Weakness is a common side effect of many neurological conditions. If you regularly feel fatigued and experience difficulty lifting utensils or other objects, don’t wait to seek professional help. At South Valley Neurology, the team boasts years of experience diagnosing and treating weakness. To schedule an appointment, please call our office number 669-207-0046.
Weakness occurs when your muscles are no longer able to lift or resist as they once could. For example, you might notice that the bottle of orange juice in the fridge feels like it weighs 50 pounds.
Weakness is different from fatigue in that it often indicates a potentially serious underlying health problem. Almost everyone feels fatigued on occasion, but weakness is much less common.
Common symptoms of weakness include:
Depending on the underlying cause, you might also experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, or dizziness. If you develop any of these symptoms, contact South Valley Neurology right away.
Weakness occurs for a variety of reasons, but the team at South Valley Neurology focuses on the neurological causes, including:
You might also experience weakness due to Guillain-Barré syndrome. Guillain-Barré syndrome is caused by a bacterial or viral infection that attacks the peripheral nervous system.
To diagnose weakness, your South Valley Neurology provider conducts a physical and neurological exam and asks about your symptoms, including when they began and their severity.
Next, they may order laboratory panels, including blood tests and urinalysis. The laboratory technicians analyze your samples for signs of an infection or possible medical conditions known to cause muscle weakness.
If these measures don’t pinpoint the source of your discomfort, the doctors may also order diagnostic imaging, like an MRI or a brain scan. These tools take high-resolution photos of your brain and help pinpoint neurological issues.
Treatment of weakness depends on the severity of your symptoms, the underlying cause, and the effect on your quality of life. Usually, South Valley Neurology recommends conservative treatments like healthy lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and prescription medication.
The goal of treatment is to strengthen your muscles, restore your mobility, and improve your quality of life.
To learn more about the treatment options for weakness, call South Valley Neurology to request your appointment today.
