Tiredness Flashcards
What is the difference between tiredness and fatigue?
tiredness -> can be relieved by sleep and rest
fatigue -> tiredness is overwhelming and can’t be relieved by sleep and rest
According to the NHS website, what are the 10 medical reasons that can make you extremely tired?
- Anxiety
- Anaemia
- Restless legs
- Depression
- Glandular fever
- Diabetes
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Coeliac disease
- Hypethyroidism
- Sleep Apnoea
Anaemia- what type of anaemia is more common in causing tiredness?
who does it affect most?
Iron deficeincy anaemia
It normally occurs in women with heavy periods or pregnant woman- they are prone to anaemia
What type of anaemia can mostly occur in men and postmenopausal women? Explain your reasoning
The problem is more likely to be with the stomach and intestines such as ulcers or taking NSAIDs
symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia?
you feel like you can’t be bothered to do anything
muscles feel heavy and get tired very quickly
what is the condition where you have too much iron?
what can it cause?
iron-overload disorder (haemochromatosis)
can cause tiredness
who does haemochromatosis affect?
relatively rare inherited condition that affects men and women between the ages of 30 and 60
what is sleep apnoea?
where your throat narrows or closes during sleep
repeatedly interrupts your breathing
what does sleep apnoea result in?
This results in loud snoring and a drop in your blood’s oxygen levels. The difficulty in breathing means you wake up often in the night and feel exhausted the next day
who is sleep apnoea most common in?
It’s most common in overweight middle-aged men. Drinking alcohol and smoking makes it worse.
what is an underactive thyroid?
An underactive thyroid gland means you have too little thyroid hormone (thyroxine) in your body. This makes you feel tired.
symptoms of underactive thyroid?
You’re also likely to put on weight and have aching muscles and dry skin. It’s most common in women and happens more often as you get older.
how can a GP diagnose underactive thyroid?
blood test
what is chronic fatigue syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME) is a severe and disabling fatigue that goes on for at least 4 months
symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?
muscle or joint pain
severe disabling fatigue
what is coeliac disease?
- This is a lifelong disease caused by the immune system reacting to gluten.
- Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley and rye, and can be found in foods like pasta, bread, cakes and cereals
- affects in 1 in 100
symptoms of coeliac disease?
Other symptoms of coeliac disease, apart from tiredness, are diarrhoea, bloating, anaemia and weight loss. Your GP can do a blood test to check if you may have coeliac disease
symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
One of the main symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is feeling very tired.
Other key symptoms are feeling very thirsty, peeing a lot (particularly at night) and weight loss
what is glandular fever?
Glandular fever is a common viral infection that causes fatigue, along with fever, sore throat and swollen glands
how long does it take for symptoms of glandular fever to clear up?
Symptoms usually clear up within 4 to 6 weeks, but the fatigue can linger for several more months
what is restless leg syndrome?
This is when you get an overwhelming urge to move your legs, which can keep you awake at night
You might also have an unpleasant crawling sensation or a deep ache in your legs. Or your legs might jerk spontaneously through the night
how does restless leg syndrome affect your sleep?
your sleep will be disrupted and poor quality -> feel tired throughout the day
how can depression make you feel fatigue?
make you feel sad
depression can also make you feel drained of energy -> can stop you falling asleep + makes you feel more tired during the day
what is the condition where anxiety strongly affects daily life?
But some people have constant uncontrollable feelings of anxiety that are so strong they affect their daily life.
Doctors call this generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
who does generalised anxiety disorder affect?
It’s a common condition, affecting slightly more women than men. As well as feeling worried and irritable, people with GAD often feel tired