Weakness is a symptom used to describe a number of different conditions, including: lack of muscle strength, malaise, dizziness or fatigue. The causes are many and can be divided into conditions that have true or perceived muscle weakness. True muscle weakness is a primary symptom of a variety of skeletal muscle diseases, including muscular dystrophy and inflammatory myopathy. It occurs in neuromuscular junction disorders, such as myasthenia gravis.
Fatigue (also called exhaustion, lethargy, languidness, languor, lassitude, and listlessness) is a state of awareness varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one’s muscles. Physical fatigue is the inability to continue functioning at the level of one’s normal abilities. Mental fatigue, on the other hand, rather manifests in somnolence (sleepiness).
Fatigue is considered a symptom because it is reported by the patient instead of being observed by others.
Causes of Weakness or Fatigue
Many different conditions can cause weakness and fatigue. In 2010 DiagnosisPro listed 464 possible cause that can cause fatigue. True weakness may be due to problems with the nerves, neuromuscular junction or with muscles.
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Centronuclear myopathy
- Myotubular myopathy
- Muscle Atrophy
- Motor neurone disease
- Muscular dystrophy
- Myotonic dystrophy
- Myasthenia gravis
- Progressive muscular atrophy
- Spinal muscular atrophy
- Cerebral palsy
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Herpes zoster
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Celiac disease
- Hypercortisolism (Cushing’s syndrome)
- Hypocortisolism (Addison’s disease)
- Primary hyperaldosteronism (Conn’s syndrome)
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- McArdle’s Disease
- Ross River Fever
- Barmah Forest Fever
- Conn’s Syndrome
Causes of Fatigue
Some major categories of diseases that feature fatigue include:
- Autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and spondyloarthropathy
- Blood disorders such as anemia and hemochromatosis
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
- Depression and other mental disorders that feature depressed mood
- Eating disorders, which can produce fatigue due to inadequate nutrition
- Endocrine disease like diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism
- Heart disease
- Infectious diseases such as infectious mononucleosis and influenza
- Leukemia or lymphoma
- Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and post-concussion syndrome
- Physical trauma and other pain-causing conditions, such as arthritis
- Sleep deprivation or sleep disorders
- Hepatic failure
- Certain medications, e.g. lithium salts, ciprofloxacin
- Beta blocker medication causes fatigue, especially after exertion, inducing exercise intolerance.
- Many cancer treatments cause fatigue, particularly chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Fatigue after Eating
Feeling of fatigue after eating is very common. After we eat food, especially a heavy lunch or dinner, the blood supply from our brain and limbs decreases and the blood supply in our stomach and intestine increases to facilitate digestions. This change in blood flow and oxygenation causes a feeling of dullness, drowsiness and fatigue after eating.
Homeopathic Remedies & Homeopathy Treatment for Weakness, Fatigue
The following homeopathic remedies have symptoms of weakness or fatigue.
#Carbo vegetabilis [Carb-v]
This remedy is especially suitable for weak and delicate old people who are old dyspeptics; especially that form of debility from lactation or organic causes. Defective reaction, particularly in abdominal affections with rapid pulse and great coldness o;f the body, make the choice of the remedy clear. Fatigue after eating.
#Phosphoric acid [Phos]
Suits debility of nervous or functional origin, with burning in spines or limbs. It is characterized by indifference and torpidity of body and mind, a total lack of erethism. There is failure in memory. It suits especially debility arising from sexual excesses or loses of semen. A debility that sets in after mental emotions, grief, sorrow, home-sickness or disappointments, with emaciation, night sweats, drowsiness, etc., will call for Phosphoric acid. Ambra. A lack of reaction from nervous weakness calls for Ambra. Psorinum. Lack of reaction from a psoric taint. The patient is greatly prostrated after acute or violent diseases. Laurocerasus. Lack of reaction in diseases of the lungs. Muriatic acid. There is the greatest general debility with this remedy; the patient is too weak to maintain his position in bed, and so slips down to the foot of the bed all in a heap and must be lifted into position frequently; inability to void the urine unless the bowels move is present, thus showing the prostration. Veratrum album. Debility with blue veins, cold and blue hands and feet. Sulphuric acid. All acids have a debility; that of Sulphuric acid is shown by a tremor, a general weakness and tremulousness.
Functional debility from loss of fluids, sexual excesses, etc.,or debility when convalescing from acute diseases with much sinking at epigastrium. It is the great remedy for exhaustion and suits anaemic debility from long-lasting drains on the system. Arsenicum. Debility from overtaxing the muscles; exertion such as mountain climbing will indicate it. Phosphorus. Sudden prostration. The nervous system is exhausted. It corresponds to a nervous debility especially. Fatigue after eating.
Debility of cerebro-spinal system following loss of sleep. Loss of sleep causes languid and exhausted feeling. It especially suits those who are debilitated from long watching of the sick, thus combining anxiety and loss of sleep. Colchicum. Debility from loss of sleep, with involvement of digestion. Selenium. Easy fatigue, exhaustion, inability to perform any mental or physical labor, sexual debility. The strength soddenly leaves. Anacardium. Sexual debility, nervous debility from overstudy. Patient trembles from every motion, wants to lie or sit continually can scarcely move a hand.
#Picric acid [Pic-ac]
Debility from diminished nutrition; there is a lame and tired sensation all over the body; the slightest exertion brings on speedy exhaustion. Aletris. Debility, especially of females, from protracted illness or defective nutrition. Acetic acid. Debility from impaired nutrition with a diarrhea and profuse sweat; the countenance is pale and waxen and emaciated. A profound debility with a tendency death ward is often met by this remedy with its general, waxy skin, etc.
Homeopathy natural remedies for fatigue, weakness, chronic fatigue causes, diagnosis, treatment and cure for weakness. Fatigue after eating.