Fatigue: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Often hard to describe and even harder to treat, fatigue can be one of the most debilitating medical conditions that patients deal with. Defined as a feeling of lack of energy and motivation, fatigue can be physical, mental or both. Studies show that about 20% of Americans suffer from fatigue. Yet despite its common occurrence, the standard treatment options remain fairly limited.

What Causes Fatigue?

Fatigue does not necessarily have a single cause. In many cases, it might be a combination of one or more factors. Common causes of fatigue include:

Emotional concerns or ongoing stress
Long term medical conditions e.g. Fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, chronic Lyme disease or anemia
Lifestyle factors e.g. lack of sleep, lack of physical activity or an unhealthy diet
Depression or grief
Sleep apnea
Infections
Exposure to mold or heavy metals
Methylation issues
Medication side effect

Diagnosing Fatigue

During your visit our doctors will sit down with you and take a thorough history. We will ask you about the fatigue, about its effect on your day to day life, your past medical history and other core elements of your overall health.

Our approach to diagnostics is what makes us different – we will work with you to find the root causes of your symptoms. Using this information, we’ll then tailor a treatment plan that’s just for you.

How to Treat Fatigue

Whether it’s due to physical, emotional or psychological factors, the best treatment plan is one that looks at the whole individual. It considers every part of your wellbeing.

At Kaplan Center we take an integrative approach to medicine. Apart from the physical, we look at the emotional, mental and spiritual elements of health when considering treatment options. We pride ourselves on getting to know our patients and understanding what their concerns are.

Treatment Options for Fatigue

Treatment options will be based on the discussion you have with your doctor. It will also take into account possible test results and your own personal preferences. We may suggest treatments including:

Our goal is to work with you to create a personalized treatment plan. The plan may involve one or more of the elements listed above or include other treatment modalities. We spend time explaining all treatment options and work with you to design a plan that meets your needs.

Our team will guide you through the treatment process and make sure that you’re getting the best out of our integrative approach.