Our body is shaped and controlled by our metabolism. This regulates the various cycles that every body goes through every day. Eating, digesting, excreting and also sleeping and being awake are just two of countless many examples that can ultimately be traced back to the metabolism. But they are also vital, which is why a metabolic disorder or the various metabolic diseases can quickly end drastically.
What is a metabolic disorder?
What exactly is a metabolic disorder ? This is the question many people who are affected or interested ask themselves when they are confronted with the diagnosis of a metabolic disorder for the first time. For what is meniscus tear used for, please visit fun-wiki.com.
Most people know the term, but not the actual definition. A metabolic disorder or metabolic disease is understood to mean a pathological change in the metabolic processes of the human body. Because even if not every metabolism is the same as the other, there are still pathological cases despite all normal and harmless deviations.
Examples of this are gout, diabetes mellitus and also hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. These are also metabolic disorders – but they all have a different clinical picture.
Causes
Metabolic disorders can have many different causes. However, the most well-known reasons are still due to genetic factors. This means that many cases of metabolic disorders are inherited, so to speak, within a family.
Very often, genetic transmission occurs in diseases such as gout and also in thyroid dysfunction. Other metabolic disorders, on the other hand, can have physical causes that are “self-inflicted”, so to speak.
Severe and long -term obesity, a very unhealthy and unbalanced diet and heavy consumption of alcohol, medication or tobacco can change the healthy and natural metabolism.
The situation is similar with an unnatural sleep rhythm in the long run. Here, too, the biorhythm of the body could react with a metabolic disorder.
Symptoms, Ailments & Signs
Metabolic disorders can manifest themselves through a range of symptoms and signs, depending on the type and severity of the disorder. Possible signs of a metabolic disorder include burning pain in the hands and feet, often associated with an unpleasant tingling sensation and sensory disturbances. Fever attacks, chills, tiredness and exhaustion can also set in.
Likewise gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain and heartburn. Furthermore, a disturbance of the metabolism can make itself felt through acute cardiovascular problems. Diabetes patients, for example, then suffer from a sudden drop in blood pressure and dizziness.
Gout manifests itself as cramps in the toes and fingers, severe pain and restricted movement. An underactive thyroid leads to hair loss, sleep disorders, weight loss and listlessness. Hyperthyroidism causes restlessness and nervousness, cardiovascular problems (such as palpitations and tachycardia), as well as severe thirst and diarrhea.
Cystic fibrosis is associated with respiratory disorders: shortness of breath, coughing, congestion and recurring infections as well as pneumonia. The symptoms usually get worse with age. Due to the large number of possible metabolic disorders, no clear symptom picture can be defined. However, certain signs such as gastrointestinal complaints or circulatory disorders occur with most disorders, which enables a clear diagnosis to be made.
Diagnosis & History
Hardly any other overarching disease has as many different faces as a metabolic disorder. It can affect any organ in the body, from the heart to the thyroid and liver to the brain. And, of course, each case of a metabolic disorder manifests itself in a completely different way.
On the one hand, overfunctioning and underfunctioning of individual organs can occur. On the other hand, several organs are often affected, which can change the symptoms again. However, metabolic disorders often show up as severe physical discomfort, sleep disorders, mood swings and very drastic weight loss or a very strong weight gain in an unnaturally short time.
However, pathological changes in the skin and hair loss can also occur. It is therefore extremely important to consult a specialist as quickly as possible in the event of unexplained symptoms.
Complications
A metabolic disorder is associated with various complications, which of course can also occur in different degrees of severity. With such a dysfunction, vital organs are usually severely impaired in their function, resulting in various complications. Numerous affected people who suffer from a metabolic disorder are very overweight.
Even if attention is paid to a balanced diet, the nutrients absorbed cannot be properly broken down and utilized due to the metabolic disorder. It comes to a significant overweight, so that the affected person will be very limited in everyday life. If, on the other hand, too little food is consumed, deficiency symptoms can also occur in connection with a metabolic disorder.
Headaches, nausea, vomiting and a general feeling of being unwell are just a few of the complications that can arise in this context. Blood pressure problems are also common complications faced by people suffering from a metabolic disorder. Anyone who seeks medical treatment early can avoid possible complications or make them much more pleasant and tolerable. However, those who refrain from such treatment must expect considerable complications, which can worsen significantly over time.
When should you go to the doctor?
In the case of a metabolic disorder, the person affected suffers from a variety of complaints and irregularities. In many cases, there is a temporary disturbance that is often ignored. However, if it occurs again, a doctor should be consulted. Vomiting, nausea, constipation or diarrhea are signs of a health impairment. Dizziness, circulatory disorders or a strong sense of thirst should be observed further. A doctor is needed for heartburn, abdominal pain, or chills. Exhaustion, tiredness or reduced performance are also indications of an illness.
If you have a fever, sensory disorders or a tingling sensation on the skin, the organism shows that something is wrong. If the symptoms occur regularly over a period of several weeks or months, you should consult a doctor. Pain after eating, changes in weight, skin abnormalities or shortness of breath are complaints that should be discussed with a doctor.
A comprehensive examination is necessary so that a diagnosis can be made. A metabolic disorder is often only recognized after many years, since the symptoms are often diffuse and incoherent. As soon as the person concerned has the feeling of an irregularity, he should speak to a doctor and ask for a comprehensive examination. Chills, inner restlessness, nervousness and coughing are also among the signs of a health impairment.
Treatment & Therapy
The best point of contact is the attending family doctor, who can initiate the first examinations. Many metabolic disorders can also be treated immediately, with others he will have to refer the patient to an endocrinologist.
However, it is important that the metabolic disorder is recognized and treated as quickly as possible. Because although not all metabolic disorders are really of a worrisome nature, a few can even be fatal. Either way, successful treatment provides that the exact cause of the metabolic disorder is found and treated together with the symptoms.
Most of the time, this is done through the use of appropriate medication. Some metabolic disorders are completely curable, while others require lifelong treatment and monitoring – such as diabetes, gout, and thyroid dysfunction.
In any case, the treatment takes some time. Because the drugs do not act immediately and only in the long term on the body. And: A change in lifestyle is often necessary in order to achieve successful treatment.
Prevention
Metabolic disorders can only be prevented to a very limited extent. As already mentioned, the genetic material is always important here. If you belong to a risk group, you should be examined regularly. Otherwise, metabolic disorders can be avoided and kept in check by adopting a healthy lifestyle. These include a healthy diet, a healthy weight, dealing well with stress and avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, medication and tobacco as much as possible.
Aftercare
Since a metabolic disorder can have a wide variety of underlying causes, the aftercare must also be very individually designed for the patient. There is therefore no simple direction in the aftercare of the metabolic disorder. It often does not represent an independent clinical picture, but is the symptom or the consequence of another systemic disease.
Depending on the underlying disease and the severity of the metabolic disorder, the specialist must adapt the aftercare to the patient. In some cases, the causative disease cannot be cured, which means that follow-up care must also be permanent with regular check-ups and doctor’s appointments. As a rule, the symptoms can be largely suppressed, this can be done by long-term administration of appropriate medication.
The respective specialist monitors the underlying disease, the administration and dosage of the medication and the possible healing. If the disease that caused a metabolic disorder can be corrected, no long-term follow-up care can usually be expected. Here, however, it is initially indicated at certain intervals to ensure and maintain the success of the treatment.
You can do that yourself
In the case of a metabolic disorder, the affected person often reacts more sensitively to food intake or life events. Depending on the severity and development of the disease, risk factors for an increase in symptoms should be avoided.
There are often changes in weight that are perceived as unwanted and uncomfortable. Food intake should be optimized to prevent further deterioration. A balanced and healthy diet that is tailored to the needs of the organism strengthens general well-being. In addition, it can make a significant contribution to alleviating the symptoms. In the case of sleep disorders, sleep hygiene should be reconsidered. Optimizations should be made so that sleep is perceived as restful and pleasant. The person concerned often has to experiment with the possibilities until he has found his best possible sleeping position, time or sleeping utensils.
Relaxation methods help to strengthen mental strength. These can be used independently at any time in everyday life. In addition to yoga and meditation, many patients report that they consider autogenic training or cognitive exercises to be particularly advisable. This achieves an inner balance that is helpful in everyday life when coping with the disorder. Symptoms such as malaise or a feeling of illness are characteristic of a metabolic disorder. Those affected are well advised to initiate activities to promote their well-being themselves.
