Feeling Nauseous And Tired All The Time
Feeling Nauseous And Tired All The Time: Fatigue and nausea are two common symptoms that often occur together. They can be caused by a variety of factors, from poor sleep to lack of exercise. When fatigue is accompanied by nausea, the cause of both conditions becomes more difficult to pinpoint. A few simple changes in your daily routine may help you determine what’s causing it — and how to treat it.
The first step toward identifying the source of your fatigue and nausea is to keep track of when the symptoms begin. These symptoms tend to come and go over time. If you’re experiencing them for more than just a couple of days at a time, this could indicate chronic conditions like cancer, thyroid disease, diabetes, heart failure, liver problems, kidney disease, low blood count or infection. While there are many things that can make you feel tired, nausea is usually only associated with one particular problem.
Once you’ve determined whether your fatigue and nausea are temporary or chronic, look at the possible causes of each symptom. Poor nutrition, food allergies, eating disorders, stress, depression and anxiety can all contribute to feeling fatigued. Similarly, a number of medical issues can lead to nausea, including infections, viral illnesses, dehydration, pregnancy complications, high fever, certain medications and digestive problems. It also occurs after surgery, during chemotherapy treatment and following organ transplants.
If you think any of these health concerns apply to you, consult your doctor immediately. You should also consider seeking a second opinion if you have been diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness. Your physician will likely want to run tests to ensure everything is okay before making assumptions about the cause of your symptoms. He or she might order lab work, X-rays and/or CT scans to see where the problem lies.
While we know that fatigue and nausea can sometimes be linked to serious health issues, let’s take a closer look at how these symptoms affect your day-to-day life. First, it’s important to note that everyone feels nauseated from time to time. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have something wrong; sometimes it’s simply because you ate too much spicy food, drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes. But if you experience nausea on a regular basis, especially around the same meal times, then there may be something else going on.
Nausea affects our ability to enjoy foods, which can be frustrating. What’s worse, though, is that most people don’t realize why they feel so awful. For example, do you ever get queasy while drinking milk? Do you often wake up suddenly, needing to use the bathroom? Does your stomach growl throughout the morning? Are you sensitive to smells? Can hardly eat anything? Have trouble falling asleep? If so, you may suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
GERD is a disorder in which the lower esophageal sphincter, located between the stomach and the beginning of the small intestine, allows acid to move backward into the esophagus. This happens when pressure is lowered within the lower esophageal sphincter. As a result, stomach acids end up traveling upward through the esophagus rather than staying in the stomach. People who experience GERD complain of bloating, gas, indigestion, chest pain and heartburn. While not every person suffers from GERD, those who do are encouraged to avoid lying down right after meals, smoking, consuming large amounts of fatty foods and taking antacids containing magnesium hydroxide or calcium carbonate. Also, try cutting out coffee and tea consumption altogether [source WebMD].
The next section offers tips on dealing with nausea, while the final section explores ways to cope with fatigue.
Tips for Dealing With Nausea
Most people who deal with nausea are familiar with its effects: discomforting feelings of sickness, queasiness, dry mouth and vomiting. However, there are also physical side effects of nausea, including headache, dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting.
For mild nausea, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen sodium (Aleve), aspirin and diclofenac potassium (Voltaren) are recommended treatments. Avoid using antihistamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, chloral hydrate, dextromethorphan hydrobromide (Robitussin DM) or methadone unless directed by your doctor. Antiemetics, which prevent nausea and vomiting, include domperidone (Motilium), metoclopramide (Reglan), prochlorperazine maleate (Compazine) and tripelennamine tartrate (Diarex).
To relieve headaches related to nausea, heat and cold compresses can provide relief. Try massaging ice packs directly onto your temples. Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid caffeinated beverages and citrus juices, since their citric acid content can aggravate nausea.
As mentioned earlier, if you think you have a serious condition, call your doctor immediately. Don’t hesitate to talk to him or her even if you haven’t seen a specialist yet. Some physicians recommend treating acute nausea with ginger root extract or vitamin B6 supplements. Ginger contains compounds called gingerols, believed to reduce inflammation and fight nausea. Vitamin B6 helps regulate hormones and chemicals involved in nausea. Other home remedies include peppermint oil capsules and ginger ale.
Coping With Fatigue
Feeling tired is normal, regardless of whether you’re sick or well. Feeling exhausted or worn out is different. Exhaustion indicates that you’re unable to complete tasks normally performed without becoming overly irritable and/or short tempered. There are several reasons why you might become exhausted, including having a bad night’s sleep, overexertion, emotional strain and nutritional deficiencies.
It’s easy to tell when you’ve had a good night’s rest, as opposed to a bad one. Restful sleep comes in cycles. A cycle begins with deep sleep, followed by lighter sleep, ending with waking. During a good night’s sleep, you’ll spend approximately eight hours moving in and out of deep sleep. After seven consecutive nights of four or five hours’ duration, your body goes through a phase known as “sleep debt.” If you aren’t getting enough quality sleep, your sleep cycle may become disrupted.
Sleep deprivation leads to exhaustion, as does overexercising, working long hours or engaging in strenuous activities. Emotional strains can also play a part in your energy level. Depression, grief and worry are among the top culprits. Finally, nutritional deficiencies can leave you feeling drained. Iron deficiency contributes to fatigue, as does a shortage of vitamins C and E, folate, zinc and thiamine. Consult your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms.
There are no hard and fast rules regarding how much sleep you need. Most adults require seven to nine hours of sleep per night, although infants and toddlers need considerably less sleep. Children ages six to 12 need fewer minutes of sleep than older children and teens. Teenagers need more sleep than younger kids. Adults age 65 and older need the least amount of sleep of any group.
You now know how fatigue and nausea relate to one another. Keep reading to learn how to deal with both conditions simultaneously.
People who have experienced post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may find themselves developing fatigue and nausea, as well as other symptoms of PTSD. Treatment for PTSD includes psychotherapy and medication. Antidepressant medications are used to manage severe depression, as well as combat insomnia. One type of antidepressant called SSRIs stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors help restore levels of serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood and appetite. Patients suffering from PTSD may respond better to antidepressants than non-sufferers. Talk to your doctor about your recent trauma and how it may be affecting your mental state.
Rehydration therapy involves drinking water to replace lost liquids. This method has helped patients overcome nausea and vomiting. Drinking 16 ounces of liquid every 20 minutes until full can stop nausea and vomiting. To further alleviate the symptoms of dehydration, drink extra water when necessary and continue doing so until symptoms improve.
Coping With Fatigue and Nausea Simultaneously
Sometimes, fatigue and nausea appear together, and it can be tricky to figure out exactly what’s behind either condition. Sometimes, however, they actually share the same cause. For instance, if you have recently undergone radiation treatment, you may find yourself dealing with both conditions simultaneously. Radiation decreases white blood cell production, which means fewer immune cells working to fight off germs. Since radiation also damages DNA, it can damage healthy tissues as well.
Additionally, radiation interferes with bone marrow function, preventing new red and white blood cells from being created. Unfortunately, radiation isn’t the only factor that can bring on both conditions.
Sicknesses, in general, can trigger both fatigue and nausea, including bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral infections. Viruses can also cause both conditions. Common cold viruses, influenza virus and herpes simplex 1 and 2 are all capable of triggering nausea. Although fatigue typically appears later in the course of viral infection, nausea is more prevalent.
If you enjoyed reading this article and would like to see similar ones,
