Why do you feel so tired? There could be a serious illness behind your exhaustion | Daily Mail Online
Why do you feel so tired? There could be a serious illness behind your exhaustion
09:26 BST, 9 August 2011
Struggle to get out of bed this morning? You’re not alone. Chronic tiredness is one of the most common reasons people go to their GPs. At any time, one in every five people feels
unusually tired and one in ten has prolonged fatigue.Of course, feeling exhausted or run down could be down to the breakneck pace of our 24/7 lifestyle, which can play havoc with sleeping patterns. But, adds Professor Steve Field, a Birmingham GP: ‘Doctors must not exclude the possibility of serious illness.’
Being tired could be due to an underlying medical problem, such as undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes, cardiomyopathy or an underactive thyroid
He explains: ‘Tiredness itself is not an illness, but rather will be the symptom of a condition — whether it’s physical, psychological or social. 'But if this doesn’t appear to be the case, it could be that being tired is due to an underlying medical problem.’
RELATED ARTICLES
Share this article
Here, with the help of a range of experts, we examine what could be causing your tiredness, according to which of the following descriptions fits you best...TIRED, WEAK AND BREATHLESSOTHER SYMPTOMS: Swollen ankles, feet, legs, stomach a chest pain after heavy meals or exercising.POSSIBLE CAUSE: Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. This causes the heart walls to thicken, particularly in the left ventricle, which is the main pumping chamber — as a result, the heart stops pumping blood effectively round the body.‘As the heart muscle isn’t working properly, there is less oxygen circulating around the body, which is why the condition causes such tiredness,’ says Robert Hall, a cardiac nurse and medical director of the charity Cardiomyopathy UK.The condition can be inherited, or triggered by heart disease or even an infection. Around 125,000 Britons suffer from it and, untreated, it can be fatal.TREATMENT: Drugs known as ace inhibitors improve the symptoms by relaxing the blood vessels, improving blood flow
from the heart. Beta-blockers can also reduce the heart’s workload and increase its efficiency.FOGGY, DAZED, GROGGY FEELINGOTHER SYMPTOMS: Dry mouth, constipation or diarrhoea.POSSIBLE CAUSE: Many people think allergies such as hay fever cause fatigue but, in fact, what makes sufferers tired is their anti-histamine medication, says Barry Kay, emeritus professor of allergy and clinical immunology at London’s Imperial College. ‘These drugs act on receptors in the brain that make you feel sleepy. 'That’s why it’s vital not to give children some of the so-called older generation antihistamine tablets for allergies at exam time.’A 2007 study by the charity Education for Health found that nearly three-quarters of students taking hay fever medication could expect to drop a grade in their exams. TREATMENT: Older forms of antihistamine, such as Piriton, though highly effective at treating allergies, are more likely to make you feel tired. ‘Newer drugs such as Zyrtec or Claritin have a less sedating effect,’ adds Prof Kay.TIRED AND WEAK, WITH ACHING MUSCLES
Low testosterone, caused by a condition known as hypogonadism, affects about five in 1,000 menOTHER SYMPTOMS: Loss of body hair, loss of bone mass (leading to fractures), loss of libido and difficulty concentrating.POSSIBLE CAUSE: In men, the trigger could be low levels of the male hormone testosterone. When levels drop, it can cause a loss of muscle mass, so the sufferer would feel tired whenever they do any physical activity, says Dr Mark Vanderpump, consultant endocrinologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London. Low testosterone, caused by a condition known as hypogonadism, affects about five in 1,000 men. The cause isn’t known, although it can be genetic.TREATMENT: It’s rare to reverse the underlying cause, says Dr Vanderpump. But it is possible to have testosterone replacement therapy to revert the symptoms and restore muscle strength.PHYSICAL EXERTION AN EFFORT; CREEPING FATIGUE OTHER SYMPTOMS: Increasi slight sight problems, thirst and passing m frequent infections, cuts that are slow to heal, numbness or tingling in hands or feet. POSSIBLE CAUSE: Undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes, which affects around one million Britons. It can be triggered by obesity, which may explain why patients feel so tired. ‘If a person is unfit, everything they do requires more effort,’ says GP Professor Steve Field. ‘They may be eating fatty foods and not exercising, and that makes the body feel tired.’ Fluctuating blood sugar levels also lead to tiredness. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body’s inability to produce enough of the hormone insulin — or the insulin that is produced is not working properly. The symptoms can take several weeks or longer to come on. TREATMENT: The aim of treatment is to maintain blood glucose levels to avoid the risk of complications such as blindness, nerve damage, ulcers and amputation. Treatment involves regular exercise, a healthy diet and sometimes medication to prevent high blood sugar. CRASHING, DEBILITATING FATIGUEOTHER SYMPTOMS: Physical ac loss of libido and mood swings.POSSIBLE CAUSE: The perimenopause, the stage spanning the five years leading up to the menopause (which generally strikes in the late 40s or early 50s).The ovaries begin to produce less of the hormone oestrogen, explains consultant gynaecologist Jenni Byrom of the Birmingham Women’s Hospital. Oestrogen controls levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline in the blood, and when these are not regulated it can cause fatigue, as they contribute to anxiety and tension. ‘Women in perimenopause may also have heavier periods. This would cause a drop in red blood count, which can lead to anaemia — a common cause of fatigue,’ adds
Ms Byrom. ‘Night sweats, another symptom of the perimenopause, can also disrupt sleep, causing fatigue during the day.’TREATMENT: Regular exercise and cutting back on alcohol may help. Go to sleep and wake at the same time each day. This resets the body clock and means you are more likely to get a good night’s sleep, and so offset the tiredness associated with
the perimenopause. TIRED, WEAK
AND THIRSTY
OTHER SYMPTOMS: Dry mouth, passing only small amounts, headaches.POSSIBLE CAUSE: Dehydration — more than 70 per cent of our body is made up of water, so if we become dehydrated we lose water from our cells, making it harder
to function properly, says Dr Adam Carey, director of Core Performance, a nutrition and fitness clinic. He adds that as we become dehydrated, blood volume is reduced so the heart has to work harder to pump the same volume. ‘When you’re dehydrated, weakness and tiredness is an early sign. By the time you feel really thirsty, you are severely dehydrated.’TREATMENT: We need three litres of fluid a day — this doesn’t have to be water, but can include any form of liquid such as juice, soup, tea and food — fruit, particularly grapes and melon, and vegetables are full of water, and even cheese is made up of a third water. GENERAL LETHARGY, LOW MOOD
Thyroid illnesses affect at least a fifth of people in the UK - mainly women. Diagnosis is made on the basis of a blood test to check hormone levels
OTHER SYMPTOMS: Tired, although are able
feeling the cold, dry and/or pale skin, coarse, thinning hair, brittle nails and a hoarse or croaky voice.POSSIBLE CAUSE: An underactive thyroid gland — this sits in front of the windpipe and produces the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Together these regulate the body’s growth and metabolism (the speed at which the body burns energy). ‘When you have little or no thyroid hormone, your metabolic processes slow down, so you feel tired,’ says Dr Vanderpump. Thyroid illnesses affect at least a fifth of people in the UK — mainly women. Doctors believe it becomes especially common around the time of the menopause.TREATMENT: Diagnosis is made on the basis of a blood test to check hormone levels. A thyroxine replacement medicine, called levothyroxine, is taken in tablet form to restore hormone levels.FALLING ASLEEP READING OR WATCHING TV, IRRITABLE MOODOTHER SYMPTOMS: Feeling exhausted and unable to concentrate on
falling asleep whenever physically inactive, waking up with
lapses in mem headaches (particularly in the morning).POSSIBLE CAUSE: Sleep apnoea, a condition where the muscles and soft tissues in the throat relax and collapse during sleep. This leads to the airways becoming blocked, for up to ten seconds or more. The patient then starts breathing again, often with a ‘snort’ or gasp — this can happen hundreds of times a night, though they won’t usually remember what has happened. Around four in 100 middle-aged men and two in 100 middle-aged women have the condition — around 800,000 Britons. ‘The condition can leave you exhausted as it interrupts deep, slow wave sleep and REM sleep, which is a time of healing and growth in the body,’ explains Russell Foster, professor of neuroscience at Oxford University. Untreated, long term the risks include high blood pressure and even depression.TREATMENT: Losing weight and quitting smoking will help keep airway passages open. Sleeping on your side, rather than your back, may also help. Moderate to severe cases of sleep apnoea may need a treatment called continuous positive airway pressure — a breathing mask worn while you sleep which delivers a continuous supply of compressed air to prevent the airways closing. LETHARGY AT THE
END OF THE DAY
OTHER SYMPTOMS: Finding it difficult to muster energy for anything after a day’ diarr excessive wind pain and abdominal cramps.POSSIBLE CAUSE: Up to half a million people have undiagnosed coeliac disease. The disease, which tends to run in families, is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in particular grains such as wheat, barley and rye, and therefore foods such as bread and pasta, breakfast cereal, pastry, pizza. This triggers the immune system to attack the gut tissues, so nutrients aren’t absorbed, triggering conditions such as osteoporosis and anaemia which causes tiredness, says consultant gastroenterologist Dr Steven Mann, of the Spire Hospital in Bushey, Herts.TREATMENT: Your GP should refer you to a dietitian to give you individual advice and a step by step plan on removing gluten from your diet without losing out on essential nutrients.
Share or comment on this article
MOST READ NEWS
The comments below have not been moderated.
We are no longer accepting comments on this article.
DON'T MISS
MORE DON'T MISSShe could not get a pie every shop she went to . A. sold out B. be sol——精英家教网——
暑假天气热？在家里学北京名师课程，
She could not get a pie every shop she went to . A. sold out B. be sold out C. have sold out D. was sold out 【】
题目列表(包括答案和解析)
完型填空 （共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从下列各小题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。My grandmother became a widow in1970. Shortly after that, we went to the &36 &shelter to pickout a dog to keep her& 37 &. Grandma decided on a little dogwith a reddish-brown spot above each eye. &38 &these spots,the dog was named Penny.Grandma and Penny quickly becamevery 39 to each other, but that attachment grew much stronger aboutthree years later 40 &Grandma had a stroke（中风）. Grandma could nolonger &41 &, so when she came homefrom the hospital, she and Penny were &42& companions.After her stroke, it became areal &43& for Grandma to let Penny in and out because &44&was at the bottom of a flight of stairs. So a mechanism（机械装置）using a rope andpulley（滑轮）was&& 45 &from the doorto a handle at the top of the stairs. Grandma just had to pull the handle toopen and close the door. If the store was&& 46& Penny’sfavorite dog food, Grandma would make one of us& 47& Pennybrowned beef with potatoes in it. I can remember& &48& mygrandmother by saying that she loved that dog better than she loved her family.As the years passed, it wasnot& 49 &for Grandma and Penny to separate each other. IfGrandma went to take her nap（打盹）, Penny stayed by her side until she &50& . AsPenny aged, she could no longer jump up on the bed, so she& &51 &onthe rug （垫子）beside the bed. If Grandma went intothe&& 52 &, Penny would walk along beside her, waitoutside the door and accompany her&& 53& to the bed orchair. Grandma never went anywhere without her& &54&companion by her side.The time came when both mygrandmother’s and Penny’s&& 55 &were failing fast. Afterfifteen years of loving companionship, Grandma and Penny passed away within afew hours of each other.1.A．animal B．toy& &&&&&&&C．fish &&&&&& D．bird2.A．business&& B．firm &&&&&&&C．company& &&& D．friend3.A．In spite of&&& B．Because of&& C．Instead of&& &&& D．Infront of4.A．linked B．fastened &&& C．attached &&& D．tied5.A．before B．while&&& &&&&&&&C．until&&& &&&&&&&D．when6.A．think& &&& B．speak&&& &&&&&&&C．work &&&&&&& D．walk7.A．contrary&& B．content& &&&C．confident&&& &&& D．constant8.A．problem&&& B．question &&&C．practice &&& D．rule9.A．the door&& B．Grandma& &&&C．the window&& D．Penny10.A．repaired& B．fixed&&& &&&&&&&C．bought&& &&&D．loaded11.A．& out of& B．ahead of &&&C．away from&&& &&& D．apart from12.A．show& &&& B．hand &&&&&&&C．buy& &&&&&&&D．cook13.A．drawing attention to& &&&&&&&B．making use of&&& &&& C．breaking away from&& &&&&&&&D．making fun of 14.A．necessary B．possible &&& C．important&&& &&& D．convenient15.A．recovered B．awoke&&& &&&C．slept&&& &&&&&&&D．screamed16.A．rolled&&& B．stood&&& &&&&&&&C．waited&& &&& D．lay17.A．kitchen&& B．bedroom& &&&C．living-room& D．bathroom18.A．back& &&& B．up&& &&&&&&&C．off& &&&&&&&D．down19.A．splendid& B．remote&& &&&C．faithful &&& D．legal20.A．smell &&& B．health&& &&&C．habit&&& &&&&&&&D．living&&
Few people would ever think of beginning a career at the age of 76, but one American most famous artist did just that. Anna Mary Robertson, better known as “Grandma Moses”, turned to painting because she could no longer take an active part in the funning of her farm. As she searched for something to do, she discovered painting--- an activity she had loved as a child. Grandma Moses painted in primitive style, and her works are simple and basic — almost childlike in their composition. She first painted only for her own pleasure, and then began to sell her works for small sums of money. In 1939, an art collector named Louis Caldor chanced to see several of Granma Moses’ works hanging in a store. He liked them, bought them at once, and set out to look for more. Caldor held a show to introduce the works of Grandma Moses to the art world. Grandma Moses passed away on December 13,1961, at the age of 101, who had enjoyed a second career that lasted a quarter of a century. Before becoming an artist, Grandma Moses _______ . A. wrote several good books&&& B. managed a farm&&&&& C. was a housewife&&& D. worked as a nurse
Grandma Moses’ art career lasted ______ . A. 101 years& &&&&&&&&&&&&&B. 76 years& &&&&&&&&&&&&C. 25 years&& &&&&&&&&D. 22 years
Even if no one had bought her paintings, Grandma Moses probably would have ________. A. continued to paint anyway&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&B. gone back to farming&
C. given up painting&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D. spent the rest of her life in peace
The story is mainly about?? ????_______ . A. pictures in primitive style&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& B. a successful art collector&&&&
C. a great American artist&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& D. the secret of living longer
阅读下面短文, 掌握其大意, 然后从16 ~ 30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Mrs. Jones was very fond of singing. She had a good &&16& , except that some of her high notes tended to sound like a gate, which someone had forgotten to &&17& . Mrs. Jones was very conscious of this &&18& , and took every &&19& &she could find to practice these high &&20& . As she lived in a small house where she could not practice without &&21& &&the rest of the family, she usually went for long walks along the country roads whenever she had time, and practiced her high notes there. Every time she heard a &&22& &or a person coming along the &&23& , she stopped and &&24& &&until she could no longer be heard before she started practicing again, because she was a &&25& &person, and because she was sensitive about those high notes.
One afternoon, however, a fast, open car came up behind her so &&26& &and so fast that she did not hear it until it was only a few yards from her. She was singing some of her highest and most &&27& &notes at the time, and as the car passed her, she saw an anxious &&28& &&suddenly come over its driver’s face. He put his brakes on violently, and as soon as the car stopped, jumped out and began to &&29& &all his tires carefully.
Mrs. Jones did not dare to tell him what the noise he had heard had really been, so he got back into his car and drove off as &&30& &as he had been when he stopped.
A. voice&&&&& &B. noise&&&& &&C. sound&&&& D. note A. close&&&&& &B. open&&&&& &&C. repair& &&&D. oil A. strength&&& &B. sickness&& &&C. weakness& D. advantage A. time&&&&&& &B. chance&&& &&C. person&&&& D. place A. notes&&&&& &B. songs&&&&& &C. signs&&&&& &D. sounds A. preventing& &B. harming& &&&C. disturbing& D. damaging A. train&& &&&&&B. car& &&&&&&&C. noise&&&&& D. driver A. path&&&&&& &B. avenue&&&&& C. street&&&& &D. road A. waited&&&& &B. expected&& &&C. confused&& D. puzzled A. brave&&& &&B. shy&&&&&& &&C. ordinary&&& D. unique A. slightly &&&&B. gently&&& &&C. quickly&&&& D. silently A. beautiful&& &B. exhausting& C. difficult&& &&D. energetic A. expression& &B. explanation &C. impression& D. reaction A. approach&& &B. observe&&& &C. repair &&&&&D. examine A. convinced& &B. upset&&&& &&C. puzzled&&& &D. pleased
&&& Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything -- tutors, cards, special learning centers -- in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic(天主教的) school. &&& After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and paper were spread(铺开)out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening. &&& Finally, little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mother looked at it and to her surprise, little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity(好奇心). She went to his room and asked, &son, what was it? Was it the nuns(修女)?& &&& Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head(摇动), &No.& &&& &Well then,& she asked again. &What was it?& &&& Little Tommy looked at her and said, &Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed(钉) to the plus sign(加号), I knew they weren't joking.&
Why did Tommy's parents send him to a catholic school? &&& A. Because he could eat well there. &&& B. Because he could learn more about nuns. &&& C. Because his parents wanted him to do better in his math. &&& D. Because his parents didn't want him to learn math any more. Tommy's mother felt surprised that his son _____. &&& A. was still the same &&& B. ate so much at dinner &&& C. kissed her hello after school &&& D. worked so hard but said too little The phrase &hit the books& means “_____” in Chinese. A. 用功&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& B. 捶书&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& C. 发泄&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& D. 振作 The last sentence in the passage shows that ______. &&& A. Tommy felt sorry for the man &&& B. Tommy didn't like the plus sign &&& C. Tommy was afraid of being nailed D. Tommy liked playing jokes on others
Mrs. Janes gave music lessons at a school. She had a good voice and enjoyed singing, except that some of her high tones sound like a gate that had forgotten to oil. Mrs. Janes knew her weakness well, and took every chance she could find to practise these high notes. As she lived in a small house, where she could not practise without disturbing the rest of the family, she usually went for long walks along the country roads whenever she had time and practised her high notes there. Whenever she heard a car or a person coming along the road, she stopped and waited until she could no longer be heard before she started practicing again, because she was a shy person.
One afternoon, a fast, opened car came up behind her so silently and so fast that she didn’t hear it until it was only a few yards from her. She was singing some of her highest and most difficult tones at that time a she saw an anxious expression came over the driver’s face. He stopped his car suddenly, jumped out and began to examine all his tyres carefully.
Mrs. Janes didn’t dare to tell him what the noise he had heard really was, so he got back into the car and drove off.
How did Mrs. Janes sing?
A. She sang well, but she didn’t practise singing hard.
B. She enjoyed singing, but she had a terrible voice.
C. She was a good singer, but she could not sing the high tones well.
D. She sang terribly, she was no singer at all.
Why did she go for long walks along the country roads?
A. Because she enjoyed the country’s fresh air.
B. Because she was afraid to disturb the rest of the family.
C. Because she lived in a small house far away.
D. Because she was afraid to practise the high tones.
Why did the driver stop his car suddenly and jump out of it?
A. Because he supposed something must have gone wrong with his car.
B. Because he was moved by the pretty voice of Mrs. Janes.
C. Because he wondered what had happened to Mrs. Janes.
D. Because he frightened by the terrible voice of Mrs. Janes.
Where did the noise come from?
A. From the small house.&&&&& B. From Mrs. Janes’ voice.
C. From the types.& D. From the engine.
精英家教网新版app上线啦！用app只需扫描书本条形码就能找到作业，家长给孩子检查作业更省心，同学们作业对答案更方便，扫描上方二维码立刻安装！
请输入姓名
请输入手机号