Fatigue
Sometimes referred to as: Tiredness, low energy, exhaustion, lethargy
Interview between:
Andrew Cunningham, MD
Jade Schechter, MD
Fatigue has multiple forms. Physical fatigue can involve difficulty initiating or maintaining an activity, while mental fatigue includes reduced concentration, memory, or emotional stability.
Cases Per Year (US)
Results in 7 million office visits a year.
General Frequency
6 to 7.5 % of the population. But if you ask workers, 38% will report fatigue in the past 2 weeks.
Risk
Fatigue increases the risk of accident, injury, and developing chronic medical problems.
Symptoms
When should you discuss exhaustion or fatigue with a doctor?
If you have an infection or another diagnosed medical or psychological condition, some acute fatigue is to be expected. However, if you notice fatigue that is longer lasting or doesn’t have a clear physical/emotional cause, it’s probably wise to have a discussion with your healthcare provider.
All too often, clinicians see people with long-standing symptoms who could have benefitted from an earlier evaluation. Though fatigue doesn't always have an obvious cause, people tend to normalize it and delay discussing it.
Is there a duration of time or degree of fatigue that is medically concerning?
Fatigue lasting more than a month inspires us to investigate further, especially if you don’t understand why it’s happening. Increased severity or new symptoms that all came about at the same time or feel connected to the tiredness also warrant discussion with a clinician.
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment & Prevention
Useful Links
Connect with our physicians
Andrew Cunningham, MD and Jade Schechter, MD are both members of the Galileo Clinical Team. Connect with one of our physicians about Fatigue or any of the many other conditions we treat.
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