The feeling you get where your entire body is not active enough to do any activity is referred to as fatigue. It is the tiredness you feel where even a simple task seems like too much work and you are not willing to do anything that requires you to move physically. You feel too weak to do anything in fatigue. Fatigue is common among all people. There are many causes of fatigue and it is also a symptom in many diseases.
Diseases like anemia, cancer, malnutrition have fatigue as a common symptom. Extreme fatigue is caused due to cancer. If you have fatigue without any physical exertion and weakness, then it could be a symptom of cancer. However, fatigue is not always a part of symptoms for diseases, at times it can also be because of over-exertion, stress and poor diet, certain medications, sleep problems, and general weakness due to viral.
Extreme fatigue can also be referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) when the fatigue is prolonged. Extreme fatigue causes are unknown but are many factors that lead to this syndrome. When the immune system is affected by viruses, it results in fatigue. When you are attacked by a bacterium called Chlamydia pneumoniae (that causes pneumonia), it can also act as one of the extreme fatigue causes.
Extreme fatigue causes problems with short-term memory and concentration. There is no definite cure and treatment of extreme fatigue but measures can be taking to reduce the symptoms.
There can be many other causes of chronic fatigue syndrome. A viral infection can be one of extreme fatigue causes later. Virus infections like Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6, rubella and ross river virus are other such extreme fatigue causes. There are bacteria like Coxiella burnetii and mycoplasma that are extreme fatigue causes. These bacteria and viruses affect the body by damaging the cells and fatigue can be the cause of the fight between these harmful foreign bodies (bacteria and viruses) and white blood cells.
People who often suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome are usually in their 40s and 50s. Women are usually diagnosed with chronic fatigue more than men. One way to find out if what you have is a prolonged fatigue (chronic fatigue syndrome) is by paying attention to the symptoms:
– Memory loss and lack of concentration
– Drowsiness after waking up. When you do not feel fresh even after completing a night’s sleep
– Insomnia or chronic insomnia
– Recurring headaches
– Joint-pain
– Sensitive and sore throat
