Asthenia wiki – What is it?

Asthenia is a medical term which describes a feeling of physical weakness without actual loss of strength frequently related with listlessness and tendency to fatigue. Commonly, the weakness occurs in this condition due to muscular or brain disorders. However, it is also applied in the context of personality and emotion research where it involves general debilitation, depressed mood and inhibition. General asthenia takes place in many chronic wasting diseases, such as anemia and cancer. Possibly, it is most marked in diseases of the adrenal gland. As in asthenopia, asthenia may be limited to certain organs or systems of organs and identified by ready fatiguability.

Asthenia is of following types:

• Neurocirculatory asthenia:
  

It is a syndrome of breathlessness, fear of effort, a sense of fatigue, precordial pain, and palpitation, generally considered to be a particular presentation of an anxiety disorder.

• Myalgic asthenia:
  

It is a condition characterized by a general feeling of fatigue and muscular pain, often resulting from or related with psychologic stress.

• Tropical anhidrotic asthenia:

It is a condition due to generalized anhidrosis in conditions of high temperature, characterized by a tendency to over-fatigability, irritability, anorexia, inability to concentrate, and drowsiness, with headache and vertigo.

It is difficult to differentiate between psychogenic asthenia and true asthenia with muscular weakness and in time apparent psychogenic asthenia escorting many chronic disorders is seen to progress into a primary weakness. Commonly, the condition is also seen in patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders or chronic disorders of the heart, lungs or kidneys.

Causes of asthenia:

• Nerve problems, possibly nerve damage from injury or from toxins such as lead poisoning or alcohol dependence
• Vitamin deficiencies, such as lack of B1, B2, B6, pantothenic acid, folic acid, niacin, biotin, cobalamin is the general name for vitamin B12.
• Salt imbalances, such as a low sodium level, called hyponatremia, or a high potassium level, called hyperkalemia.
• Nerve damage such as diabetic neuropathy
• Any serious diseases, for example congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, or cancer psychiatric conditions, especially depression
• Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, two poorly understood conditions with no known cause that commonly make people feel weak and tired
• Hormone imbalances, for example low thyroid hormone levels, called hypothyroidism, or low adrenal hormone levels, called hypoadrenalism
• Any infection especially infectious mononucleosis, flu, poliomyelitis, Clostridium botulinum
• Muscle problems, such as deconditioning or a lack of exercise, muscle injuries or inherited muscle defects, such as muscular dystrophy
• Brain problems, for example a stroke or a condition called Parkinsonism, which affects the ability to move
• Autoimmune disorders which take place when people’s immune systems attack their own bodies for unknown reasons. Some examples are multiple sclerosis, which causes inflammation and damage to the brain and myasthenia gravis, which causes muscle weakness that often gets worse toward the end of the day.
• Asthenia is also a side effect of some medications and treatments, such as Ritonavir (a protease inhibitor used in HIV treatment), vaccines such as the HPV vaccine Gardasil and fentanyl patches (an opioid used to treat pain).

Symptoms and Signs of asthenia:

Weakness itself is a common symptom of asthenia. So when someone suffers from weakness, the healthcare provider will require knowing more details such as:

• When the weakness started
• If the weakness is in one area or affects the whole body
• If the weakness is more physical or mental
• If the weakness came on slowly or happened suddenly
• If the weakness is constant or only happens sometimes
• Whether the person has been or is currently sick
• How severe the weakness is
• Whether weakness runs in the family

Weight loss, fever, depression, and pain are other symptoms of the condition.

Diagnosis of asthenia:

A history and physical examination helps to figure out the cause of weakness. This may be all to make a diagnosis in some cases. Further testing is required in other cases.

For diagnosis, depending on the suspected cause of weakness, tests are to be carried out. For example, to diagnose salt imbalances, blood tests such as a chem-7 can be used. Pneumonia may be examined by chest x-rays. Cranial CT scans can help to detect a stroke. To diagnose myasthenia gravis or diabetic neuropathy, special nerve and muscle tests, for example an electromyogram or nerve conduction velocity test, may help.

How to prevent the condition?

Prevention depends on the cause, such as weakness due to lack of exercise can be prevented with regular exercise. If alcohol or diabetic neuropathy is responsible for weakness, it can be prevented by avoiding alcohol or controlling diabetes with a proper diet and medications. Weakness cannot be prevented in many cases.

Long-term effects of the condition:

Severe cases of weakness may prevent people from doing normal activities. People having a stroke may become paralyzed for life. Weakness due to infection may have long-term effects after treatment. Cancerous patient may die if treatment fails.

Risks to others:

As weakness is not infectious, it does not pose any risk to others. If infection is the cause of weakness, it may be infectious.

Treatment of asthenia:

Asthenia is treated depending on the cause of disease. If infection is the cause, it may be treated with antibiotics. An autoimmune disorder may be cured with drugs to suppress the immune system, for example corticosteroids. A cancerous patient may require surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. People with a muscle injury may require applying ice to the muscle, taking pain medication and rest.

Side effects of the treatments:

All medications have possible side effects such as; antibiotics may cause allergic reactions and stomach upset. Corticosteroids can cause weight gain, a puffy-looking face, and weak bones as a side effect. A risk of bleeding and infection is increased.

Monitoring of the condition:

People can monitor their weakness for example diabetics can monitor by regular check-ups and blood tests. Treatment at home also helps to monitor the condition and further monitoring depends on the cause.

Source: www.medicineonline.com