Faintness and Weakness – Causes and Symptoms

WeaknessFeeling strong and energetic is the gift of a healthy body, no matter how young or old you are. You need a certain amount of energy just to get up in the morning and begin your day, and you need energy and momen­tum to carry you through your normal activities.

But if your day is interrupted by periods of feeling faint or weak, you can lose your momentum and end up feeling like a deflated balloon.

A number of different conditions can be at the root of your energy crisis. Constant anxiety can eat away at your energy and leave you feeling tired and weak. When taken to extremes, worry and anxiety can result in a panic attack that leaves you faint, weak, and shaken. A temporary drop in blood pressure is normal after a big meal, but it can make you feel faint and weak if you jump up quickly from the dinner table. And faintness and weakness are common side effects of both prescrip­tion and over-the-counter drugs.

Mild faintness and weakness often occur without indi­cating any real problem. But they may be pointing to some condition for which you need to see your doctor, especially if they go along with the following symptoms.

It's time to see your doctor if you have faintness and weakness and:

  1. Exposure to hot weather without drinking enough fluid
  2. Cramps in your muscles
  3. Very rapid or very slow heartbeat

These are the signals of heatstroke or heat exhaus­tion. Too much heat has built up in your body, and it is not able to cool down. This is a medical emergency, so get help immediately.

  1. Recurring headache
  2. Nausea and vomiting
  3. Breathing problems

These symptoms signal carbon monoxide poison­ing, usually from some kind of heating system, engine, or industrial fumes. You must find the source of the carbon monoxide and fix it. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause death.

Irregular heartbeat that feels like a fluttering in your chest Breathing difficulty Tiredness
You may have atrial fibrillation, in which your heart beats irregularly and too fast. Your heart may feel as if it's flopping around in your chest. This type of irregular heartbeat may resolve itself, but it is usu­ally dangerous if left untreated, so you need to see your doctor.

  1. Sudden fatigue
  2. Extremely slow heartbeat (60 or fewer beats per minute)

These are the symptoms of bradycardia, or slow heartbeat. With this condition, your heart may slow down too much and just stop beating. Bradycardia is normal in a well-conditioned athlete, but not in most other people. It may mean you have an under­lying disease, or your heart medicine (such as a beta-blocker) is slowing your heart rate too much.

  1. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, especially when lying down
  2. A cough that is worse when you lie down
  3. Wheezing
  4. Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  5. Low blood pressure
  6. Swollen legs, ankles, and feet

These symptoms could mean you have developed a heart complication, called congestive heart failure, as a result of another disease or illness. High blood pressure, heart attacks, emphysema, or various infections can cause the heart to stop pumping as strongly as it should. Blood backs up into other organs, especially the lungs and liver, and these symptoms appear.

  1. Appetite loss
  2. Yellow eyes and skin
  3. Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting
  4. Low-grade fever (less than 101F)
  5. Pain or discomfort in upper abdomen

Liver problems are a likely source of your symp­toms. You may have cirrhosis of the liver, viral hepatitis, or liver cancer. See your doctor immedi­ately.

  1. Tiredness
  2. Appetite loss
  3. Darkening of skin, freckles, scars, and breast nipples
  4. Low blood pressure, causing dizziness or faintness when you stand up
  5. Vomiting, diarrhea

Your symptoms could add up to Addison's disease, a condition your doctor can control with hormone treatments. If you experience pains, feel faint, have low blood pressure, or a high or low temperature, get help immediately. You may be having an adrenal crisis, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

  1. Fatigue
  2. Pale skin

These symptoms could indicate you have some type of anemia, due to a lack of iron, folic acid, or vita­min B12 in your diet.

  1. Unexplained weight loss
  2. Anxiety/hyperactivity
  3. Rapid, irregular heartbeat
  4. Always feel warm or hot
  5. Bulging eyes

You may be suffering from hyperthyroidism, also called thyrotoxicosis, toxic goiter, or Graves' disease. This is a relatively common disorder caused by an overactive thyroid. It can usually be controlled by medication.

  1. Extreme hunger
  2. Headache
  3. Sweating, nervousness
  4. Dizziness, confusion
  5. Rapid heartbeat
  6. Drowsiness

These symptoms could be caused by hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This means your body doesn't have enough energy to keep up with all its activi­ties. The condition may result from diabetes, an over-active pancreas, a reaction to certain drugs, or even another condition. See your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.