Psychotherapist NMRC named after. Bekhtereva: Post-Covid asthenia is when desire does not coincide with possibilities

Asthenia is a symptom of the underlying disease, but there is also a syndrome. There are several types depending on your cause, but in almost all cases the symptoms can be resolved if proper treatment is given.

A person who has asthenia may experience the following symptoms:

1. lack of energy;
2. fatigue;
3. physical exhaustion;
4. mental exhaustion;
5. muscle weakness;
6. impaired concentration;
7. decreased vitality;
8. sleep disorders.

What is asthenic syndrome

Asthenic syndrome in adults

may have the following characteristics:

• First of all, it is an indicator of fatigue and overstrain. In the case of hard work, several jobs, or having to overwork, working at night, then in the morning there is a feeling of fatigue, weakness, decreased mood, sensitivity to smells and bright lighting, decreased endurance to usual stress, the appearance of headaches or exacerbation of migraines. This condition usually goes away after proper sleep and rest, excluding external stimuli.
• The reaction of the nervous system is of the “protective” type. This is a process that was inherent in our body during the process of evolution, helping to protect our mental processes from reboot due to the influence of various external and internal factors. It is based on the extreme inhibition reflex. This mechanism is triggered upon the occurrence of asthenia, when a threat to the body arises. An example is when a student is preparing for an exam and tries to study the materials for the entire semester on the last evening, then absent-mindedness, decreased concentration, headache, etc. occur. Thus, asthenia occurs as a defensive reaction notifying the body of a possible threat.
• Diseases. An asthenic state
  also occurs with the development of certain diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine systems, oncopathology, mental disorders, etc.
  For example, the first stages of the disease with acute viral infections are indicative, when weakness, fatigue, drowsiness and irritability occur even before the body temperature rises and other characteristic symptoms appear. For some conditions, on the contrary, only signs of asthenia : hypertensive crisis, mild concussion, recovery from anesthesia. Most diseases still begin with asthenia and continue with the development of other symptoms. And during recovery, asthenia is still possible. Asthenic disorder
  in adult women often accompanies premenstrual syndrome.

From all of the above, we can conclude that often asthenia, what it is, symptoms in women

, occurs due to overwork or somatic pathology. And it arises due to the reaction of the nervous system. In this case, asthenia is a state of reboot, and asthenic syndrome is a disease.

symptoms of asthenia

Chronic asthenia syndrome.

Chronic asthenia can be defined as a feeling of fatigue that is constant, has an evolution of more than six months and leads to a significant decrease in efficiency of up to 50%. In such cases, consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Although in many cases an organic or psychological cause for chronic asthenia can be found, in a large percentage of patients a specific cause cannot be determined.

The most common symptoms of chronic asthenia are:

1. Feeling very tired.
2. Headache.
3. Sleep disorders.
4. Muscle pain.
5. In some cases, fever. They look like flu symptoms, only they are long-lasting and are not relieved by bed rest.

When a cause cannot be determined, doctors believe that symptoms may be caused by changes in the immune system or muscle cell function, but these are actually theories that have not yet been proven.

Most cases of chronic asthenia appear in previously healthy people between the ages of 20 and 50, and more often affect women than men.

What does it mean that chronic asthenia has an irregular evolution?

In about half of patients, symptoms disappear after several months of treatment, while others suffer relapses. In these cases, symptoms come and go, worsening when you experience physical or psychological stress.

Sometimes the feeling of fatigue and weakness is so great that it interferes with daily activities, and this can cause anxiety and depression.

Imagine that for several months you feel extremely tired, your muscles and headaches hurt, and after a long period of rest the symptoms reappear. Anyone will feel depressed in this situation.

Characteristic symptoms

Asthenia symptoms

: feeling of fatigue, malaise, and fatigue persists even after rest. Problems with concentration, absent-mindedness, difficulties in learning new material, forgetfulness, the essence of thinking and communication is easily lost, increased sensitivity and tearfulness.

Light and photophobia, hypersensitivity to sounds, smell and taste. Sleep disturbance (drowsiness during the day, poor quality of sleep at night, difficulty falling asleep, or, conversely, unusually long sleep duration).

Headaches and dizziness also occur.

Characterized by the appearance of intolerance to stuffy space, fluctuations in pulse, blood pressure, sweating, shortness of breath.

Increased feeling of anxiety.

Unpleasant sensations in different parts of the body.

Questions and answers

Is it possible to cure asthenia without taking medications?

It all depends on the form of asthenic syndrome and the degree of its severity. In some cases, it is indeed possible to exclude drug therapy, but the doctor will determine the treatment.

Do I need to “go to the hospital”?

In this case, everything depends on the patient’s condition and the characteristics of the asthenic syndrome. However, placement in a hospital setting, a change of environment and regular care have a positive effect on the patient and speed up recovery.

How long does it take for treatment?

Each case of psychopathological condition is unique. Each patient responds to different therapies individually. Treatment may require from 1 week to several months.

What to do if asthenia occurs?

First of all, it is necessary to exclude all external stimuli. In most cases, this is the most effective method of eliminating asthenic manifestations

.

If asthenia is a manifestation of a pathological process in the body, then additional consultation with a doctor will be required to detect abnormalities in the body, conduct diagnostics, obtain reliable data on the state of health and prescribe the necessary treatment.

asthenic syndrome signs

Diagnosis of the disease

To diagnose the disease, the patient turns to a therapist, who can refer for an additional appointment with a neurologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, chiropractor or psychologist. If asthenia is associated with other pathologies, consultation with a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, traumatologist, gynecologist, infectious disease specialist or urologist may be required.

At the first appointment, an examination is carried out and the medical history is studied. The patient is asked several questions:

• what diseases have been observed recently;
• whether there were severe stresses;
• Has work become more difficult?
• whether your general health has worsened;
• Are there any problems with sleep?
• Do you have problems with mood, etc.

Treatment of asthenic syndrome

Treatment of asthenia symptoms

complex and aimed at eliminating the causes and restoring the functions of the nervous system. The following methods are used:

• Elimination of external irritants.
• Drug treatment.
• Application of psychotherapy for asthenic syndrome.
• Physiotherapeutic methods.
• Diet and balanced nutrition.
• Massage and physical therapy.

Timely diagnosis and treatment of this condition are the main factors in maintaining mental health, and at the same time physical and social functions of a person.

Causes of the disease

Most doctors agree that the true reason for the development of asthenia lies in severe emotional stress or exhaustion of the nervous system. A favorable environment for the occurrence of asthenic syndrome is created by emotional shocks, as well as numerous diseases of various origins. Each factor must be taken into account to create an effective treatment plan for asthenia.

Separate factors for the occurrence of each form of pathological condition are identified. For example, the likelihood of developing organic asthenia increases with the following pathologies:

• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels - this includes various types of arrhythmias and hypertension, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction.
• Lesions of the gastrointestinal tract - exacerbations of pathologies of the digestive system significantly aggravate the patient’s physical condition, provoking the development of asthenia. Among the most common diseases are gastritis, colitis, ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum, and dyspeptic disorders.
• Endocrine pathologies - diseases of the adrenal glands, diabetes mellitus and a number of other severe disorders of the endocrine system.
• Diseases of the blood and hemostasis system - leukemia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, etc.
• Diseases of the genitourinary system - many of them are accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, for example, cystitis or chronic renal failure. The fact that the disease is severe only increases the likelihood of developing asthenia.
• Infectious processes are the most numerous group of diseases, in which the most common are ARVI, influenza, meningitis, and various types of hepatitis.
• Diseases of a systemic type - literally all pathologies from this group can provoke the occurrence of asthenic syndrome, from allergies to oncology or stroke. In such cases, treatment of asthenia is complicated by concomitant pathology.
• People with degenerative brain lesions, such as Pick's disease, or those in need of treatment for dementia are at risk.

Triggers for the emergence of a functional form of psychopathological condition are associated primarily with psycho-emotional overload. These include:

• Chronic stress, for example, due to a difficult atmosphere at work, in the family, pressure from others.
• One factor is the postpartum period, especially if the woman is susceptible to depression or postpartum depression.
• Often functional forms of asthenia develop due to withdrawal syndrome from drugs that the patient has been taking for a long time. These medications include antidepressants, antipsychotics and any narcotic drugs (including substances that cause addiction).

The impetus for the development of senile asthenia is physiological changes caused by the natural processes of aging. In this case, doctors are inclined to changes that occur in the brain area. Age-related changes along with existing vascular diseases (often found in older people) lead to neuronal degeneration. The process is aggravated by concomitant chronic diseases that an elderly person suffers from.

Main causes of asthenia

In medicine, asthenic syndrome is one of the most common. It is observed in a variety of therapeutic, neurological, infectious diseases, some mental disorders, in the post-traumatic, postoperative and postpartum periods. Therefore, doctors of various specializations deal with asthenia. Asthenia can be the first symptom of the onset of the disease, accompany it during the period of activity and occur during recovery.

In addition, important factors leading or potentiating its development are:

• unbalanced or insufficient nutrition and nutritional deficiencies;
• metabolic disease;
• intoxication;
• high stress (both physical and mental);
• chronic stress condition;
• mental disorders;
• acute diseases and exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Therefore, it is very important to be attentive to the needs of your body, take care of your condition, provide yourself with the necessary help in time to improve your health, and restore strength when needed!

Reviews

Reading reviews to get an idea about a service has become dubious these days. Many reviews are faked, ordered by unscrupulous clinics from special agencies. Therefore, you never know whether the review you read is true or fake.

We propose a different approach. At Dr. Isaev’s clinic, meetings are regularly held at which former patients or their relatives are present. By talking with a person who knows first-hand about our treatment methods and conditions for keeping patients, you can get the necessary information and form your own impression of the treatment of asthenia in our medical institution.