Tired, low and aching? TATT – or as we know it in the business, “tiredness all the time” – is an incredibly common symptom, though perhaps not seen as often as you’d expect. In fact, it’s estimated that only seven per cent of persistent episodes of tiredness or fatigue results in a GP consultation.
I’m a GP at a practice in Bristol, and in a typical clinical day, I’d estimate that at least one or two consultations are specifically about persistent tiredness. That’s hardly surprising, since it can be a symptom of nearly every condition I can think of – whether physical or mental.
And yet, we’re only attending to the tip of the iceberg. Availability of appointments and accessibility are, of course, partly to blame. But so too is the context in which patients experience these symptoms. The reflex response of many is to soldier on. For some, it feels like there is no other option: work, home life, caring responsibilities and other demands of daily living all need to be attended to.
It’s easy to normalise tiredness, or self-diagnose it as the inevitable result of poor sleep, or the stress of a hectic lifestyle but it could point towards a more serious diagnosis. Here’s what you should know.
