What are the causes of malaise and excessive fatigue? Can it be a symptom of a disease?

What are the causes of malaise and excessive fatigue? Can it be a symptom of a disease?
Photo source: Getty images

It can occur after heavy physical activity, stress, but also with dehydration. If it persists and other symptoms are associated, it is necessary to think of diseases. From the nervous system to the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory and excretory. It is present in influenza, mild inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, but also in serious diseases.

It is a condition in which brain activity is suppressed or the whole organism is in decline.

The affected person's abilities to concentrate, to be active, and often to stay upright are impaired. If the cause of the malaise is not physical exhaustion caused by previous activity, it may be a symptom of illness.

Sometimes the malaise may be associated with fatigue or a headache. It may be short-lived, not recurrent, and not a long-term condition. In this case, it is not necessary to see a doctor right away. Only in conjunction with other symptoms can one begin to consider that it may be a symptom for a disease.

Body fluids and weakness

It can be associated with insufficient drinking, when the body lacks fluids. This is when headaches occur along with malaise.

Dehydration is especially dangerous in children and the elderly who have multiple illnesses. In the case of these two groups, it sets in quickly and can suddenly complicate the overall condition.

Dehydration is associated with reduced fluid intake, but also with increased fluid output. That is, when there is a disproportion between intake and excretion. Examples of such a condition include fever, diarrhoea, vomiting. But also increased environmental temperature, for example in summer or in a working environment.

Tip.

Diarrhoea and disease states

It is usually caused by increased body temperature or fever.
And it is related to inflammatory and infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses.

Infectious diseases and febrile conditions

Most commonly, malaise is associated with infectious diseases. It is a typical symptom of influenza, along with fatigue, increased temperature and chills. As such, influenza is an infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by RNA viruses and requires treatment by a general practitioner.

Similarly, tuberculosis, which affects the lungs but also sometimes the kidneys, the meninges and the bones. Here, in addition to malaise, fatigue, shortness of breath, cough and fever are also present.

Malaise also occurs in tick-borne encephalitis and meningoencephalitis. This is an infectious and viral disease that affects the brain and meninges. It is also called tick-borne meningitis.

It is also manifested by headache, fever and a feeling of vomiting.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infectious disease. It is transmitted by direct contact and is caused by Toxoplasma gondii.

Some skin infectious diseases also make people sick. An example is chicken pox, which is characterised by a rash, itchy skin, fever and also malaise. It is a highly contagious disease caused by the human herpesvirus HHV-3.

It is a DNA virus that is also related to the infectious mononucleosis virus or herpes zoster virus. The herpes zoster virus causes shingles. It is also a painful viral skin disease manifested by malaise and blistering of the skin.

Malaise in poisoning

In the context of malaise, intoxication (poisoning) is also spoken of, and of various kinds. Poisoning can be accidental or with intent. The intent can be directed at another person, as a criminal act, but also against one's own person.

They may experience loss of consciousness and other serious complications, depending on the substance abused.

Also, in diabetes.

Fatigue and drowsiness also accompanies diabetes, even with low or high blood sugar levels.

In addition to the malaise, there are slight differences in symptoms for each condition. We also list the exact symptoms in the magazine article.

Other conditions and diseases

In the context of nervous disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome is also a long-term symptom of malaise, fatigue and headaches. Or various autoimmune and degenerative nervous diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis.

A frequent occurrence is in stroke.

If a person is treated with high blood pressure and the pressure readings rise above the long-term normal, even then this unpleasant weakness can be felt. Of course, the same is true with low blood pressure (hypotension).

In both cases, fatigue and dizziness may be associated.

It accompanies various other cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, heart attack, heart muscle infarction. It is common to feel faint with reduced or increased heart activity, i.e. bradycardia and tachycardia. In lung diseases too, for example in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And even in anaemia this symptom is not an exception.

One of the typical general symptoms.

It also occurs in the case of disorders of the endocrine glands. Various oncological processes and tumour growth weaken the organism. The associated symptom is also lack of appetite and sudden weight loss.

The man is exhausted, overworked.
Workload, long-term stress are the risk of developing malaise. Source photo: Getty Images

The digestive tract can be affected by inflammation, ulcer disease, autoimmune disease, intolerance of a component of the diet. Various disease states contribute to the occurrence of malaise.

Also steatosis and cirrhosis of the liver has an accompanying symptom in the form of malaise. Cirrhosis is the most common metabolic disorder of the liver caused by alcohol or obesity. And the same is the case with diseases of the excretory system.

Similarly, prolonged stress, workload, mental strain, sleep disturbance or lack of it. Various psychological disorders have symptoms of weakness, fatigue and malaise.

Psychological disorders include withdrawal syndrome, eating disorders (anorexia).

One of the non-pathological, on the contrary, natural causes of malaise, exhaustion and fatigue is mainly known to women. Pregnancy. In addition to this period, it also occurs with hormonal changes in the case of premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cycle or at the time of menopause.

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