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Fatigue (physical)
 
 
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Fatigue (also called exhaustion, lethargy, languidness, languor, lassitude, and listlessness) is a weariness caused by exertion. It can describe a range of afflictions, varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles. It can be both physical and mental. Physical fatigue is the inability to continue functioning at the level of one's normal abilities.






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Fatigue (also called exhaustion, lethargy, languidness, languor, lassitude, and listlessness) is a weariness caused by exertion. It can describe a range of afflictions, varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles. It can be both physical and mental. Physical fatigue is the inability to continue functioning at the level of one's normal abilities. It is ubiquitous in everyday life, but usually becomes particularly noticeable during heavy exercise
Physical exercise

Physical exercise is any bodily activity that raises the heart rate above its resting level and enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health....
. Mental fatigue, on the other hand, rather manifests in somnolence
Somnolence

Somnolence is a state of near-sleep, a strong desire for sleep, or sleeping for unusually long periods . It has two distinct meanings, referring both to the usual state preceding falling asleep, and the chronic condition referring to being in that state independent of a circadian rhythm....
.

Fatigue is considered a symptom
Symptom

A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality. A symptom is subjective, observed by the patient, and not measured....
, as opposed to a medical sign
Medical sign

A medical sign is an Objectivity indication of some medical fact or characteristic that may be detected by a physician during a physical examination of a patient....
, because it is reported by the patient instead of being observed by others.

Types


Physical fatigue

costume showing signs of fatigue at the end of day. Akihabara
Akihabara

, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to Akiba in Japan....
, Tokyo.]] Physical fatigue or muscle weakness (or "lack of strength") is a direct term for the inability to exert force with one's muscle
MUSCLE

MUSCLE is public domain, multiple sequence alignment software for protein and nucleotide sequences.MUSCLE is integrated into UGENE bioinformatics tool as a plugin....
s to the degree that would be expected given the individual's general physical fitness
Physical fitness

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings: general fitness and specific fitness .Physical fitness is the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles at optimum efficiency....
. A test of strength is often used during a diagnosis
Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of anything, either by process of elimination or other analytical methods. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with slightly different implementations on the application of logic and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships....
 of a muscular disorder before the etiology
Etiology

Etiology is the study of Causality. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek , aitiologia, "giving a reason for" .The word is most commonly used in medical and philosophical theories, where it is used to refer to the study of why things occur, or even the reasons behind the way that things act, and is used in philosophy, physics, psy...
 can be identified. Such etiology depends on the type of muscle weakness, which can be true or perceived as well as central or peripheral. True weakness is substantial, while perceived rather is a sensation of having to put more effort to do the same task. On the other hand, central muscle weakness is an overall exhaustion of the whole body, while peripheral weakness is an exhaustion of individual muscles.

Mental fatigue

In addition to physical, fatigue also includes mental fatigue, not necessarily including any muscle fatigue. Such a mental fatigue, in turn, can manifest itself both as somnolence
Somnolence

Somnolence is a state of near-sleep, a strong desire for sleep, or sleeping for unusually long periods . It has two distinct meanings, referring both to the usual state preceding falling asleep, and the chronic condition referring to being in that state independent of a circadian rhythm....
 (decreased wakefulness) or just as a general decrease of attention
Attention

Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Examples include listening carefully to what someone is saying while ignoring other conversations in a room or listening to a cell phone conversation while driving a car....
, not necessarily including sleepiness. It may also be described as more or less decreased level of consciousness
Level of consciousness

Level of consciousness is a measurement of a person's arousal and responsiveness to Stimulus from the environment. A mildly depressed level of consciousness may be classed as lethargy; someone in this state can be aroused with little difficulty....
. In any case, this can be dangerous when performing tasks that require constant concentration, such as driving a vehicle
Vehicle

Vehicles, derived from the Latin word, vehiculum, are non-living means of transport. Most often they are manufactured , although some other means of transport which are not made by humans also may be called vehicles; examples include icebergs and floating tree trunks....
. For instance, a person who is sufficiently somnolent may experience microsleeps. However, objective cognitive testing should be done to differentiate the neurocognitive deficits of brain disease from those attributable to tiredness.

Causes

Fatigue is typically the result of working, mental stress
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
, over stimulation and under stimulation, jet lag
Jet lag

Jet lag, also jetlag or jet-lag, medically referred to as "desynchronosis" is a physiology condition which is a consequence of alterations to circadian rhythms; it is classified as one of the circadian rhythm sleep disorders....
 or active recreation
Recreation

Recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner....
, depression
Clinical depression

Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive depression , low self-esteem, and anhedonia in normally enjoyable activities....
, and also boredom
Boredom

Boredom is an emotional state experienced during periods lacking activity or when individuals are uninterested in the activities surrounding them....
, disease
Disease

A disease or medical condition is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions, associated with specific symptoms and Medical signs....
 and lack of sleep
Sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation is a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep. This may occur as a result of sleep disorders, active choice or deliberate inducement such as in interrogation or for torture....
. It may also have chemical causes, such as poison
Poison

In the context of biology, poisons are Chemical substance that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ing or mineral
Mineral

A mineral is a naturally occurring solid formed through Geology processes that has a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties....
 or vitamin
Vitamin

A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be biosynthesis in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet....
  deficiencies. Massive blood loss, resulting in anemia
Anemia

Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
, frequently results in fatigue.

The sense of fatigue is believed to originate in the reticular activating system
Reticular activating system

The reticular activating system is the name given to the part of the brain believed to be the center of arousal and motivation in mammals ....
 of the lower brain. Musculoskeletal
Musculoskeletal system

The musculoskeletal system is an Organ that gives animals the ability to move using the Muscular system and skeletal system. The musculoskeletal system provides form, stability, and movement to the human body....
 structures may have co-evolved with appropriate brain structures so that the complete unit functions together in a constructive and adaptive fashion. The entire systems of muscles, joints, and proprioceptive
Proprioception

Proprioception ; from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" and perception) is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body....
 and kinesthetic functions plus parts of the brain evolve and function together in a unitary way.

Diseases and conditions

Temporary fatigue is likely to be a minor illness
Illness

Illness can be defined as a state of poor health.It is sometimes considered a synonym for disease. Others maintain that fine distinctions exist....
 like the common cold
Common cold

Acute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, usually known as the common cold, is a highly contagious, virus infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses....
 as one part of the sickness behavior
Sickness behavior

Sickness behavior is a coordinated set of adaptation behavioral changes that develop in illness individuals during the course of an infection.Hart, B....
 response that happens when the immune system
Immune system

An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
 fights an infection
Infection

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. In an infection, the infecting organism seeks to utilize the host resources to multiply ....
. Chronic fatigue, on the other hand, meaning of six months or more duration, is a symptom of a large number of different diseases or conditions.

  • Autoimmune disease
    Autoimmune disease

    Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body attacks its own cells....
    s such as celiac disease and spondyloarthropathy
    Spondyloarthropathy

    Spondyloarthropathies are inflammatory joint diseases of the vertebral column associated with the Major_histocompatibility_complex class I molecule HLA-B27....
  • Anxiety
    Anxiety

    Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, fear, or worry....
     or panic disorder
    Panic disorder

    Panic Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurring severe panic attacks. It may also include significant behavioral change lasting at least a month and of ongoing worry about the implications or concern about having other attacks....
  • Blood disorders such as anemia
    Anemia

    Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
     and hemochromatosis
  • Cancer
    Cancer

    Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cell display uncontrolled growth , invasion , and sometimes metastasis . These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, do not invade or metastasize....
  • Chemical dependency
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
    Chronic fatigue syndrome

    Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder or disorders of uncertain etiology....
     (CFS)
  • Depression and other mental disorders that feature depressed mood
    Depression (mood)

    In the fields of psychology and psychiatry, the terms depression or depressed refer to sadness and other related emotions and behaviours. It can be thought of as either a disease or a syndrome....
  • Diabetes
    Diabetes mellitus

    Diabetes mellitus , often referred to simply as diabetes , is a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of genetic disorder and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels ....
  • Eating disorders
  • Fibromyalgia
    Fibromyalgia

    Fibromyalgia , meaning muscle and connective tissue pain , is a disorder classified by the presence of chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to gentle Somatosensory system ....
  • Heart disease
    Heart disease

    Heart disease is an umbrella term for a variety for different diseases affecting the heart. As of 2007, it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, killing one person every 34 seconds in the United States alone....
  • Hypothyroidism
    Hypothyroidism

    Hypothyroidism is the disease state in humans and in animals caused by insufficient production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. Cretinism is a form of hypothyroidism found in infants....
  • Infectious diseases such as infectious mononucleosis
    Infectious mononucleosis

    EBV infectious mononucleosis is an infectious, viral disease which most commonly occurs in adolescents and young adults. It is characterized by fever, sore throat and fatigue , along with several other possible signs and symptoms....
    , Lyme disease
    Lyme disease

    Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia....
  • Lead poisoning
    Lead poisoning

    Lead poisoning is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the metal lead in the blood. Lead may cause irreversible neurological damage as well as renal disease, cardiovascular effects, and human reproduction toxicity....
  • Leukemia
    Leukemia

    Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood Cell , usually white blood cells ....
     or lymphoma
    Lymphoma

    Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node ....
  • Muscular dystrophy
    Muscular dystrophy

    Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of genetics, hereditary muscle diseases that weaken the muscles that move the human body. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cell and biological tissue....
  • Physical trauma
    Physical trauma

    Physical trauma refers to a body injury. A trauma patient is someone who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury with the potential for secondary complications such as Shock , respiratory failure and death....
     and other pain
    Pain

    Pain, in the sense of physical pain, is a typical sensory experience that may be described as the unpleasant awareness of a noxious stimulus or bodily harm....
    -causing conditions, such as arthritis
    Arthritis

    Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years....
  • Neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease
    Parkinson's disease

    Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs the sufferer's motor skills and speech, as well as other functions....
     and post-concussion syndrome
    Post-concussion syndrome

    Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or occasionally years after a concussion?a mild form of traumatic brain injury ....
  • Pregnancy
    Pregnancy

    Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, inside the uterus of a female. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or Multiple birth....
  • Sleep deprivation
    Sleep deprivation

    Sleep deprivation is a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep. This may occur as a result of sleep disorders, active choice or deliberate inducement such as in interrogation or for torture....
     or sleep disorders
  • Superior canal dehiscence syndrome
    Superior canal dehiscence syndrome

    Superior canal dehiscence syndrome is a rare medical condition of the inner ear, first described in 1998 by of Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, USA,...
  • Wilson's disease
    Wilson's disease

    Wilson's disease or hepatolenticular degeneration is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in biological tissue; this manifests as neurology or psychiatry symptoms and liver disease....


Medications

  • Certain medications, e.g. lithium salts, ciprofloxacin
    Ciprofloxacin

    Ciprofloxacin is a synthetic chemotherapeutic agent used to treat severe and life threatening bacterial infections. Ciprofloxacin is commonly referred to as a fluoroquinolone drug and is a member of the quinolone class of antibacterials....
  • Beta blocker
    Beta blocker

    Beta blockers are a class of medication used for various indications, but particularly for the management of cardiac arrhythmias, cardioprotection after myocardial infarction , and hypertension....
     medication causes fatigue, especially after exertion, inducing exercise intolerance
    Exercise intolerance

    Exercise intolerance is a condition where the patient is unable to do physical exercise at the level or for the duration that would be expected of someone in his or her general physical condition, or experiences unusually severe post-exercise pain, fatigue , or other negative effects....
    .
  • Many cancer treatments cause fatigue, particularly chemotherapy and radiotherapy


See also

Other fatigue-related articles
  • Fatigue (safety)
    Fatigue (safety)

    Fatigue is a major safety concern in many fields, but especially in transportation, because fatigue can result in disastrous accidents. Fatigue is considered an internal precondition for unsafe acts because it negatively affects the human operator's internal state....
  • Sleep deprived driving
    Sleep deprived driving

    Sleep deprived driving is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and it can impair the human brain as much as alcohol can....
  • Combat stress reaction
    Combat stress reaction

    Combat stress reaction, in the past commonly known as shell shock or battle fatigue, is a military term used to categorize a range of behaviours resulting from the stress of battle which decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency....
     (Battle fatigue)


Other medical symptoms and conditions
  • Malaise
    Malaise

    Malaise is a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness, an "out of sorts" feeling, often the first indication of an infection or other disease....
  • Asthenia
    Asthenia

    Asthenia is a medical term denoting symptoms of physical weakness and muscle weakness.A condition in which the body lacks or has lost strength either as a whole or in any of its parts....
  • Paresis
    Paresis

    Paresis is a condition typified by partial loss of movement, or impaired movement. When used without qualifiers, it usually refers to the limbs, but it also can be used to describe the muscles of the eyes and also the stomach ....
  • Debility
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Eye circles


External links

  • , U.S. National Cancer Institute