FATIGUE IV

Q:  I am tired all of the time.  Why?

A:  I am continuing my series on medical problems that cause fatigue. Today, I will discuss two more medical causes of fatigue and things to look for. The first is anemia.

Anemia is a low level of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Many things can cause it. Lack of iron is probably the most common. Iron is required to make red blood cells, and low iron means you have fewer red blood cells. As a result, the cells in your body do not get enough oxygen and you feel weak and fatigued.

Bleeding is the most common cause of lack of iron. This could be caused by heavy menstrual periods, bleeding ulcers, poor diet, or cancer. It is important to find the cause, if this is the problem.

The second is hyponatremia or low sodium. It can cause nausea, headaches, confusion and (of course) fatigue. If it gets bad enough, it can even cause death. It is not a disease, but a problem caused by something else- such as working in hot weather or medications. This can be from lack of sodium in your diet, or lots of other health problems including heart, liver or kidney disease. Usually, if you can figure out the cause, it can be corrected. Next week, we will explore more medical causes of fatigue.

Dr. Rick Casey

Questions can be submitted directly to the providers, called in to Mercy Clinic at 417/876-5851 or submitted through their new App mymercy.net.

Hometown care for your family