Drowsiness

Drowsiness – General Information

I doubt that there is someone who has never experienced this symptom, as it can be triggered by the natural tiredness that occurs after a day of hard work. Other causes of this condition include insomnia, intake of medical products, some disorders and so on. Although some of these causes are not considered to be severe (or life-threatening), other can trigger potentially dangerous complications. Drowsiness is more a symptom, an adverse reaction than a medical condition. It is commonly encountered under various names: Sleepiness, Somnolence, Hypersomnia, and so on. A patient who experiences it normally complains of an excessive need to sleep during the day. Sleepiness is generally accompanied by the strong impulse to fall asleep during daytime at inappropriate times (for example while performing an important activity). Experiencing Drowsiness generally points to the presence of a severe sleep medical condition. All patients must be able to know the differences between sleepiness and fatigue, as the latter is usually caused by medical conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, boredom, and so on, and it is accompanied by apathy. Most patients tend to overlook this condition, and this is a great mistake. Sleepiness can become very risky if it affects the patient while he or she is performing a dangerous task that requires focus, concentration (take operating machinery, or driving for example). Left untreated, Sleepiness can trigger micro sleeps – inability to focus properly, loss of attention / concentration. A patient can suffer from the chronic form of Drowsiness (in which the circadian rhythm has been disturbed) or from the normal state that comes before falling asleep.

Drowsiness – Symptoms

When a health care professional hears that someone experiences unusual Drowsiness, he or she will probably ask them several questions in order to find out when the patient noticed this symptom for the very first time, whether it affects him or her during the entire day (7 days a week) or not, whether the severity of the symptom has increased or if it has remained the same. Your physician will also want to know more about the average number of hours that you usually spend sleeping, if you are experiencing any sleeping disorders (insomnia), if you have been recently put under a lot of stress, if you are following a special diet, if you are experiencing other signs such as fever, confusion, weight loss and so on. All these will help your physician find out what causes your Drowsiness and will enable him or her to determine what is the best treatment for your own medical condition.

As most patients have experienced Drowsiness at least several times during their life, they should be very familiar with most of the symptoms that are triggered by this particular medical condition. They usually include tiredness, excessive yawning, focusing or performing your daily tasks. This condition has been linked to several disorders, that include: bruxism, insomnia, sleep apnea, advanced sleep phase syndrome, clinical depression, narcolepsy, delayed sleep phase syndrome, Paget's disease, infectious mononucleosis, high intracranial pressure, stroke, brain edema, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, cerebral hypoxia, Lyme disease, encephalitis, hypothyroidism, hypothermia, starvation and so on.

Drowsiness - Treatment

The average adult patient can easily relieve the symptoms that are caused by (or the effects that accompany) Drowsiness by undergoing an appropriate treatment for the true cause of the medical issue. The best therapy for each patient depends on the medical cause that has triggered the appearance of this symptom. For example, while some patients might have to start to follow a strict antibiotic therapy in order to treat an infection, other might have to start a prophylaxis with a thyroid hormone medical product in order to deal with their hormonal disorder (imbalance). Other patients might have to control with greater care their systemic disorders or their blood sugar levels. If the patient’s condition has been caused by depression, boredom, anxiety, or stress, it is important to try to take care of this matter yourself. If you find it impossible, you ought to see a physician and start a therapy for your medical problem.
If your doctor has discovered that your condition is due to the intake of some types of medicines, you should discuss with your personal health care specialist the possibility of switching drugs, or discontinuing your intake of some medical products.

If the real cause for your Drowsiness medical condition is hypoventilation (trouble breathing) and / or obesity, you should immediately try to lose some weight. In order to achieve your goal in a healthy manner, we advise you to seek the assistance of a doctor who is specialized in such matters. If your condition does not improve, seek further professional medical assistance. In the case of some patients, their condition was triggered by narcolepsy. Such patients are generally prescribed various types of stimulants (especially Ritalin). Patients who suffer from chronic Drowsiness ought to consider purchasing a special medical device called carbon monoxide monitor. This gadget checks to see whether the air in your apartment or chamber contains extremely high amounts of carbon monoxide.