Job Hazards

Fatigue

Fatigue can be a combination of physical and mental exhaustion that worsens in times of stress or due to medicinal side effects, mental or physical exertion, or illness. Everyone goes through a period of fatigue every so often, as their body alerts them that it is in need of rest, recovery, and sleep. When fatigue is no longer isolated and occurs often, it is typically a warning that there is a more serious condition going on.

Traits of fatigue include energy loss, muscle weakness, and delayed movements or central nervous stem responses. Fatigue an also leave someone mentally drained, and long-term fatigue can cause confusion, lack of focus, and on rare occasions, memory loss.

Causes of Fatigue

Poor sleeping habits, improper diet, stress at home and in the workplace, below average physical fitness, or symptoms caused by a more serious underlying ailment can cause fatigue. Ongoing fatigue may be the result of heart disease, low blood pressure, diabetes, renal disease, iron-deficiency anemia, narcolepsy, or cancer. Viruses or bacterial infections can cause short-term episodes of exhaustion. Fatigue can also be due to psychological disorders, such as depression.

A variety of blood pressure medications, antihistamines, and antibiotics contain warnings that list drowsiness as a possible side effect. If you are already suffering from fatigue and your physician prescribes a medication likely to compound your symptoms, you should inquire about alternative treatments.

Intense fatigue that goes uninterrupted for a minimum of six months, is not linked to a disease or illness, and features traits like swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and muscle weakness or pain could be diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic fatigue syndrome, also called chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome, is an incapacitating disorder that causes unbearable exhaustion and numerous symptoms impacting the nervous and immune systems. An estimated 1.5 to 2 million Americans are believed to have chronic fatigue syndrome.

Treatment of Fatigue

Initial treatment techniques for fatigue include altering one's eating and lifestyle habits. Some people who experience sporadic symptoms related to fatigue may find that temporary use of central nervous stimulants comprised of caffeine will help improve alertness, decrease drowsiness, and recover coordination. These should be taken in moderation because excess use of the drug can lead to insomnia.

Overuse of caffeine can cause withdrawal when it is discontinued. Symptoms related to caffeine withdrawal include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Drowsiness
• Yawning
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Vomiting
• Runny nose

These symptoms may last for up to seven days. People who use caffeine in excess also build up a tolerance, so they are forced to use more of the drug to get the same effect as they did previously with a smaller quantity.