Asthenia Definition in Medical Terms

What is the medical definition for asthenia? What is the cause of asthenia?

Asthenia definition in medical terms

Asthenia definition: What does asthenia mean in medical terms? The term asthenia may sound familiar to the layman, but in the medical world, asthenia is called fatigue.

Asthenia is a condition in which a person’s physical strength or body muscles weaken, making it harder to move. Asthenia can also accompany body heat, aches, and pains, dizziness, loss of appetite, headache, nausea, vomiting, etc. This condition may affect some areas of the body or may affect the whole body.

Asthenia is not a disease but a common sign of various acute and chronic medical conditions. Also, asthenia can be caused by the side effects of certain medications.

Asthenia symptoms

The symptoms depend on what’s causing it when the body is weak. For example, asthenia can make parts of the body weak or make the entire body weak.

Part of the body is weak.

This happens in one body part, like the hands or feet. This is not the same as being paralyzed, in which you can’t move. If you have asthenia and it weakens one part of your body, you have to work harder to move that part. When this weakness happens in certain parts of the body, other symptoms include:

• The movement that is delayed or slow
• Trembling or shaking
• Cramps

The whole body is weak.

As the name suggests, this problem affects the whole body. You’ll feel very weak and tired. There may be other signs, such as:

• Having trouble doing ordinary things
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Flu-like symptoms
• Feeling unwell

The most common cause of asthenia

There are two causes of asthenia: psychological and physical problems.

Psychic problems

Psychological or psychiatric disorders can cause asthenia. Here are some examples of why the mind can make the body weak:

• Stress
• In a time of mourning
• Depression
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
• Anxiety disorders

Physical problems

In the meantime, the body is weak because of physical problems caused by certain disorders in the body, such as:

• Malnutrition
• Cancer
• A low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia)
• Dehydration in Pregnancy
• Losing a lot of blood during menstruation
• Sleep problems, such as insomnia, sleep apnea or sleeping too long, Flu
• A habit of drinking alcohol
• Fibromyalgia
• Anemia
• Heart problems
• Allergic rhinitis
• Side effects of drugs like cold medicine, allergy medicine, sedatives, and anesthetics
• Rheumatoid arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, and stroke
• Low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism)

What is the treatment for asthenia?

First, try to avoid this situation by living a healthy lifestyle. This means eating healthy and nutritious food on time, eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking a lot of water, and getting enough sleep and rest. Don’t stay up late, don’t smoke, and don’t drink alcohol. Work out as often as you can.

If your problem is still there after you’ve tried the above methods, you should see an Internal Medicine Specialist immediately. They will do a series of tests, such as a physical exam, blood test, urine test, and imaging test (such as an X-ray, USG, CT scan, etc.), to find out what’s causing it so that you can get the proper treatment.

The doctor can give iron supplements if the weakness is caused by anemia. If there is bleeding, the doctor can provide a blood transfusion. Then, if the deficiency is caused by cancer, the doctor can do chemotherapy.

If mental problems cause body weakness, the doctor can suggest that the person see a psychiatrist for more help.

Well, I hope you all understand what asthenia’s medical condition is.