Many people take tiredness for granted.
After each day of hustle and bustle, they come home dog tired and ready
to hit the bed immediately.
Those who drive sometimes discover that
they are dozing off behind the steering; while those who commute in
commercial vehicles simply take to sleeping throughout the journey and
may have to be woken up at the last bus stop.
Tiredness is a part of the human nature,
no doubt; but when it becomes a way of life, such that you’re
perpetually fagged out, physicians are saying that there may be more to
it and that you may need to visit the hospital to ascertain the real
reasons behind your constant tiredness.
Symptoms of fatigue include weakness,
lack of energy, constant tiredness or exhaustion, lack of motivation,
difficulty concentrating, and/or difficulty starting and completing
tasks.
Of course, in general, though your
dietary habits, how much time you have for sleep and how much you
exercise can have serious impacts on your strength, General
Practitioner, Dr. Ismail Oluwadare, says your tiredness may be due to
underlying diseases that your body wants to draw your attention to.
He avers that though fatigue can occur in
normal, healthy individuals as a normal response to physical and mental
exertion, ‘normal fatigue’ may become abnormal if it becomes chronic,
extreme or prolonged.
Experts warn that any serious illness,
especially painful ones, can make you tired; while some quite minor
illnesses can also leave you feeling washed out.
What are those likely diseases? Let the physician answer.
Continue reading after the cut......
Anaemia
Oluwadare says anaemia – a medical
condition in which a person has fewer red blood cells than normal – can
be caused by many conditions and diseases such as iron deficiency, poor
diet and nutrition, cancers, bone marrow problems, and more.
He says anaemia can cause fatigue when there is less oxygen supply to your heart and muscles.
“Consequently, you have less energy to perform your usual activities,” the physician says.
He, however, warns that it is not
everyone who is tired that is also anaemic, as depression, emotional
stress, insomnia, physical exhaustion, and a variety of medical problems
might also be responsible for tiredness that won’t go.
Why is this medical emergency? Oluwadare
says as the number of your red blood cells drops further, you may
develop shortness of breath, lightheadedness (especially when you stand
up), rapid heartbeat, pale skin, marked weakness and difficulty
exercising.
“When anaemia becomes severe, it may lead
to lethargy and confusion; while those with pre-existing heart or lung
disease may suffer potentially life-threatening complications such as
congestive heart failure, chest pain (angina), or heart attack,” the
doctor explains.
Underactive thyroid
Scientists say the thyroid gland produces
the hormones that regulate how our cells use energy, all of which
determine our blood pressure, heart rate, and weight. However, when the
thyroid gland does not make enough of these important hormones, it will
affect the body’s ability to perform normal metabolic functions such as
efficient use of energy from foods, regulation of many chemical
reactions in the body, and maintenance of healthy cells, bones and
muscles, etc.
Common causes of hypothyroidism include
surgical removal of the thyroid, autoimmune diseases such as HIV/AIDS,
too much or too less iodine in the diet, and radiation treatment.
Experts say women over the age of 50 are more prone to hypothyroidism; and that once the condition sets in, it’s for life.
The symptoms of this condition include
tiredness, weight gain, constipation, aches, dry skin, lifeless hair,
heavier menstrual flow, feeling cold, hoarseness, puffiness of the face,
hands, and feet; slowed speech, decreased taste and smell, thin
eyebrows, thickened skin, and coma.
“That is why you cannot afford to ignore
unexplainable tiredness, especially after you have taken medications and
had enough rest,” Oluwadare counsels.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
This is sobering, because carbon monoxide
poisoning is now common all over the country and many people have died
because of it. In recent times, entire families have even died as a
result of it.
The most common source of carbon monoxide
poisoning that has led to overnight deaths is the generator fume. Other
sources are motor vehicle exhaust, smoke from fires, engine fumes, and
nonelectric heaters.
Experts say where generator fume doesn’t
kill outright or immediately, victims of regular exposure to it might
suffer from headache, dizziness, nausea, flu-like symptoms, fatigue,
shortness of breath on exertion, impaired judgment, chest pain,
drowsiness, seizure, fainting, etc.
Diabetes
This is a very debilitating disease in a
class of its own, what with the fact that it is a long-term condition
caused by too much sugar in the blood.
Diabetologist/Medical Director of Rainbow
Specialist Medical Centre, Dr. Afokoghene Isiavwe, says one of the main
symptoms of diabetes is feeling very tired.
“Regular tiredness, particularly tiredness following meals, is a common symptom of diabetes,” physicians warn.
Isiavwe says two common reasons for tiredness or lethargy are having too high or too low blood sugar levels.
In both cases, she notes, the tiredness
is the result of having an imbalance between one’s level of blood
glucose and the amount or effectiveness of circulating insulin.
Of course, not all tiredness is
occasioned by diabetes, but you must be concerned if your fatigue is
also accompanied by other notable symptoms such as urinating often,
feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry (even though you are eating),
extreme fatigue, blurry vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal,
weight loss (even though you are eating more (type 1), and tingling,
pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2).
The bottom line
While you may not turn yourself into
emotional wreck because you’re always tired, the most important is that
you see the doctor for diagnosis and treatment of a tiredness that you
can’t explain.
-Solaade Ayo-Aderele
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