A weakening of the body may have various causes. The accompanying symptoms make it easier to find them. For example, weakness in the body and low body temperature suggest hypothyroidism. In turn, weakness of the body and drowsiness - even depression. However, weakness and dizziness may indicate anemia. Check what can be the causes of the weakness.

Weaknessin medical terminology means loss of muscle strength. However, the term "weakness" is also commonly used when a person feels generally weakened. But then it is about martyrdom.

Weakness is when patients complain of inability to perform certain activities. They may also report a heavy or stiff limb.

The weakness has a specific time course and / or anatomical location. Martyrdom, referred to as "weakness", seems to have no temporal (eg "tired all the time") or anatomical ("weak everywhere") pattern.

Complaints focus more on feeling tired than being unable to perform certain activities. The accompanying symptoms are often:

      • sleepiness
      • headaches
      • apathy
      • depressed mood

The cause of the weakeningmay be:

      • not getting enough sleep
      • bad diet
      • starving yourself
      • chronic stress
      • and even pregnancy

However, in some cases, weakness may indicate an illness.

In addition, weakness accompanies all chronic diseases, e.g. hypothyroidism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.

Weakness - causes. Infections

Weakness is caused by both acute and chronic infections - viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic. In the first case, one of the most common causes of weakness is a cold, flu.

Weakness also causes any chronic infection, e.g. HIV, hepatitis, mononucleosis.

Weakness - causes. Anemia

Anemia is a disease where the blood hemoglobin level or the number of red blood cells falls below normal.

This causes symptoms such as weakness, tiredness and weariness which do not go away afterrest.

Pale skin, prone to dryness, is also characteristic. Hair becomes dry, brittle and falls out.

Weakness - causes. Neoplastic diseases

Cancer related fatigue (CRF) is a persistent, subjective feeling of weakness or exhaustion related to cancer or its treatment that is not proportional to recent activity and that interferes with normal functioning.

This is a symptom commonly reported by patients. However, due to the little-known causes of this type of fatigue, the possibilities to combat it are so far limited. Most often it is not possible to eliminate it completely.

Weakness - causes. Cardiovascular diseases

Serious weakness, developing in minutes or less than usual, can even be caused by a stroke.

Sudden weakness, numbness, and pain confined to the limb may also be caused by ischemia.

Weakness may also indicate a previous heart attack. After a heart attack, the heart becomes weak. It does not pump blood efficiently enough, and this worsens circulation in the body.

The patient develops symptoms of circulatory failure:

  • shortness of breath
  • swelling of the limbs
  • weakness
  • deterioration of exercise tolerance

Weakness - causes. Thyroid diseases

Both in people with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, they struggle with weakness, problems with concentration, and cognitive disorders.

People with hypothyroidism also develop symptoms such as:

  • excessive sleepiness
  • weight gain
  • constipation

On the other hand, people with hyperthyroidism often have:

  • insomnia
  • increased appetite

Weakness - causes. Neurological diseases

For myopathy, i.e. a muscle disease involving disorders of muscle cell regeneration, weakening of the proximal muscles (arms, thighs) is characteristic.

Reaching up is impaired (e.g. the patient cannot comb his hair or lift weights above his head).

The patient has a problem with climbing stairs or getting up from a squat or sitting position.

In turn, polyneuropathy, as well as muscular dystrophy, is characterized by weakening of the distal muscles (hand, calves). Activities such as walking over a curb, holding a cup, writing, fastening a button or using a key.

Facial weakness and dysphagia (difficulty or inability to swallow)and double vision are symptoms of myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome or botulism.

Progressive limb weakness and fatigue, clumsiness, stiffness (legs first, then arms) suggest degenerative changes in vertebrae, epidural tumor, multiple sclerosis, vasculitis.

Weakness - causes. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The chronic fatigue syndrome consists of symptoms such as: headache, joint and muscle pain, malaise after exercise and lasting longer than 24 hours, significant deterioration of short-term memory or concentration disorders, sore throat, soreness lymph nodes. Speech and sensation disorders, nystagmus, muscle weakness or paresis (symptoms of focal lesions within the brain) may also appear.

Weakness - causes. Depression

Depression develops a long-lasting depression, slowing or paradoxically restlessness, inability to experience joy, prolonged anxiety and weakness.

Weakness - diagnosis

During the diagnosis, the doctor should look for symptoms suggestive for possible diseases, such as:

  • rash (dermatomyositis, Lyme disease, syphilis)
  • fever (chronic infection)
  • muscle pain (myositis)
  • neck pain (cervical myelopathy)
  • vomiting or diarrhea (botulism)
  • shortness of breath (heart failure, lung disease, anemia)
  • loss of appetite and weight loss (cancer or other chronic disease)
  • change in color of urine (liver or kidney disease)
  • heat or cold intolerance (thyroid disorder)
  • depressed mood
  • poor concentration, anxiety and loss of interest in normal activities (depression)

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