FATIGUE V
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 a few more medical causes of fatigue and things to look for. The first is a viral infection. You don’t feel well, but are not sure why. Viruses cause lots of things, from the common cold, fever, rashes, diarrhea and nausea. Most will go away in a few days. Some viruses can last longer and sometimes can cause fatigue. This usually requires some testing to determine. The second is another kind of infection, and that is TB. Tuberculosis is not around as much as it used to be. It is caused by a type of bacteria that can be spread through the air. It is easily spread from person to person through coughs or sneezing. It can also spread from the lungs to other parts of the body. Latent TB means that you have the bacteria in your body, but your body is keeping it from becoming active. This means that you have subtle symptoms, from having it without realizing it. You can have fatigue, loss of weight, night sweats or fever. It is uncommon, but it is around. Another infectious cause is SBE, subacute bacterial endocarditis. It is an infection of the heart valves, caused by bacteria. It land lands there while in the bloodstream and usually follows dental work or having infections such as Strep throat. It is also common in IV drug abusers. It can damage your heart tissue. It feels like you have the flu to start out, but causes weight loss, night sweats, painful joints and, of course, fatigue. Next week, we will talk about liver, kidney and adrenal problems that cause 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.
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