Muscle weakness is commonly due to lack of exercise, ageing, muscle injury or pregnancy. It can also occur with long-term conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. There are many other possible causes, which include stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME).
Causes of Sudden Weakness
Sudden weakness is often the result of an injury, neuromuscular or metabolic diseases, heart disease, adrenal disease, malnutrition, hepatitis, toxin overload, or cancer.
In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition. If that's the case, then the long-term outlook is good.
Common causes of tiredness and fatigue include: not getting enough sleep or finding it hard to get to sleep (insomnia) an unhealthy lifestyle (such as having an unhealthy diet and not getting much exercise) stress, depression and dealing with life challenges, such as bereavement or looking after a new baby.
Possible causes include stroke, systemic diseases, inflammatory conditions, nerve damage, muscle disorders, and medication side effects. It is important to seek medical attention to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment.
If that's the case, or your fatigue gets worse or lasts longer than a week or two, it's time to see your doctor. Your fatigue might be related to an underlying illness or infection, especially if it's accompanied by symptoms, such as a low-grade fever, shortness of breath, or loss of appetite.
Weakness in the legs often occurs as a result of overactivity. However, it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical condition. A person who experiences sudden weakness in the legs or some other part of their body should seek emergency medical attention.
Causes of Leg Fatigue or Heaviness
They include: Varicose veins: The leg veins become enlarged. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD): Buildup of fat deposits in the artery walls, thus, causing inadequate circulation of blood in the legs. Overtraining syndrome: Excess training or physical activities to improve performance.
While weakness can be due to injury or inflammation, the combination of dizziness and weakness may be a more serious condition that requires prompt medical attention. Sudden, one-sided weakness — with or without dizziness — is a symptom of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA or a mini stroke).
Weakness in certain areas of the body may indicate a larger, more serious problem. If you are experiencing weakness in the face, or weakness or numbness on one side of the body, you should visit the nearest emergency department immediately as these signs may indicate that you are having a stroke.
For example, the category of endocrine-metabolic causes of weakness and fatigue include diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, hypopituitarism, acromegaly, Addison's disease, Cushing's syndrome, iatrogenic corticosteroid myopathy, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism; serum electrolyte abnormalities such as hypophosphatemia, ...
Muscle weakness in the legs may indicate a neuromuscular disease is present. These diseases lead to a loss of functioning in nerves and muscles throughout the body. They include muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), myasthenia gravis and fibromyalgia.
The weakness can make your legs feel heavy, as if they are being weighed down by something. They may also ache and hurt. Some people with MS describe it as like having bags of sand attached to their legs. This muscle weakness combined with MS fatigue can be upsetting.
Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness, exhaustion, or lack of energy. You may feel mildly fatigued because of overwork, poor sleep, worry, boredom, or lack of exercise. Any illness may cause fatigue. It usually goes away as the illness clears up.
A Fatigue Blood and Urine Test Panel includes a Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP-14), Complete Blood Count with Differentials, Iron with Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Sedimentation Rate, Westergren (SED), Urinalysis, Complete with Microscopic Examination.
Weakness in the legs is a common symptom of many health conditions and injuries, including autoimmune diseases, spinal conditions and injuries, and stroke. Often, leg weakness will resolve over time, but in some cases, it can be a medical emergency, especially if the weakness comes on suddenly.
People will often experience shaky or weak legs when dealing with vascular issues in the leg, like deep vein thrombosis or blood clots. Clots are very serious if untreated because they could break off into the bloodstream and travel to an artery in the lungs, blocking blood flow.
In some cases, these symptoms may develop as a result of lifestyle factors, such as poor sleep or diet, or lack of exercise. In other cases, they may signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.
Several medical conditions can make a person feel weak, shaky, and tired. They include dehydration, irregular heart beat, Parkinson's disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Treatment will depend on the condition a person has.
Another common symptom of chronic anxiety is weakness in the muscles, most commonly experienced in the legs and sometimes the arms. During the fight or flight response, the body is preparing to take action against danger.
Your legs feel so weak and stiff that you have to force them to move just so you can walk. It can also feel like your legs are so weak and “rubbery” feeling that they are about to give out. It can also feel like your legs are so weak and unsteady that you can't trust them to hold you up.