What person does not know the feeling of weakness in the body, when there is no strength to just get out of bed, not to mention more energy-consuming things? A feeling of general weakness is a subjective factor in a person’s well-being when he has a lack of strength for any physical activity and daily activities, the implementation of which in a normal state does not cause any problems. At the same time, fatigue and weakness are similar in sensations for a person - there is a feeling of exhaustion, I want to quickly take a horizontal position and not move. But the difference is that the cause of banal fatigue is obvious, for example, physical training, lack of sleep, or a very active day. With regard to general weakness, a person feels a lack of strength for other reasons, which he himself cannot always determine if they are not obvious.
Why does general weakness occur?
What are the reasons for the emerging weakness? All reasons can be divided into two large groups known and unknown. So, for example, if a child or adult has the flu, they have heat, it is natural that he will feel exhausted even without any physical activity, and at the same time the reason feeling unwell obvious. Another thing is when a person feels general weakness for a long time without any bright accompanying symptoms, and does not know that this condition is a manifestation, for example, of anemia or hormonal pathologies.
The fact is that in itself, fatigue and a general state of weakness can be a symptom of a large number of diseases, and it can be caused by more than a hundred reasons. Among them, for example, there is beriberi - a lack of vitamins, one or more. Often causeless weakness is a consequence of a lack of B vitamins in the body, especially vitamin B12, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells and prevents the development of anemia. It is because of its lack that a person can develop anemia (anemia), which can provoke a state of weakness and weakness. Vitamin D deficiency, produced by the body under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, especially makes itself felt in winter and autumn. The feeling of chronic fatigue and weakness during these seasons can be triggered by a lack of the "sunshine" vitamin.
Depression is a serious psychiatric disorder, and not a banal bad mood, as a fairly large number of people mistakenly think. It is manifested by a constant feeling of depression, physical and mental retardation, disturbance and disorders of thinking.
Thyroid diseases and related hormonal disorders lead to the formation of a feeling of weakness, for example, with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Reduced organ function (hypothyroidism) provokes weakness in the limbs, when everything literally “falls out of hand”, according to patients. Hyperthyroidism, in addition to the described feeling, is accompanied by nervous excitability, hand tremors, fever, and heart rhythm disturbances.
Celiac disease is not a very common pathology, which consists in the inability of the human intestine to absorb gluten. If the affected person is unaware of the problem and continues to use flour products and various flour products, in addition to flatulence and diarrhea with loose stools, he will experience constant fatigue.
Some other reasons for constantly feeling weak:
- taking certain medications (antihistamines, beta-blockers, antidepressants);
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- diabetes;
- oncological diseases;
- chronic fatigue syndrome;
- dehydration;
- anemia and other blood diseases;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- acute and chronic infectious processes, SARS and colds;
- state of intoxication.
In addition, a state of malaise can develop during menstruation in women, with injuries to the trunk and skull, after general anesthesia and operations.
Classification of malaise, accepted in the theory of medicine
Depending on the mechanism of development and manifestation of the condition, it is classified into the following types:
- generalized weakness that slowly develops and progresses;
- acute and rapidly progressing condition;
- recurrent and intermittent general weakness.
The nature of the formation and development of malaise is a factor that plays an important role in determining the causes of malaise. So, for example, the first type of state is typical for:
- sarcoidosis;
- myopathy;
- connective tissue diseases;
- intoxication;
- oncological processes;
- metabolic disorders;
- endocrinopathy;
- psychogenic weakness;
- general somatic diseases with and without damage to the neuromuscular apparatus.
An acute condition with a sharp progression can be formed with myopathy, lesions nervous system like poliomyelitis, as well as psychogenic weakness.
The latter type of pathological condition occurs in diseases of the central nervous system and neuromuscular lesions (with myasthenia gravis, periodic paralysis).
Symptoms that form and accompany a feeling of general weakness
As mentioned above, the state of malaise is, first of all, the subjective feeling of a person, his complaints about well-being. The manifestation of weakness can have several variants of symptoms, which consists of several pathological conditions.
For example, weakness may be accompanied by:
- distraction of attention;
- pain in the head, pain in the joints and muscles;
- impaired concentration and memory;
- decreased performance and productivity;
- speech difficulties;
- feeling overtired;
- deterioration and decrease in mental activity.
In addition, the state of weakness can be accompanied by:
- fever and euphoria;
- swollen lymph nodes;
- pain in the back and lower back;
- eye fatigue, hoarseness of voice;
- sleep disturbances and weight fluctuations;
- loss of appetite;
- severe sweating;
- nausea, dizziness,;
- temperature rise to subfebrile or high values.
At the same time, a person prefers to be in a stationary state, he has a sharp or gradual decrease in activity, depressed mood, palpitations, pallor of the skin, sensitivity to noise and light.
Weakness in infectious diseases
Most infectious and viral diseases occur against the background of gradually increasing malaise and a general deterioration in well-being, especially while the virus or infection is in the process of reproduction. Weakness in such cases is combined with fever, headache, intestinal disorders and indigestion, diarrhea, sleep disturbance, vomiting, dry cough, nasal congestion. Possible skin rashes, sore throat, drowsiness, swollen lymph nodes. The condition is directly related to the intoxication that has arisen in the body. The course of an infectious disease is possible without temperature, especially in patients with weak immunity. A person has a headache and a sore throat, he sleeps a lot and practically does not eat. These symptoms are typical for acute course infectious diseases. Weakness may not be accompanied by other pathological manifestations - in this case, we can talk about an asymptomatic course.
It is interesting that during the day the state of the affected person is not the same: if in the morning after waking up he feels relatively cheerful, then in the afternoon, in the evening, the temperature rises, and all symptoms of malaise intensify.
Signs of oncological processes
Constant weakness in cancer patients is their natural state, over time they even get used to it and do not notice their exhausted state. Weakness is due to intoxication of the body, because a growing tumor releases toxic products of its vital activity into the surrounding tissues and blood vessels. Moreover, malaise is manifested by other signs. In the early stages of tumor development, a person may notice a slight soreness, and when the tumor has already formed, the place of its localization often hurts noticeably. In addition, the sick person loses his appetite, and his weight begins to decrease. Worst of all, when the appetite is in order, and the person eats normally, but the weight is still melting before our eyes - this means that the metabolic processes are disturbed. One of the early signs of oncology is an unreasonable increase in body temperature for no apparent reason. In fact, the reason lies in the oppression of the tumor immune system, which responds in this way. The patient may feel at the same time increased sweating, he is often thrown into a cold sweat.
Nails, hair and skin react to a tumor growing in the body. For example, with a tumor of the thyroid gland, there is a strong hair loss, and the nails become brittle. With liver damage, the skin turns yellow, if the disease is localized in the adrenal glands, the skin darkens.
Weakness in diabetes
The main reasons why weakness can form in a patient with a diagnosis of diabetes:
- overdose of insulin-containing drugs in type 1 diabetes;
- developing pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, kidney damage;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- inadequate dosage of hypoglycemic drugs in type 2 diabetes;
- the formation of one of the types of lumps (hyperosmolar, ketoacidotic, hypoglycemic, lactacidic);
- the use of alcoholic beverages;
- intense physical activity.
It is known that in the body of a patient with diabetes, some processes occur differently than in a healthy person. The pancreas fails to produce enough insulin. Its lack and the development of cell receptor resistance to it causes glucose not to enter the tissues of the body in the right concentration. Glucose, in turn, is a source of energy for life support. In addition, an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood leads to its thickening, and the internal organs no longer receive the right amount nutrients, because the blood supply to them is worse. The result of such a violation is a feeling of weakness that haunts a diabetic.
Diseases of the spine, in which a breakdown can form
Can a feeling of weakness from the spine, in which pathology is formed, bother a person? Osteochondrosis is one of the most common spinal diseases that develops in men and women in adulthood or old age. It is associated with destructive processes in the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, resulting in the destruction of the cartilage and connective tissue of the spine. The location of the vertebrae changes, the distance between them decreases, a person experiences clamps of nerve endings. A person feels pain in the back of the head, lower back, chest, sometimes in the limbs. In addition, the affected person feels weakness - most often, it is localized in the lower extremities, they literally do not hold the patient, but they can also cover the entire body. A person may go numb and take away his legs and arms, or, conversely, there is pain, burning and tingling in the muscles. General weakness in osteochondrosis of the spine may indicate that degenerative processes cover several departments.
What to do if you constantly feel a breakdown that is not associated with the wrong regimen and lack of sleep? If the performance of the usual and uncomplicated daily activities causes severe fatigue, and there are no objective reasons for this, you should consult a doctor.
The fact is that the state of weakness, if it is constantly present and does not depend on physical exertion, can be a sign of various diseases, from pathologies at work. endocrine system to vitamin deficiency. What exactly caused the unpleasant and lethargic condition, only the doctor can determine.
Who to contact if there is a constant weakness? First of all, you need to visit a therapist. This general specialist will examine and interview the patient, appoint him a change general analyzes blood and urine, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, fluorography, may be referred to a narrower specialist, for example, an oncologist, endocrinologist, immunologist.
35 years .Education:1975-1982, 1MMI, San-Gig, highest qualification, infectious diseases doctor.
Science degree: doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences.
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Everyone periodically experiences fatigue and weakness in the body. The reasons for this condition may be different. It is imperative to identify them. This is because severe weakness can be associated with serious health problems.
Manifestations of weakness
It may be different. With the development of acute infectious diseases, it "attacks" suddenly. It is a sharp weakness that indicates the onset of the disease. As intoxication intensifies, such sensations increase. However, with proper treatment, a person's condition gradually normalizes.
Weakness, which was caused by physical or nervous overload, occurs gradually. At first, a person loses interest in work, and then absent-mindedness and persistent fatigue come. After some more time, the patient develops apathy, loses interest in everything around him, including his personal life.
How else does this condition manifest itself? What are its typical symptoms? Weakness caused by rigid diets or malnutrition manifests itself in the same way as with emotional overstrain. Although in this case, a person also has such accompanying symptoms as dizziness, lethargy and pallor of the skin, brittle nails and hair, low blood pressure, and so on.
Weakness in the body: causes
Loss of energy can be observed under various circumstances. Often, such a state is accompanied by a whole range of adverse factors that negatively affect a person’s well-being.
So why does weakness occur in the body? The reasons for this condition may be as follows:
- low physical activity;
- too busy schedule
- constant lack of sleep;
- malnutrition and, as a result, a lack of vitamins in the body;
- unbalanced mode of work and rest;
- strict diets.
If any symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor.
In order for the severe weakness that has developed due to these factors to subside, they should be eliminated. In other words, you need to increase your physical activity get enough sleep, eat right, get plenty of rest, etc.
Why does hand weakness occur?
About why there is a general weakness in human body we have described above. However, in some cases, this condition is observed only in certain parts of the body. For example, many people complain of constant weakness in their hands. According to experts, this symptom is very common in neurological practice.
Consider the most common causes of upper limb weakness:
- Stroke. In violation of cerebral circulation, the symptoms appear quite early. Such a pathological condition can lead not only to weakness in the hands, but also to limit the movement of the limbs, as well as cause dizziness, headaches, and speech.
- Polyneuropathy. This disease is often accompanied by weakness. It grows gradually. Subsequently, burning pains in the limbs and sensory disturbances join it.
- Radiculopathy. This disease is characterized by pain in the neck, radiating to the arm. Most often, patients have a selective decrease in strength, as well as a violation of the sensitivity of several fingers and a zone on the forearm.
- Myasthenia. Weakness in the arms increases in the evening, and also after re-squeezing the hand or bending the arm.
- Parkinson's disease. This disease is characterized by awkwardness, as well as slowness of hand movements. Also, this disease is accompanied by trembling in the upper limbs.
- In this condition, weakness in the upper limbs can be bilateral or unilateral, intermittent and migratory. There are also many other accompanying symptoms.
Other reasons
Why else can there be weakness in the body? The reasons for the loss of strength and discomfort in the hands should be identified by the doctor. Very often, such symptoms occur due to psycho-emotional problems, as well as with Guillain-Barré syndrome, cerebral palsy, and syringomyelia.
It should also be noted that non-neurological diseases may also be the cause of weakness in the hands. For example, in some people it is observed in rheumatic diseases, vascular lesions of the arteries of the hands, and so on.
Muscle problems
Muscle weakness is a fairly common problem. It can accompany completely different diseases. Most often, such a complaint is voiced by a therapist or neurologist.
Speaking of muscle weakness, patients mean difficulty in movement, fatigue, a decrease in overall vitality and sensitivity. In adults, this condition is most often observed in the lower extremities.
Experts say that heart failure is manifested not only in severe shortness of breath, but also in the inability to perform even ordinary physical work. Most patients misinterpret this condition as muscle weakness.
What other diseases can cause muscle weakness?
Such reasons may be:
- Deforming osteoarthritis. This pathology significantly reduces the range of motion of the joints. This helps to reduce the tolerated loads, resulting in weakness in the muscles.
- Metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus of the second type). This disease is accompanied by damage to peripheral neurons. In this case, a person may experience fatigue, apathy and weakness in the lower extremities.
As a rule, all of the listed causes of muscle weakness appear after a person reaches the age of 40.
If such a symptom occurs in a baby, then this indicates a pathology of the nervous system. Therefore, in the first minutes of life, the doctor is obliged to assess not only the general condition of the newborn, but also the tone of his muscles.
The decline is associated with birth trauma and other causes.
Thus, weakness in the muscles can develop for various reasons. This condition occurs in diseases nervous tissue(peripheral or central nervous system), with endocrine disorders (thyrotoxicosis, hyperparathyroidism) and other diseases (for example, with dermatomyositis or polymyositis, muscular dystrophy, mitochondrial myopathy, hysteria, botulism, various poisonings, anemia).
When weakness occurs in the body or in certain parts of it, it is necessary to understand why it occurs. If this phenomenon is associated with nutrition or lifestyle in general, then changes need to be made to it. You should move more, take vitamin complexes, rest more and so on.
Weakness treatment
In the event that such a condition is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms, then it is necessary to consult a doctor. First, you should consult with a therapist who, after an examination, should refer you to a narrower specialist (for example, a neurologist, cardiologist, traumatologist, etc.).
For treatment, the doctor selects an individual therapy regimen. In some cases, patients are prescribed thrombolytics and neuroprotectors, as well as various vitamin complexes. In addition, symptomatic therapy is carried out, massage, physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, etc. are prescribed.
A timely visit to a doctor with weakness in the body will allow you not only to get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon, but also to prevent its growth and the development of more serious pathologies.
Every day we have to do a lot of things, solve urgent issues and problems. But you can engage in daily activities and work only in a normal physical condition. After all, a violation of well-being immediately affects performance. So even an ordinary breakdown can significantly worsen our condition. Let's talk on www.site, because of what weakness occurs in the body, we will consider in detail the possible causes of such troubles, recall what other symptoms are possible with this condition, and answer the question of what treatment is needed for weakness.
Causes of weakness in the body
According to doctors, now every person periodically complains of weakness, regardless of age and gender. There are many factors that can provoke this pathological condition. So weakness can be due to constant overstrain, for example, emotional or physical. In this case, it is quite easy to deal with it - you just need to optimize the daily routine and ensure yourself a good rest.
Sometimes a feeling of weakness develops against the background of acute or chronic ailments of various etiologies. Unpleasant symptoms are often the result of endocrine diseases.
One of the most common causes of weakness is chronic fatigue syndrome. It is caused by a whole combination of factors, among which insufficient intake of vitamin and mineral substances plays a very important role.
Such a deficiency is also observed in hypovitaminosis and avitaminosis, which also cause weakness. Such conditions can develop due to starvation, a monotonous, unbalanced or unhealthy diet.
As for diseases that can provoke severe weakness, among them in the first place are diseases of viral and bacterial origin, provoking general intoxication of the body. Among these diseases are various acute respiratory viral infections (including influenza), food poisoning, etc.
Severe weakness may be due to the development iron deficiency anemia, vegetovascular dystonia and even a common cold. Also, this condition may be the result of alcohol poisoning, drugs, etc. Sometimes weakness is a natural sign of a developing pregnancy. Also, such a violation of well-being can be caused by weather changes, magnetic storms and the need to live in a large industrial city.
In general, weakness can be considered as a symptom of many rather serious disorders, so if it bothers you constantly, it is better to seek the advice of at least a therapist.
About how weakness in the body manifests itself (symptoms)
Manifestations of weakness are often very different, depending on what exactly triggered them. For example, in acute infectious ailments, such a feeling attacks a person completely suddenly, gradually increasing due to increased intoxication of the body. Such weakness quickly goes away with proper therapy.
Weakness, provoked by nervous or physical overload, increases gradually. At first, a person loses interest in any activity, then absent-mindedness and a feeling of persistent fatigue appear. Over time, the appearance of apathy is observed, interest in everything is lost, even in personal life and in possible recreation.
The same symptoms manifest weakness, provoked by a deficiency in the intake of nutrients. But it is usually supplemented by other unpleasant phenomena, for example, hair loss, dizziness, pallor, brittle nails, etc.
In the event that weakness is the result of some more serious conditions, then it is supplemented by a number of other symptoms. So endocrine disorders often make themselves felt by a change in body weight, a violation of taste habits, severe thirst, etc.
About how weakness in the body is corrected (treatment)
Therapy of weakness directly depends on the causes of its occurrence. So with overwork (physical or mental), chronic fatigue syndrome and nervous tension, it is extremely important to optimize the daily routine, reduce stress and switch to a proper balanced diet. It is recommended to take vitamin preparations saturate the diet fresh vegetables and fruits, systematically walk in the fresh air and try in every possible way to strengthen the immune system. The same measures will help to cope with hypovitaminosis, beriberi.
If weakness is the result of intoxication, you should call a doctor at home and follow his recommendations. For the speedy removal of toxins from the body, it is worth drinking as much water as possible, herbal teas, absorbents, etc. will also be a good option.
Serious health disorders (for example, endocrine diseases) require more targeted therapy under the supervision of an appropriate specialist. With such problems, the patient will have to take special medications optimizing the balance of hormones. In certain cases, surgical treatment is also carried out.
In case of weakness, means can come to the rescue traditional medicine. Thus, adaptogen plants, represented by eleutherococcus, aralia, pink radiola, etc., have excellent tonic qualities. A good effect can be achieved with the help of beekeeping products - ordinary honey, pollen, royal jelly.
When persistent weakness appears, you should not pull, it is better to seek the advice of a doctor as soon as possible.
Fatigue symptoms slowly worsen until one day you feel like a hamster stuck on an exercise wheel.Recently, scientists have found that a very common cause of fatigue and difficulty waking up in the morning in women before and after 40 years of age is an elementary lack of vitamin D.
Fatigue can manifest itself in many ways. Sometimes these symptoms go away and reappear with the menstrual cycle. But if the fatigue is quite severe, these symptoms last for several weeks or more until they become permanent. These include:
- Feeling of exhaustion (mental and physical).
- Tired in the morning, even after a full night's sleep.
- Feeling tired or overwhelmed.
- Inability to fully recover from illness or stress.
- Headache.
- General wandering pain.
- Uncharacteristic muscle soreness after exercise.
- Depressed mood, loss of energy.
- Poor short-term memory, confusion, irritability.
- Strong food cravings (especially cravings for sweets or other carbohydrates)
- Dependence on caffeine, sugar or alcohol, especially during the day and early evening.
Many medications can also cause fatigue as side effect, therefore it is better to be safe, having specified everything at the doctor.
Diseases that are symptomatic of fatigue
Sometimes the symptoms of fatigue can be the result of serious diseases:Constant fatigue and weakness during menopause
During menopause and premenopause, many women may experience a constant and persistent lack of energy and an inexplicable feeling of tiredness and weakness.Signs of menopausal fatigue:
- decreased wakefulness,
- decreased attention,
- mental distraction,
- irritability,
- forgetfulness.
The physical symptoms of menopause, such as night sweats and insomnia, also contribute to daytime fatigue. Many women suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, which also contributes to daytime fatigue, which in turn exacerbates menopausal symptoms such as anxiety, poor concentration, and lack of confidence.
Elena Malysheva on the fight against fatigue with the help of food
Other causes of fatigue and weakness
There are more mundane reasons constant fatigue which include:- Lack of sleep
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night to rest and recover. School-age children and teenagers need at least eight to ten hours of sleep.
Emotional stress, anxiety, chronic pain, allergies, caffeine, alcohol, hot flashes, and illness all don't contribute to a good night's rest.
Lesser known causes are televisions, ambient light in bedrooms, personal computers, poor sleeping environments, and uncomfortable beds.
Try to remove all kinds of interference and give yourself a good night's sleep. Perhaps, fatigue will take off like a hand. - Stress
It is possible that fatigue is both physical and emotional in nature.
Persistent mild fatigue is commonly thought to be a response to lack of sleep or overwork, in which case a prescription for an insomnia sedative is usually prescribed. But in this case, even despite full sleep for six to eight steady hours, stress fatigue does not go away. - Malnutrition
Complete nutrition is what the body often lacks - a balanced diet for full-fledged work.
In addition to this, eating a large amount of food at the same time can also cause fatigue and lethargy, since it will require a huge amount of energy to digest it.
One of the reasons people get into "food addiction" is because the body diverts blood supply and energy from elsewhere (such as the brain) for the digestive process. - Dehydration.
Fluid loss is a very common and overlooked cause of mild fatigue.
To avoid this condition, drink eight glasses of pure, filtered water, herbal tea, or diluted, unsweetened juice a day. A fluid loss of as little as 2% is enough to cause mental confusion and short-term memory loss. Drowsiness, muscle weakness, dizziness and headache - if the fluid level falls below this.
Coffee and soda are not considered as they lead to fluid loss due to their diuretic effect. - Inactive lifestyle.
The body needs rest and movement. And as strange as it sounds, long periods of inactivity can lead to fatigue.
Regular moderate exercise helps regulate metabolism and adjusts the circadian rhythm, freeing up high levels stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which promote restorative and rejuvenating sleep.If there is a feeling of weakness in the body in the spring in women, and especially in the morning when the temperature rises and the sunrise comes earlier, if it becomes more difficult to get out of bed - and you are not alone.
Spring fatigue is a common health problem for many women around the world. Drowsiness is supposed to be a natural symptom caused by our physical system. In winter, our body's levels of hormones such as serotonin (a stress reliever and happiness booster) decrease due to shorter daylight hours, and the body produces more of the sleep hormone melatonin. And when spring comes, bringing more and more hours of sunshine, the body has to adjust. Body temperature rises, blood vessels dilate, blood pressure falls. Light causes the body to secrete more of the "activity hormone" serotonin, while the amount of melatonin is still very high. The body cannot manage adaptive processes overnight. As a result, some of us feel lethargic, less motivated, low in vitality and tired by the end of the winter season.
The process of adjusting to these seasonal changes is called spring fatigue. How to deal with it? Here are some methods to help you get through the change of season:
- A cup or two may help in the morning and throughout the day, but it's not exactly the right measure to combat spring fatigue.
- Start the day with a contrast shower - this is a great way to wake up and get a boost of energy. And it also helps the vascular system cope with the need to adapt to changed temperatures and survive spring fatigue. In addition, a contrast shower speeds up blood circulation.
- Favorite music is all you need. Movement is good for circulation, so it's a fairly simple measure to treat the symptoms of spring fatigue.
- Exercise, daylight and fresh air are ideal for helping the body adjust to the changing seasons.
- More and more people are using natural healing herbs for fatigue. Leek is an effective herb for combating fatigue. An excellent breakfast is one or two slices of wholemeal bread with a little butter and plenty of fresh green onions. Iron is needed for energy production, and The best way get it - it's a healthy diet.
I. Generalized weakness with gradual onset and slow progression:
- General somatic diseases without direct damage to the neuromuscular apparatus.
- General somatic diseases with a direct effect on the neuromuscular apparatus.
- Endocrinopathy.
- metabolic disorders.
- Intoxication (including medicinal).
- Malignant neoplasms.
- Connective tissue diseases.
- Sarcoidosis.
- Myopathies.
- Psychogenic weakness.
II. Acute and rapidly progressive generalized weakness:
- Somatic diseases.
- Myopathy.
- Actual lesions of the nervous system (poliomyelitis, polyneuropathy)
- Psychogenic weakness.
III. Intermittent or recurrent general weakness.
- Neuromuscular diseases (myasthenia gravis, McArdle disease, periodic paralysis).
- Diseases of the central nervous system. (Intermittent compression of the spinal cord by the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra).
Generalized weakness with gradual onset and slow progression
Patients complain of increasing general weakness and fatigue, they may feel psychological fatigue, decreased performance and lack of desire.
The reasons are:
General medical conditions without direct involvement of the neuromuscular apparatus, such as chronic infections, tuberculosis, sepsis, Addison's disease, or malignant diseases, are among the most common causes of progressive weakness. Weakness is usually associated with specific symptoms of the underlying disease; general clinical and physical examination in these cases is the most important for diagnosis.
General diseases with a known direct effect on the neuromuscular apparatus. Weakness in these diseases is often predominantly proximal, especially pronounced in the region of the belts of the upper or lower extremities. This category includes:
- Endocrinopathy such as hypothyroidism (characterized by cold, pale, dry skin; lack of desire; constipation; thickened tongue; hoarse voice; bradycardia; muscle swelling, slow Achilles reflexes; etc.; often accompanied by other neurological symptoms such as paresthesia, ataxia, carpal tunnel syndrome, cramps); hyperthyroidism (characterized by proximal muscle weakness with difficulty getting up from a squatting position; signe dutabouret, sweating; tachycardia; tremor; hot skin, heat intolerance; diarrhea; etc.; neurological symptoms such as pyramidal and other signs are rarely noted); hypoparathyroidism (muscle weakness and cramps, tetany, headaches, fatigue, ataxia, convulsive seizures, rarely hallucinations and choreoathetoid symptoms are noted); hyperparathyroidism (characterized by true myopathy with muscle atrophy; depression; emotional lability, irritability, confusion; constipation); Cushing's disease, etc.
- Some metabolic disorders, such as glycogenosis (characterized by damage to the heart and liver) or diabetes mellitus.
- Some types of intoxication and exposure to pharmacological drugs, which can lead to slowly increasing general weakness. Chronic forms alcoholic myopathy develop for weeks or months and are accompanied by atrophy of the proximal muscles. When taking chloroquine (delagil), vacuolar myopathy is observed; cortisone, especially fluorohydrocortisone, and long-term use of colchicine may cause reversible myopathy.
- Malignant neoplasms may be accompanied by polymyositis, or simply generalized weakness.
- Connective tissue diseases, especially systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma, in which muscle symptoms are combined with polymyositis, are serious causes of slowly progressive general weakness.
- Sarcoidosis. Patients usually complain of general weakness, malaise, poor appetite, weight loss. In addition, sarcoidosis granulomas in skeletal muscles and tendons are described, which is manifested by even greater muscle weakness, less often by myalgia.
Many true myopathies, such as hereditary muscular dystrophies, can lead to generalized weakness as the disease progresses.
Psychogenic weakness is usually observed in the picture of polysyndromic psychogenic disorders (functional neurological stigmas, pseudo-seizures, speech disorders, dysbasia, paroxysmal disorders of various types, etc.), which facilitate clinical diagnosis.
As a casuistic observation, spastic tetraplegia (tetraparesis) is described as the first (initial) manifestation of Alzheimer's disease, proven by a post mortem pathomorphological study.
Acute and rapidly progressive generalized weakness
In these cases, predominantly proximal muscles are also involved. Possible reasons:
Systemic diseases, such as hypocalcemia of various etiologies, can lead to widespread severe weakness within a few hours.
Myopathies, especially acute paroxysmal myoglobinuria(rhabdomyolysis) (characterized by muscle pain and red urine); myasthenia gravis with its rare generalized form and symptomatic form due to penicillamine therapy (Myasthenia gravis is characterized by an increase in weakness during muscle work, and the patient gets tired easily, but the condition improves after rest and in the morning); polymyositis(often accompanied by reddish-purple skin patches, muscle tenderness, and predominantly proximal weakness).
Existing (actual) lesions of the nervous system. More or less generalized weakness may result from infection of the anterior horn cells (neuronopathy) such as poliomyelitis (weakness without loss of sensation, fever, areflexia, changes in the cerebrospinal fluid), tick-borne encephalitis, other viral infections, intoxications, AIDP (Guillain-Polyradiculopathy- Barre) are usually accompanied by distal paresthesias and some sensitive changes. Rare acute polyneiropathies such as porphyria (abdominal symptoms, constipation, epileptic seizures, tachycardia, urine photosensitivity) also lead to weakness with minimal sensory changes.
Psychogenic weakness sometimes manifests itself as an acute loss of muscle tone (falling spells).
Intermittent or recurrent general weakness
Neuromuscular diseases, especially myasthenia gravis (see above) and insufficiency of muscle phosphorylase (McArdle's disease), which is characterized by hypokalemic paralysis, appearing along with pain and weakness with prolonged muscle tension. Paroxysmal myoplegia (periodic familial hypokalemic paralysis) is characterized by the development within a few hours of generalized weakness and flaccid paralysis (in the arms or legs, more often tetraparesis, less often hemi or monoparesis) with loss of tendon reflexes. Consciousness is not disturbed. Provoking factors: night sleep, abundant food intake, excessive exercise stress, hypothermia, drugs (glucose with insulin, etc.). The duration of the attacks is several hours; frequency - from single during life to daily. Myoplegic syndromes are described in thyrotoxicosis, primary hyperaldosteronism and other conditions accompanied by hypokalemia (gastrointestinal diseases, urethrosigmostomy, various diseases kidneys). There are also hyperkalemic and normokalemic variants of periodic paralysis.
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