What to Check When You Are Always Tired
By Sandy Schroeder
It’s easy to be tired in today’s world, and most of us just dismiss the symptoms, but if your tiredness is growing you should take a good look at what you are doing.
Make sure you are eating healthy, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated and letting go of stress. If tiredness to the point of exhaustion is still showing up it may be time to see your doctor, according to Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD, an internal medicine doctor in Atlanta. Here are some possible reasons for being tired that can be treated from Prevention.com.
Depression – When depression impacts the way we eat, sleep and feel about our lives and our self, there can be a major loss of energy with confused thinking and feelings of worthlessness and negativity. There can be weight gain, loss of interest in normal activities or restlessness. Seeing your doctor, and a recommended psychologist, is a necessary step that you should do promptly.
Anemia - Feeling tired all the time is a major sign of anemia. Other symptoms can be sleeplessness, ongoing weakness, lack of focus, inability to concentrate and rapid heartbeat, headache or chest pains. Fatigue caused by anemia comes from a lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to your cells and tissues. Your doctor will do a physical exam and blood tests for blood count to check the levels of red blood cells.
Thyroid hormones – If your thyroid is not functioning correctly your metabolism can speed up or slow way down. Hyperthyroidism can trigger muscle fatigue and weakness, weight loss, feeling warm a lot and increased heart rate. Hypothyroidism also causes fatigue, with loss of mental focus, weight gain, water retention, muscle soreness and feeling cold most of the time. A blood test can detect the problem and your doctor will tell you what treatments are needed.
Diabetes – Type 2 diabetes shows up in more than a million people every year. Sugar, also known as glucose, keeps the body running. In type 2 diabetes the body is not able to properly process the glucose. Fatigue is one of the early signs of diabetes. Other symptoms include frequent urination, hunger, thirst, weight loss and blurry vision. Your doctor may use a fasting for eight hours blood test for diabetes, and discuss available treatments if needed.
As always, seeing your doctor promptly when tiredness persists is necessary. Make an appointment and follow through with any preliminary tests that are needed.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Chula Vista, Calif.