The doctor named the causes of chronic fatigue and talked about the diagnosis.

Chronic fatigue has become a familiar condition for many. People can blame it on workload, lack of sleep, stress, and a constant rush of things to do. But sometimes, behind this feeling, which seems like ordinary overwork, there may be a serious illness. Lyubov Stankevich, Director of Laboratory Medicine and Production at the medical company LabQuest and Q Clinic, Candidate of Medical Sciences, told Izvestia on May 1 how to distinguish pathological fatigue from lack of sleep and understand when it's time to go to the doctor.

"If fatigue does not go away for weeks or even months, and at the same time a person does not experience serious physical or mental stress, does not lead a harmful lifestyle and generally feels as usual, but constantly faces drowsiness, feeling overwhelmed, inability to concentrate, headaches, sudden mood swings and nervousness — this is already a reason to think," the doctor noted.

According to her, the real chronic fatigue syndrome is not just fatigue, but a stable state for no apparent reason, which prevents a person from living fully and recovering even after rest.

The expert noted that there is no single answer as to why this condition develops. One of the versions is the hidden presence of certain viruses in the body. First of all, we are talking about herpes viruses: Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes of the sixth and eighth types. These pathogens can live in the body for years without causing acute symptoms, but slowly eroding the immune system and creating a chronic burden on the body's systems.

"Another theory is related to genetics — disorders of nerve impulse transmission, energy metabolism in cells and immune regulation. It is believed that genetic features can not only directly provoke chronic fatigue, but also increase susceptibility to long—lived viruses," Stankevich added.

Strength is all in cabbage: what fruits and vegetables will save from hypovitaminosis

Experts told about the need to make up for the deficiency of vitamins C, A, D and B group in February

She stressed that the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome can only be confirmed by excluding other diseases. This is not a diagnosis based on feelings. Before it can be diagnosed, the doctor must rule out all possible causes that may cause similar symptoms. Therefore, the right path begins with laboratory diagnostics.

"But you should not take everything in a row — you need to act in stages, starting with the basic and most informative tests, which are selected together with the doctor. The first step should be a general blood test and the level of C-reactive protein — they will help identify inflammatory processes. Next, it is important to check the function of the thyroid gland: a TSH test will show whether iodine deficiency is the cause of fatigue," the doctor explained.

Then a ferritin test is performed. This is one of the most important markers of latent iron deficiency, which is often not manifested by a decrease in hemoglobin, but causes severe weakness and decreased performance. According to observations, more than 60% of those surveyed with complaints of chronic fatigue have this indicator violated, the expert specified.

"The list of mandatory studies should also include an analysis of glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels. This is especially important if the patient himself or his relatives have a tendency to overweight or impaired carbohydrate metabolism," said Stankevich.

In addition, after viral infections, including COVID-19, the heart muscle may suffer. In these cases, it is possible to check the level of highly sensitive troponin, a marker of myocardial damage.

However, there is no need to look for the virus itself — it is important to understand if there are consequences. At the end of the basic stage of diagnosis, it is useful to take a general urinalysis.

"If none of these tests gave an answer, and your health continues to deteriorate, it is important not to delay and move on. The next step is to eliminate infectious causes. You need to start with HIV, because it can have a very long incubation period. It is also worth checking the body for tuberculosis — its statistics are growing, and the disease often occurs in a latent form. Herpesviruses should not be touched at this stage.: they are active in almost everyone, but they are rarely the real cause without first excluding other factors," explained Stankevich.

In some cases, chronic fatigue may be the first signal of a latent deficiency, an autoimmune disease, or an early stage of cardiovascular pathology. Therefore, in case of unusual symptoms, especially if they persist for more than a few weeks, it is worth consulting a doctor.

Earlier, on April 24, Galina Smirnova, an endocrinologist at the Scandinavian Health Center, said that those who experience drowsiness and decreased mood will benefit from gentle physical activity, light nutrition with sufficient vitamins, and adherence to sleep patterns. The expert clarified that urban residents are particularly susceptible to spring asthenia due to high workload and stress.