISBNÃ, 9788932023960.
- Spanish edition: La sociedad del cansancio. Herder Editorial, 2012, ISBN 978-84-254-2868-5.
External links
- Fatigue - Information for Patients, National Cancer Institute U.S.
- Information leaflets from the mental health charity The Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Is fatigue the actual medical diagnosis? from Slate.com
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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