Asthenia
Asthenia is a medical term referring to fatigue and physical weakness, and it can impact specific or multiple parts of your entire body. It isn’t considered a disease but a common indicator of various chronic or acute health conditions. It may also occur as an adverse effect of specific medications. Some potential triggers for asthenia are nutrient imbalances and deficiencies, sleeping problems, infections, chronic fatigue, blood diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and neurological disorders, to name a few.
Medications like antidepressants, statins, and chemotherapy drugs may also produce feelings of fatigue and weakness. Aging also increases conditions like sarcopenia, which refers to gradually losing muscle strength and tissue and can result in asthenia. Depending on the cause, it may present symptoms like muscle cramps and spasms, tremors or shaking, delayed movement, fever, tiredness, balance loss, dizziness, confusion, headaches, nausea, and malaise. However, in most cases, the proper treatment of the trigger can alleviate it.
In rare situations, asthenia can indicate a heart attack or stroke. Anyone who experiences asthenia and the symptoms of these life-threatening diseases should immediately phone emergency services. After all, they can quickly result in severe and potentially irreversible complications and even death without prompt medical treatment.
