What is fatigue?
Almost everyone feels overworked or overtired from time to time. If you’re feeling unrelenting exhaustion that’s more profound, lasts longer, and isn’t usually relieved by rest, you might be dealing with chronic fatigue.
Fatigue is more than just tiredness or sleepiness. It’s a nearly constant state of weariness and tiredness that develops over time and reduces your concentration, motivation, and energy. Fatigue at this level can also negatively affect your psychological and emotional well-being.
What causes fatigue?
Your fatigue could be the symptom of an underlying medical condition. For example, it might be the sign of systemic inflammation and an autoimmune disease, or you might be experiencing adrenal fatigue or insufficiency — when your adrenal glands aren’t functioning properly and aren’t producing enough of the necessary hormones.
Your adrenal glands produce important hormones that are essential to life, such as adrenaline and cortisol. If you have adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency, you might have certain symptoms, such as nervousness, sleep disturbances, lightheadedness, digestive problems, and body aches.
General fatigue might also be associated with certain lifestyle choices or habits, such as:
- Use of drugs or alcohol
- Excess or not enough physical activity
- Lack of sleep
- Unhealthy eating habits and poor lifestyle choices
Other factors that might play a role include:
- Certain medications, such as antihistamines and cough medicines
- Anemia
- Cancer
- Chronic infection
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Thyroid disorders
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Traumatic brain injury
Fatigue might also be caused by iron deficiency, nutrient deficiencies, and other factors.
At Integrative Medica, our providers perform a thorough evaluation and take time to determine what could be causing or exacerbating your fatigue.
Our providers might suggest certain tests, such as an adrenal test to check your adrenal glands, a thyroid test to check your thyroid hormones, or a lab test to check your inflammatory markers.
To help treat your fatigue, our providers might suggest a number of treatments, such as:
- Botanical medicine
- Vitamins and supplements, such as B12
- Healthy lifestyle changes, such as stress and sleep management and regular exercise
- Medical nutrition
- IV nutrient therapy
- Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
- Certain medications when needed, such as anti-inflammatories and steroids
Rest assured, our providers work hard to pinpoint what’s causing your fatigue and the best ways to resolve it. Book your consultation online or call Integrative Medica today.
