What is chronic fatigue?
Fatigue is an unexplained, excessive tiredness in which you lack physical and emotional energy. You’re in an ongoing state of weariness that makes it hard or impossible to engage in activities because your motivation, concentration, and energy are depleted.
You have chronic fatigue when your fatigue lasts six months or longer. Patients with chronic fatigue often have other symptoms such as:
- General weakness and discomfort following activities
- Difficulty with memory or concentration
- Nonrestorative sleep
- Constantly tired
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Muscle weakness or aches
When your fatigue isn’t relieved by sleep, a healthy diet, exercise, or reducing stress, it’s time to consult with a specialist like Dr. Tolston who can determine and treat the cause of the problem.
What causes chronic fatigue?
Chronic fatigue has too many possible causes to provide a comprehensive list. Ongoing stress, emotional strain, taking medications, and mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, can all cause fatigue.
Virtually every type of health condition can cause fatigue, as your body uses extra energy and has higher nutritional needs when it fights infections and heals from disease or injury.
This list includes a few of the most common causes of chronic fatigue:
- Immune system disorders: allergies, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis
- Endocrine: anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and liver disease
- Infectious: influenza, infectious mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus
- Heart and lungs: asthma, COPD, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure
- Inflammatory skin conditions: psoriasis, eczema (atopic dermatitis)
When it comes to fatigue, two well-known conditions are:
Chronic fatigue syndrome
This condition is defined by extreme fatigue that worsens when you engage in activities that demand physical or mental energy. It’s accompanied by symptoms such as muscle pain, short-term memory problems, and difficulty concentrating.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is defined as body-wide pain and tenderness in your muscles and soft tissues. It’s accompanied by chronic fatigue that doesn’t get better with rest.
How is chronic fatigue diagnosed and treated?
Dr. Tolston takes a multi-system approach to health care, which means she carefully evaluates every part of your body to ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis. This type of medical care is essential when you have a problem like chronic fatigue that arises from many systems and has a body-wide impact.
Your treatment is customized to meet your needs. Dr. Tolston treats the underlying condition and works with you to find ways to improve your sleep, nutrition, and activity.
You don’t need to put up with chronic fatigue. Call Allergy Asthma and Immunology on Madison or book an appointment online for a thorough exam and personalized treatment.
