Malaise

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

* A feeling of the blahs persists for more than five days.

* Your abdomen hurts or you've noticed changes in your bowel movements.

* Urination is painful or difficult, or you have a discharge from your vagina or penis.

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

An indefinite feeling of lack of health often indicative of the onset of an illness"—that's what Webster has to say about this symptom, which means that it could be a sign of any and every disease.

But let's investigate a little more thoroughly. Whenever you have malaise, other, more revealing symptoms will undoubtedly provide a better indication of what's troubling you, according to Clayton W. Kersting, M.D., a family physician in Newport, Washington. "Malaise means 'a vague feeling of uncomfortableness.' Doctors hate the word 'vague,' so we have to go from head to toe asking questions for a more specific cause of the problem."

At the least, a bout of the blahs might be all in your head, the result of too much stress or work and not enough play time, Dr. Kersting says. If you're constantly sad and lack motivation, you may be depressed. Or perhaps you're not eating well and not getting enough nutrients. Maybe you're not sleeping enough.

Infections and viral illnesses often produce a listless feeling, says Anne Simons, M.D., an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of California in San Francisco and coauthor of Before You Call the Doctor. And you don't have to be visibly ill. "A hidden infection like chronic sinusitis or a tooth infection may not be immediately obvious, but it'll make you feel sick," she says.

Anemia could be behind your blahs, especially if you also feel weak or light-headed. Women who have heavy menstrual periods and the elderly are especially susceptible, Dr. Simons says.

An underactive thyroid can cause malaise, Dr. Kersting says. If you have an underactive thyroid, you'll probably also feel weak, sleep more than usual, gain some weight, miss some periods and feel cold.

Heart and lung problems may be responsible if you feel chest pains or can't breathe sufficiently. Intestinal abnormalities—from stomach viruses to tumors—will disrupt your bowel movement in addition to making you feel bad. Urinary tract infections, pelvic inflammatory disease and prostate malfunctions interfere with urination and produce a burning sensation when you do urinate.

Symptom Relief

So now not only are you tired of being down in the dumps and singing the blues, you're overwhelmed by the possible causes. Pick yourself up with some of these malaise erasers.

Give yourself a break. You may just need to inject some fun in your life. "When was the last time you had a vacation or did something nice for your spouse and kids?" Dr. Kersting asks. "Go to the movies, then set your priorities for the more enjoyable things."

Stock your refrigerator. Concentrate on eating more nutritious foods. And pick up a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement. "A healthy diet is important to feeling healthy," Dr. Kersting says.

Put some metal into your mettle. An iron supplement may bolster your spirits if you're suffering from a deficiency, Dr. Simons says. Vitamin B₁₂ supplements may help your blood if you're elderly. "Anemia caused by iron or B₁₂ deficiency may be a sign of a more serious problem, like internal bleeding, an ulcer or cancer. Be sure to ask your doctor if these supplements are appropriate for you," she says.

Move your body. Exercise makes you feel better physically and emotionally, Dr. Kersting says, so start a workout program. Select an activity you like to do so you'll stay with it. "If you don't like bicycling, don't buy a stationary bicycle," says Dr. Kersting.

Take your temperature. Fever is an indication of an infection somewhere in the body, Dr. Simons points out. If you have an infection, antibiotics probably will help.

Have a look under the hood. Schedule a checkup and physical with your doctor, making sure you go from head to toe mentioning any other symptoms that are bothersome.

Don't worry. Never ignore even a hazy notion of not feeling well, but at the same time, never frighten yourself by assuming the worst. "I think a lot of the times if people get a vague symptom, they worry it's cancer or something serious," Dr. Simons says. "In fact, it's rare that those things cause only malaise."