Battling exhaustion and tiredness typically stems from how we live our lives or the daily stress we face, yet it might also be your body’s alarm bell that something’s amiss. When coupled with other telltale signs, it could signal one of nine severe health issues that warrant an urgent chat with your doctor.
Dr Angela Rai from The London General Practice shed light on when persistent tiredness might need professional medical intervention, telling PA: “Feeling tired is a normal part of life, but it can also be a symptom of illness. There are numerous causes of tiredness including poor sleep, dehydration and stress. The symptoms of ‘tired all the time’ (TATT) can be difficult to manage. However, seeing your doctor can help rule out more serious conditions.”
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This condition, which goes by the names chronic fatigue or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, has relentless exhaustion as its hallmark feature. Sufferers might also grapple with sleeplessness, mental fog and difficulties with memory.
The medical professional highlighted: “There may also be flu-like symptoms, fever, headaches and aching joints or muscles. It can be a difficult to diagnose, so expert opinion should be sought for guidance and management.”
Anaemia
According to the specialist, a lack of sufficient iron ranks amongst the most frequent culprits behind constant fatigue. Ladies experiencing heavy menstrual cycles face a heightened risk of developing anaemia owing to significant blood loss during their periods.
A simple blood test can easily spot this condition, and iron tablets typically do the trick for treatment. More serious cases might need iron infusions as part of the recovery process.
Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency
These essential vitamins are crucial for key bodily functions and keeping your nervous system ticking over properly. When you’re running low on them, you might find yourself absolutely shattered, plus dealing with nasty symptoms like a tender tongue, mouth ulcers and that annoying pins and needles feeling.
The medic stressed: “It’s important for these deficiencies to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.”
Stress
Dr Raj explained: “If there are no obvious physical causes, then it may be a psychological issue such as stress. Stress causes high levels of cortisol and, in turn, this affects sleep quality causing insomnia and unrefreshed sleep.”
Hypothyroidism
This condition kicks in when your thyroid gland isn’t churning out enough thyroid hormone. It sets off a chain reaction that slows down your metabolism, leaving you knackered, piling on the pounds and dealing with various other symptoms.
A blood test can diagnose it, and medication helps replace the hormone that’s gone AWOL.
Diabetes
Tell-tale signs of poorly managed blood sugar levels include feeling completely drained, being constantly parched and needing the loo all the time. Left unchecked, diabetes can lead to serious health complications, from kidney problems to heart disease.
Glandular fever
This viral nasty is particularly common amongst teens and young adults. The exhaustion it brings can hang around for weeks or even months after you’ve been diagnosed and given treatment.
Additional signs encompass raised temperature, painful throat and enlarged glands. Medical professionals can confirm the condition through an Epstein-Barr virus blood examination.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
Dr Rai explained: “OSA is a breathing problem that occurs while asleep. The throat muscles intermittently relax and the throat narrows, interrupting normal breathing.
“A noticeable sign of OSA is snoring, awakening abruptly gasping or choking, observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep and daytime sleepiness. There are psychologists who can help with sleep disorders and use sleep therapy to help improve sleep levels and quality of sleep.”
Depression and anxiety
Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can interfere with rest in numerous ways. Experiencing fatigue or feeling drained are typical indicators of these disorders.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
