I was almost at my destination when I looked down at the dashboard and saw that the dreaded “Check Engine” light had come on. I thought, Now what? But a few moments later, the light went off. I breathed a sigh of relief, but deep down I knew something was wrong with my engine. The past couple of weeks the car had been feeling sluggish, and there was a slight hesitation whenever I stepped on the gas. I did my best to ignore the warning, but I realized it was only a matter of time before I’d find myself stalled on the side of the road somewhere. Better take care of it now while the car is still running.
How about you? Have you ever had your “Check Engine” light come on, and if so, have you ignored it? I’m not actually referring to your vehicle—I’m talking about your body. There are times when our bodies send us signals that something’s wrong with our engine. However, many of us have a tendency to ignore warning signs from our bodies, just like those from our vehicles. Have you ever felt weak or run down, or described yourself as fatigued? In police work, given that we often work crazy shifts, overtime, long hours in court or on details, it’s easy to feel weak. But you should know the difference between feeling weak, and feeling fatigued. The two seem interchangeable, but they’re very different.
Weakness
Weakness is characterized by a lack of physical or muscle strength. You’ll feel as if you need extra effort to move your arms, legs, or other muscles. If the weakness stems from pain, making your muscles work will definitely hurt. Weakness is a symptom of a health problem that needs to be evaluated by a physician. Sometimes weakness can be the result of an unusually tough workout, such as running a long race or playing a hard football or basketball game. Perhaps you may have pushed yourself too hard in the gym. General weakness due to those activities is normal and should go away within days.
However, sometimes muscle weakness may be the result of a health problem. If your body is low in electrolytes, such as potassium or sodium, or if you have an infection such as urinary or respiratory, you make experience weakness. Did you know that a thyroid imbalance can cause many problems such as weight gain, depression, memory problems, dry skin, or thinning hair? And problems such as weight loss, increased heart rate, sweating, and anxiety, can all cause muscle weakness and should be addressed with a doctor visit. Much more serious is sudden muscle weakness, which may be the result of a stroke or a TIA (transient ischemic attack), also known as a mini-stroke. A TIA occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is stopped for a short time. It’s the same as a stroke, but it doesn’t last long or cause permanent damage. (See a doctor ASAP as a TIA means you may have a stroke in the future).
Fatigue
Fatigue is described as a feeling of tiredness, exhaustion, or lack of energy. Many of us will feel fatigued when we’re overworked—too many hours, such as pulling a double shift. Fatigue may also result from stress, poor sleeping habits, worry, lack of exercise, a bout with a cold or the flu. In most cases, fatigue associated with a health problem will disappear once you become well. Some medications, whether prescribed or over the counter, can cause weakness or fatigue. Also, overuse of caffeine or alcohol, as well as illegal drugs, can leave one feeling tired and/or exhausted.
When you feel fatigued, but also have an accompanying medical problem such as shortness of breath, bleeding, or unexplained weight gain or loss, a doctor visit is in order. Be aware that fatigue lasting more than two weeks can be the result of a serious health problem such as anemia, coronary heart disease or failure, metabolic disorders (diabetes), thyroid disorder, or kidney disease. Persistent fatigue may signal that you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS, which causes exhaustion, sleep problems, thinking problems, and pain throughout the body. CFS has no cure, but treating the disease can improve your quality of life.
Just as ignoring the Chick Engine light in your car is a bad idea that will likely result in serious problems down the road, ignoring that same warning in your body can be catastrophic. Men, in particular, are wont to ignore many health problems thinking they’ll disappear on their own. Don’t be foolish—if you are feeling weak or fatigued find the reason and fix it. Don’t wait until you find yourself broken down on the side of the road. Get a doctor to check your engine and save yourself some aggravation, or perhaps, your life!
STAY SAFE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
John Wills
John M. Wills is a former Chicago police officer and retired FBI agent. He is a freelance writer and award-winning author in a variety of genres, including novels, short stories and poetry. John also writes book reviews for the New York Journal of Books, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. His new book, The Year Without Christmas, is available now. Visit John at: www.johnmwills.com.
