Severe weakness: causes, symptoms and treatment. General weakness Physical weakness

General weakness - an individual well-being of a person, indicating a lack of strength to engage in daily duties and activities, performing which a person does not experience difficulty. After an outdoor activity or a hard day at work, feeling tired is quite natural. Emotional or physical weakness is common. After resting, you can easily replenish your energy supply.

If you often get very tired, feel tired, you have a reason to worry. In the case where weakness is the only symptom, it is very difficult to determine the primary source. One of the most common causes is hypodynamia, that is, low activity and lack of constant physical activity.

Weakness can be the result of physical or emotional problems.

Causes and mechanism of general weakness

Weakness can be a symptom of a state of lack of sleep, poisoning, dangerous work, malnutrition, loss of physical fitness, dehydration, depression.

General weakness may be a sign of diseases such as:

• lack or excess of sleep;
• anemia;
• heart disease;
• alcohol addiction;
• infections (acute and chronic);
• underactive thyroid gland;
• diabetes.

In most cases, these diseases manifest symptoms such as nausea, respiratory failure, temperature sensitivity, muscle pain, weight loss.

Manifestation of symptoms of weakness

Accompanying symptoms:

• distraction of attention;
• memory impairment;
• violation of concentration;
• difficulty in verbal expression;
• drop in productivity;
• overwork;
• bad intelligence.

The general mental state of the patient falls, irritability appears. The mood is constantly changing.

Independent actions in case of manifestation of symptoms of general weakness

Before visiting a doctor, analyze your condition and consider whether it is possible to eliminate the symptoms yourself by observing the following measures:

• Drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
• Lose excess weight.
• Limit your intake of fatty foods.
• Get out into nature more often, breathe fresh air.
• Do not smoke or drink alcohol.
• Solve all the problems that are bothering you.
• Make sure the symptoms are not a side effect of the medications you are taking.
• Follow your daily routine and sleep patterns.
• Organize your holiday, relax.
• Go in for sports.

Symptoms that should see a doctor

Contact a medical facility if, along with weakness, you experience symptoms such as:

• shortness of breath and cough;
• muscle pain and cramps;
• fever, chills;
• mental disorders, depression;
• indigestion;
• loss of consciousness;
• sudden weight loss;
• poor appetite.

Weakness in the body - a decrease in the strength or activity of the muscles with the maximum effort of a person. This condition occurs against the background of some mental, autoimmune or genetic disorders, as well as from severe physical or emotional stress. It is imperative to identify the causes of occurrence, since this condition leads to a decrease in the quality of life and a decrease in immunity, which further contributes to a more rapid course of inflammatory or infectious diseases.

Weakness during pregnancy will be observed throughout the entire period, and during menstruation - a few days before the onset, less often during the entire process.

Each person will describe the manifestation of weakness in the body in different ways. For some, this is a strong overwork, for others it is a feeling that the head is spinning and attention is scattered. In the medical field, weakness is the lack of energy to perform certain actions that a person was previously able to perform without much effort.

Weakness is different. If it came on suddenly, this suggests that perhaps some disease is occurring in the human body, and if gradually, then other circumstances serve as factors of occurrence, including weakness during pregnancy or menstruation. The main symptoms that accompany weakness are a constant feeling that the head is spinning, nausea. Also, the course of such a condition is accompanied by signs that are observed during menstruation.

Etiology

Disorders that can cause persistent weakness include:

• infectious diseases, for example, or;
• caused by a glut of alcoholic beverages, smoking, narcotic substances or chemical compounds;
• vitamin deficiency;
• oncological neoplasms;
• a wide range of blood diseases;
• consequences after surgery;
• . Often, the representatives of the weaker sex are tormented by weakness in the body a few days before the onset of menstruation and all the time during this process;
• - with such a violation of blood circulation, weakness in the upper limbs is observed;
• disorders of the central nervous system;
• - an autoimmune disorder characterized by weakness in the arms;
• leads to weakness in the lower extremities;
• lack of iron in the body;

In addition, weakness can be caused by such reasons as:

• adherence to strict diets in which a person deprives his body of vitamins and nutritious minerals;
• emotional overstrain;
• performing too intense physical activity;
• irrational daily routine, when a person leaves too little time for rest or suffers from insomnia;
• prolonged exposure to cold or hot temperatures;
• eating large amounts of food, especially before bedtime, can cause weakness after eating, this is due to the fact that the whole body is focused on digesting food, but, despite severe weakness, overeating leads to insomnia;
• certain environmental conditions, such as low or high humidity or pressure.

Feeling dizzy accompanies almost all of the above causes.

In most cases, the above causes begin to appear in a person over forty years of age. If this symptom is expressed in an infant or young children, this indicates various pathologies of the nervous system.

Separately, it is worth considering weakness during pregnancy. A woman's body undergoes many changes during this time. There is a slowdown in the functioning of some organs and systems so that a woman can bear and give birth to a healthy child. In this case, constant weakness is not only the cause of the appearance, but also the main symptom that accompanies the expectant mother throughout the entire period, up to childbirth. In addition, the woman will be disturbed by constant bouts of nausea and the feeling that her head is spinning.

Symptoms

The manifestations of such a state for each person will be different, and depend on what served as a factor in the occurrence. With infections and inflammations, weakness manifests itself sharply and increases depending on how the disease proceeds. Constant weakness in the body is characterized by:

• or ;
• loss of interest in daily activities, work, life;
• decrease in concentration;
• constant distraction;
• loss of appetite;
• increased sweating;
• the appearance of swelling;
• the appearance of bleeding during brushing your teeth;
• the acquisition of pallor of the skin;
• often there is brittle nails and increased hair loss - occur due to a lack of vitamins in the body;
• a change in body weight (in any direction) and taste preferences indicates that a person has a disrupted functioning of the endocrine system;
• constant feeling of dizziness. Weakness and dizziness let a woman or girl know that menstruation will soon come. In some cases, such signs do not go away with the onset of menstruation, and sometimes disappear some time after their completion.

Nausea and weakness are the first signs that a woman may be pregnant. Such symptoms can occur both in the early and late stages, and may accompany the woman throughout the pregnancy. Weakness during pregnancy can be eliminated - it is only necessary to provide a woman with peace and normalize nutrition.

Diagnostics

Due to the fact that weakness in the body can occur for absolutely any reason, the patient should undergo a complete examination by specialists from several fields of medicine, in particular,. In addition, it is necessary to provide complete information about the possible causes of occurrence, what symptoms bother the patient and how strongly they are expressed. The nature of the onset of weakness will tell a specialist a lot, because with certain diseases it appears unexpectedly and develops quickly.

After that, the doctor needs to get acquainted with the full list of diseases that have ever occurred in the patient, since they may hide the cause of weakness. In addition, the patient will need to pass for general and biochemical studies, as well as undergo hardware studies, which are prescribed depending on what worries the patient and what symptoms prevail. Diagnosis of weakness during pregnancy is of a separate nature, since some activities are prohibited for a woman at this time.

Treatment

Methods for eliminating permanent weakness in the body depend entirely on the causes of its occurrence. In cases where the onset of menstruation became the reason for the manifestation, the woman or girl needs to be provided with peace. With pronounced pain in the abdomen, painkillers are prescribed. But in no case should you apply heat to the stomach or take hot baths - this can cause bleeding.

During weakness during pregnancy, a woman needs to eat as much vitamins and calcium as possible. This will save her not only from constant weakness, but also from the feeling that her head is spinning. Weakness after eating can be easily eliminated by normalizing nutrition (eat in small portions five times a day). Other treatments consist of:

• normalization of the daily routine - it is necessary to rest as much as the body requires;
• avoiding overeating, especially before bed, because it can cause weakness after eating;
• avoiding stressful situations or unpleasant communication;
• constant control of blood pressure;
• rational and timely treatment of all diseases that can cause weakness and nausea;
• strengthening immunity.

Weakness- this is a subjective feeling of lack of energy in everyday situations. Complaints of weakness usually arise when actions that are still familiar and natural suddenly begin to require special efforts.

Weakness is often accompanied by symptoms such as distraction, drowsiness, or muscle pain.

Fatigue at the end of a day's work or after doing a lot of hard work is not a weakness, because such fatigue is natural to the body. Normal fatigue disappears after rest, healthy sleep and a well-spent weekend help a lot. But if sleep does not bring cheerfulness, and a person, having just woken up, already feels tired, then there is a reason to consult a doctor.

Causes of Weakness

Weakness can be caused by a number of reasons, including:

• . Often weakness is caused by a lack of vitamin B12, which is essential for the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes) and the prevention of anemia, and is also important for cell growth. Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to the development, which is considered the most common cause of general weakness. Another vitamin whose deficiency leads to weakness is vitamin D. This vitamin is produced by the body when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, in autumn and winter, when the daylight hours are short and the sun is not shown often, a lack of vitamin D can be the cause of weakness;
• . Weakness can occur with either an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). In hypothyroidism, as a rule, there is weakness in the arms and legs, which is described by patients as "everything falls out of hand", "legs give way." With hyperthyroidism, general weakness is observed against the background of other characteristic symptoms (nervous excitability, hand trembling, fever, heart palpitations, weight loss while maintaining appetite);
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• chronic fatigue syndrome, indicating extreme depletion of vitality;
• celiac enteropathy (gluten disease) - the inability of the intestines to digest gluten. If at the same time a person consumes products made from flour - bread, pastries, pasta, pizza, etc. - manifestations of indigestion (flatulence, diarrhea) develop, against which constant fatigue is observed;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• oncological diseases. In this case, weakness is usually accompanied by subfebrile temperature;
• lack of fluid in the body. Weakness often comes in summer during hot weather, when the body loses a lot of water, and it is not possible to restore the water balance in time;
• certain medications (antihistamines, antidepressants, beta-blockers).

Also, an attack of weakness can be in the case of:

• injuries (with large blood loss);
• brain injury (in combination with neurological symptoms);
• menses;
• intoxication (including with an infectious disease, for example).

Weakness and dizziness

Dizziness quite often occurs against the background of general weakness. A combination of these symptoms can be observed in the case of:

• disorders of cerebral circulation;
• a sharp increase or decrease in blood pressure;
• oncological diseases;
• stress;
• in women - during menstruation or.

Weakness and drowsiness

Patients often complain that they want to fall asleep, but there is not enough strength for normal life activities. The combination of weakness and drowsiness is possible for the following reasons:

• lack of oxygen. The urban atmosphere is poor in oxygen. Constant stay in the city contributes to the development of weakness and drowsiness;
• lower atmospheric pressure and magnetic storms. People who are sensitive to weather changes are called weather dependent. If you are weather dependent, bad weather can be the cause of your weakness and drowsiness;
• avitaminosis;
• poor or malnutrition;
• hormonal disorders;
• alcohol abuse;
• chronic fatigue syndrome;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• other diseases (including infectious ones - in the early stages, when other symptoms have not yet appeared).

Weakness: what to do?

If weakness is not accompanied by any disturbing symptoms, you can improve your well-being by following these recommendations:

• provide yourself with a normal sleep duration (6-8 hours a day);
• follow the daily routine (go to bed and get up at the same time);
• try not to be nervous, relieve yourself of stress;
• engage in physical education, provide yourself with optimal physical activity;
• spend more time outdoors;
• optimize nutrition. It should be regular and balanced. Eliminate fatty foods. If you are overweight, try to get rid of it;
• make sure to drink enough water (at least 2 liters per day);
• quit smoking and limit your alcohol intake.

When should you see a doctor for weakness?

If the weakness does not go away within a few days, or, moreover, lasts more than two weeks, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Severe weakness is a phenomenon that almost every person has experienced at least once in their life. To identify the cause of weakness, you need to contact a local therapist who will diagnose and be able to prescribe a course of treatment.

What to do if the feeling of weakness does not leave

Severe weakness and dizziness most often occur with a cold. Treatment must be started immediately, since the flu or a cold can lead to various complications. Weakness in the body can increase with the development of an infectious process.

Important! To get rid of the feeling of weakness in the body, it is necessary to identify the cause of the problem and conduct an appropriate course of therapeutic measures.

Before starting the treatment process, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of the following factors:

• how long the feeling of a weakened body does not leave;
• whether this feeling appeared due to psychological stress or physical exertion;
• Is the problem affected by the weather?
• whether weakness is accompanied by manifestations of the disease;
• Have you taken any medications before?

One way or another, in order to identify the true cause of weakness, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will conduct a full diagnosis of the whole organism.

The main causes of body fatigue

Such a terrible condition often manifests itself with vegetative-vascular dystonia, bleeding from hemorrhoids, gastrointestinal tract, etc., as well as with any traumatic injuries and neurological disorders. Weakness throughout the body in women can manifest itself during the discharge during the menstrual cycle. And also this condition is possible during the period of bearing a child. Weakness can also be caused by gastrointestinal diseases.

Important! Dizziness and weakness of the whole body can be caused by emotional or physical overload. In this case, to get rid of them, it is enough to sleep well and rest. If headache and weakness do not go away for a long time, experts advise changing the diet to one that will contain foods containing vitamins.

A list of the main reasons that can contribute to the appearance of weakness:

1. lack of sleep, irregular or malnutrition;
2. dehydration of the body;
3. physical or psychological stress for several days;
4. abuse of drugs, in particular: medicines for colds, antihistamines, sleeping pills or sedatives.

If the body is exhausted for a long time, this phenomenon should not be ignored. It is necessary to undergo a medical examination, during which it will be possible to identify the cause of its appearance. Based on the data obtained, an adequate course of treatment is prescribed.

Chronic fatigue and weakness of the body can be a symptom of a serious illness or a consequence of any pathological condition, namely:

• cancer disease;
• alcoholism;
• diabetes;
• a number of cardiovascular diseases;
• insomnia;
• anemia, thyroid disease;
• developing arthritis and rheumatic pathologies.

As a rule, the list of the above diseases is accompanied by a number of additional symptoms.

Symptoms of a weakened body

As a rule, most people initially complain that there is no strength to perform ordinary household chores, there is a strong lethargy, while you want to sleep all day and you can fall off your feet. Many patients also complain of excessive sweating, decreased appetite, difficulty with memory and concentration, and trouble falling or having poor quality sleep.

If the weakening is accompanied by fever, nausea, or aching bones, it can be assumed that the person has caught some kind of infectious disease. If it is the flu, the patient feels a sore throat, while coughing strongly and often, and also has a headache and other manifestations. With a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, a sharp weakness appears immediately after poisoning and does not go away throughout the day. In this case, the symptoms are combined with nausea, vomiting and other signs characteristic of this condition. With bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract, an admixture of blood in the feces is possible, sharp pain sensations of a certain localization.

With vegetative-vascular dystonia, a person's blood pressure decreases, sweating increases, and a feeling of weakness appears in the morning. With this disease, pain in the head is significantly manifested and accompanies throughout the day. Sometimes there is mild nausea, numbness or tingling in the limbs. In addition, a person’s muscles hurt, weakness in the arms and legs is very noticeable, and when the position of the body changes, dizziness occurs.

Important! Sudden weakness, as a rule, occurs in the morning and may be accompanied by a number of other symptoms. At the same time, a person does not have the strength to perform physical or mental activities.

A number of physical symptoms that may accompany a feeling of fatigue throughout the body are described below.

• Strong dizziness.
• Pronounced ringing in the ears, spasms.
• Aches of bones, pain in the abdomen and in the muscles of the whole body.
• Deterioration in the quality of sleep or even insomnia.
• Decreased appetite, fever, sweating.

In any case, this symptom is a signal of the appearance of some minor problem or serious illness. When the body weakens, a person’s speech can become slurred, and swallowing is difficult. Consciousness can be changed, while some crazy ideas appear. The person may faint.

Diagnosis of body fatigue

As already mentioned, only a specialist will be able to diagnose the body, as a result of which - to identify the true cause of the appearance of human fatigue. The appointment of a course of treatment should be carried out not only on the basis of patient complaints. If a person feels weak for a long time, it is necessary to diagnose with the help of special medical equipment.

To identify the cause of a weakened body will help:

• a general blood test that determines the level of hemoglobin in the blood, the number of immune cells in the body, the level of sugar;
• general urine analysis.

Sometimes, for a complete examination of the patient, instrumental diagnostics is used, namely: radiography, electrocardiography, MRI of the spine, brain, CT, ultrasound, as well as measurement of venous pressure. If a local area of ​​weakness is present, the patient's neuromuscular condition will be assessed.

Identifying the cause of a person's chronic fatigue can be a complex process. Based on the symptoms associated with the weakening of the body, the attending physician can conduct additional studies, namely: differential, neurological, laboratory, etc. Based on the indicators of certain tests, the doctor will be able to find out the cause of this problem and, accordingly, prescribe the necessary course of treatment and body rehabilitation.

Chronic fatigue treatment

For the treatment of long-term weakness, it is necessary to use drugs, the main purpose of which is to increase immunity. For example, Imupret, Echinacea. Mineral and vitamin complexes (Lavita, Complivit, Supradin, etc.) will be an excellent addition to the diet.

The weakness of the whole organism may appear due to a number of negative psychological factors that occur in the life of the patient. In this case, a person should reconsider his work schedule - allocate more time for proper rest, sign up for a massage, and also change the daily diet, which should contain a balanced and vitamin-rich food.

For example, in pregnant women, toxins are released from an unborn baby throughout the entire period of gestation. This causes nausea, dizziness and fatigue. It is important to know that in this case, most medicines will not help eliminate the lethargic condition. In addition, some of them are completely forbidden to use by women in position.

Regardless of the specifics of the symptoms and its complexity, you should immediately contact the doctor, because in order to treat the problem, it is necessary to initially identify the cause of its occurrence and purposefully influence it. Of course, if the weakness is not chronic, and a person feels it only occasionally or after physical overload, it is enough just to rest, without the use of any medications.

Each person periodically experiences fatigue or weakness, the causes of this unpleasant condition are different. A transferred viral disease can remind of itself for another two weeks and cause malaise. Also, lack of vitamins, especially at the end of winter and spring, provokes drowsiness and lethargy.

With weakness, other symptoms are often present, such as dizziness, rapid pulse, and drowsiness. Sometimes, it throws you into a fever, there is aches, trembling all over the body and sweating. If these manifestations are caused by overwork, lack of sleep, mental and emotional overstrain, good sleep, rest and positive emotions can successfully cope with them. The causes of systematic weakness in the body are alarming, and serve as a reason to consult a doctor.

Why weakness occurs

There are people who lead an active lifestyle, they do not tend to feel weak, drowsy, apathetic during the day. Some are accustomed to this state, endure and do not know how to deal with weakness. Perhaps you should reconsider the regimen of the day and nutrition. Often, fast food, overeating, eating a lot of fast carbohydrates (confectionery, mayonnaise, sugar, sweet carbonated drinks), take all the energy and are the reasons that cause weakness in the body. Also, insufficient physical activity provokes stagnation in all organs and systems, which causes a loss of vitality and strength. Alcohol, smoking have an extremely negative effect on the entire human body, can cause a number of diseases and provoke poor health. Abuse of diets and too strong physical activity, lead to an acute shortage of vitamins and minerals, cause weakness in the body. Stress, constant negative emotions, insomnia exhaust the nervous system and are a driving factor for chronic fatigue. These are states when general weakness becomes a companion of a person for a long time.

In the event that weakness in the body is constantly present, and proper sleep and rest do not bring relief, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination. There are many pathological conditions due to which all signs of a breakdown can appear.

As you can see, there are many reasons for weakness in the body. It is difficult to cope with symptoms on your own without the help of a doctor. It is extremely important to contact a specialist in time to help remove and remove tiresome manifestations.

Almost all human diseases are accompanied by weakness throughout the body. General malaise in combination with other symptoms is always a sure sign that something is wrong with the body and there is a struggle to overcome the disease.

Diabetes

This is an endocrine chronic disease. Absorption of glucose is impaired due to deficiency of the hormone insulin. As a result, the blood sugar content increases, which leads to a general weakness of the body. Other manifestations also appear, such as:

• Thirst, from which the patient does not know how to get rid of, cannot be quenched.
• Frequent and excessive urination.
• Strong appetite.
• Lethargy of the muscles.
• May hurt in the abdomen.
• Dry skin.
• Frequent thrush in women, in men balanoposthitis (inflammation of the foreskin).

An endocrinologist will help you cope with weakness and other signs of diabetes. Treatment mainly consists of a diet that excludes fast carbohydrates and herbal medicine. Also, the doctor may recommend light physical activity. If, nevertheless, elevated sugar does not return to normal, drugs are connected.

Important! In moderate and severe forms of diabetes, you have to get rid of persistent high blood sugar with the help of insulin preparations. You shouldn't be afraid of this. Injectable insulin is a unique tool that makes it possible to avoid severe consequences that may result from improper treatment of the disease.

hyperthyroidism

This is a chronic disease of the thyroid gland, in which its function increases. An increased amount of hormones is produced that regulates almost all vital processes in the body. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• The patient may often be thrown into a fever.
• Sweating increases.
• Constant weakness.
• Breakage and hair loss.
• It often happens that a sudden onset of cheerfulness is abruptly changed by severe fatigue.
• Trembling in limbs.
• Various disorders of the nervous system. Patients do not understand what to do in stressful situations and they are hard to endure.

The thyroid gland is treated by an endocrinologist. Medications or traditional medicine will help get rid of weakness and other symptoms of the disease. Sometimes you have to resort to surgical intervention. It is very important to recognize the symptoms of the disease in time to avoid complications. Why hyperthyroidism arose, and for what reason the doctor will figure it out. He will select the appropriate treatment and explain how to cope with the consequences of the disease, if they have already appeared in the body.

How to treat weakness with folk remedies

The reasons for weakness are varied. With obvious fatigue and drowsiness after a hard week of work, proper rest and sleep will help. When chronic weakness occurs, and no pathologies are observed in the body, herbal remedies rich in vitamins and other valuable beneficial substances can significantly alleviate the condition. For example, nettle, linden, St. John's wort and chamomile.

All herbs can be taken as a tea. You need to take 1 tablespoon of any of the above herbs, pour 200 milliliters of boiling water. Leave for 30 minutes, strain, bring boiled water to the original volume. Take 1/3 cup three times a day half an hour before meals.

If weakness is caused by hypovitaminosis, then the situation can be corrected with the help of freshly squeezed juices from various fruits and vegetables. Apples and all citrus fruits are especially invigorating. In the spring, you can draw vitamins from dried fruits.

The treatment of weakness, which is caused by emotional overstrain, is aimed at restoring the nervous system. And these are moderate physical activity, water procedures, normal sleep, a balanced daily routine and walks in the fresh air.