What are the causes and symptoms of fatigue?
Fatigue may be the result of one or more environmental causes such as inadequate rest, improper diet, work and home stressors, or poor physical conditioning, or one symptom of a chronic medical condition or disease process in the body. Heart disease, low blood pressure, diabetes, end-stage renal disease, iron-deficiency anemia, narcolepsy, and cancer can cause long-term, ongoing fatigue symptoms. Acute illnesses such as viral and bacterial infections can also trigger temporary feelings of exhaustion. In addition, mental disorders such as depression can also cause fatigue. A number of medications, including antihistamines, antibiotics, and blood pressure medications, may cause drowsiness as a side-effect. Individuals already suffering from fatigue who are prescribed one of these medications may wish to check with their healthcare provider about alternative treatments. Extreme fatigue which persists, unabated, for at least six months, is not the result of a diagnosed disease or illness,
