Symptom Showdown! Part One
Issue 19: two completely different symptoms, one inalienable social perspective
Welcome to Symptom Showdown! The game show that pits two similar symptoms against one another to show you the differences between the two. First up, it’s two symptoms of energy depletion: Fatigue Vs Exhaustion.
Symptoms in the disabled and medically complex world can be many and confusing, a lot of them share similarities and are two completely different things.
The biggest culprits? exhaustion and fatigue. So, if you can stay awake, let's break it down.
Fatigue is often described as a ‘tired’ sensation, but that isn't quite it. Fatigue doesn't make you sleepy or drowsy and sleep doesn't necessarily relieve the symptoms.
Fatigue robs you of your capacity to function and leaves you watching the world turn around you, but without the need or desire to sleep through it. Fatigue also causes brain fog wherein - for example - the person knows what they are trying to say but can't focus well enough to find the words to express it.
But, how is exhaustion different? Well, largely, it makes you drowsy. Exhaustion is, for the most part, related to sleep or exertion difficulties like painsomnia, that interrupt your sleep and leave you deprived of rest.
It basically means I wake up still tired, and it gets progressively worse throughout the day until the floor in front of me starts looking like a pretty comfortable bed.
Crucially, while progressive exhaustion can be just as debilitating as fatigue, it can also be relieved by a good, solid nap in most cases. Sleep doesn't relieve persistent fatigue, because it isn't simple tiredness, whereas exhaustion is like tiredness turned up to eleven.
Why is conflating the two a problem?
Largely, diagnosis and treatment. When you're experiencing something like this, the language you use is vital. Doctors and medical staff are trained to recognise certain symptoms, but when two symptoms are a close together as exhaustion and fatigue, being able to describe them effectively can be so important. If you tell a doctor you're experiencing fatigue when you mean exhaustion, it could lead to a missed diagnosis.
So, the next time you're yawning, think about which one you might actually have.
