Weakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.
Weakness may be all over the body or in only one area, side of the body, limb, or muscle. Weakness is more noticeable when it is in one area. Weakness in one area may occur:
Weakness may be subjective or objective:
Weakness may be caused by a variety of conditions, including:
METABOLIC
BRAIN/NERVOUS SYSTEM (NEUROLOGIC)
MUSCLE DISEASES
POISONING
OTHER
Follow the therapy your health care provider recommended to treat the cause of the weakness.
Call your health care provider if you have:
The health care provider will examine you and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms, such as:
The physical examination may include special attention to your heart, lungs, and thyroid gland. If there is a local area of weakness, the examination will focus on the nerves and muscle.
Tests that may be done include:
Lack of strength; Muscle weakness
Griggs RC, Jozefowicz RF, Aminoff MJ. Approach to the patient with neurologic disease. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 403.
Chinnery PF. Muscle diseases. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 429.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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