Malaise
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Synonyms and keywords: General ill feeling
Overview
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Malaise is a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness, an “out of sorts” feeling, often the first indication of an infection or other disease. Often defined in medicinal research as a “general feeling of being unwell”.
Colloquially, malaise has been referred to as “the creeping crud” (especially in reference to the malaise caused by communicable diseases such as influenza and the common cold). This usage may have originated in folk medicine, but it is adopted from the French word meaning “discomfort,” “feeling faint,” “feeling sick.”
The term is also often used figuratively in such contexts as “economic malaise.”
Historical Perspective
U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who on July 15, 1979, gave his famous “national malaise” speech where he described a “crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation.” The word “malaise” did not appear in the text of the speech.
Cause
There can be various causes to a malaise, from the slightest like an emotion (causing vagal response) or hunger (lighthypoglycemia) to the most serious (cancer, cerebrovascular accident, internal bleeding etc.).
Generally speaking, the malaise expresses that “something is wrong,” like a general warning light, but only a medical examination can determine the cause.
Treatment
Medical Therapy
The following step depends on the organization of the emergency medical assistance. Some countries provide free medical advice by phone (e.g., SAMU in France): it is then useful to call this service to know what to do. Otherwise, it is useful to contact the usual general practitioner of the person, to get his or her advice, or any medical or paramedical professional at least. The bystander who calls must mention all the elements collected so far. When it is not possible to contact the individual’s primary-care physician, it is then necessary to assess the situation in order to decide whether it is necessary to call anambulance.
References
Historical Perspective
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who on July 15, 1979, gave his famous “national malaise” speech where he described a “crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation.” The word “malaise” did not appear in the text of the speech.
References
Pathophysiology
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Pathophysiology
Associated Conditions
References
Causes
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S.
Overview
Malaise is caused by a large variety of conditions and diseases that result in fatigue and lethargy. Common causes include microbial infection and the side effects of drug therapy.
Causes
Common Causes
Causes by Organ System
Causes by alphabetical order
- 3-dichloropropeneÂ
- Abdominal abscessÂ
- Actinic prurigoÂ
- Acute bokhororÂ
- Acute bronchitisÂ
- Acute cholecystitisÂ
- Acute fatty liver of pregnancyÂ
- Acute lower respiratory conditions
- Acute myelofibrosis
- Acute or chronic kidney disease
- Acute or chronic liver disease
- Acute panmyelosis
- Acute pneumonia
- Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment
- Acute radiation sickness
- Acute renal failure
- Acute rheumatic fever
- Acute viliuisk encephalitis
- Acute viliuisk encephalomyelitis
- Acute viral syndrome
- Addington diseaseÂ
- Adenitis
- Adrenal gland dysfunction
- African sleeping sickness
- Aggressive nk-cell leukaemia
- Aids
- AlanycarbÂ
- AldicarbÂ
- AldoxycarbÂ
- Aldrin
- Allergic rhinitisÂ
- Allyxycarb
- Ambenonium
- American mountain fever
- AminocarbÂ
- Anemia
- Angioimmunoblastic with dysproteinemia lymphadenopathy
- Angiostrongyliasis
- Anthrax
- Anticonvulsant medicines
- Antihistamines
- Arbovirus
- Arcobacter butzleri infection
- Arcobacter cryaerophilus infection
- Arenavirus
- Argentinean hemorrhagic feverÂ
- Astroviruses
- Autoimmune oophoritis
- Avian influenza
- Babesiosis
- Back tumour
- Bcg vaccine
- Bendiocarb
- Benfuracarb
- Bernard syndrome
- Beta blockers
- Bicarbonate deficitÂ
- Blood cancersÂ
- Blood conditions
- Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
- Boric acid
- Boutonneuse feverÂ
- Bowel bypass syndrome
- Bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome
- Brachial neuritis
- Breast abscess
- Brennemann’s syndromeÂ
- Brill diseaseÂ
- Bronchitis
- Bruch’s disease
- Bufencarb
- Burnett’s syndrome
- Butacarb
- Butocarboxim
- Butoxcarboxim
- California encephalitis
- Campylobacter jejuni subspecies doylei infection
- Carbanolate
- CarbarylÂ
- Carbofuran
- Carbosulfan
- Castellani syndrome
- Chagas disease
- Chicken poxÂ
- Chronic active hepatitis
- Chronic fatigue syndromeÂ
- Chronic infectious diarrheaÂ
- Chronic interstitial nephritis
- Chronic leukemiaÂ
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Chronic pyelonephritisÂ
- Chronic sinusitis
- Classical hodgkin diseaseÂ
- Cloethocarb
- CoccidioidomycosisÂ
- Colon cancer
- Colorado tick encephalitis
- Colorado tick fever
- Congestive heart failure
- Conor’s disease
- Cope’s syndrome
- Crohns disease
- Cutaneous anthrax
- Cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis
- Cyclic neutropenia
- Cyclospora cayetanenis food poisoning
- Dana syndrome
- DddÂ
- Ddt
- Decarbofuran
- Decreased bicarbonate
- Delayed viral syndromes
- Depression
- Depressive disorders
- Dermatomyositis
- Dermatostomatitis
- Dexamethasone
- DiabetesÂ
- Dicresyl
- Dieldrin
- DimetanÂ
- Dimetilan
- Dioxacarb
- Diquat dibromide
- Discontinuation syndrome
- Distal colorectal cancer
- Dressler syndrome
- Dysthymia
- Eastern equine encephalitis
- Ehrlichiosis
- Eijkman’s syndrome
- Emotional trauma
- EmpcÂ
- Encephalitis
- End stage liver failureÂ
- Enteroaggregative e. coli infectionÂ
- Enterohemorrhagic e. coli infection
- Enteroinvasive e. coli infection
- Enteropathogenic e. coli infectionÂ
- Enterotoxigenic e. coli infectionÂ
- Epidemic typhusÂ
- Erythema chronicum migransÂ
- Erythema multiforme
- Erythema nodosumÂ
- Escharonodulaire
- Ethiofencarb
- Familial hyperchylomicronemiaÂ
- Familial interstitial fibrosis
- Familial lipoprotein lipase deficiency
- Farmer’s lung
- Fatigue
- Felty syndrome
- Fenethacarb
- Fenobucarb
- FeverÂ
- Fitz-hugh syndrome
- Flavivirus infections
- Flea-borne diseases
- FluÂ
- Flu-like conditions
- Follicular dendritic cell tumorÂ
- Furathiocarb
- Gingivostomatitis
- Gnathostoma hispidum infection
- Gnathostoma infection
- Gnathostoma spinigerum infection
- Guanarito virus
- H1n1 flu
- Hamartomatous colorectal cancer
- Hamman-rich syndrome
- Hand-foot-and-mouth disease
- Hantavirus
- Helicobacter cinaedi infection
- Helicobacter fenneliae infection
- Hellp syndrome
- Helminthiasis
- Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
- HepatitisÂ
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Hepatoma
- Herbal agent overdose
- Herpes simplex encephalitisÂ
- Hip cancer
- Histoplasmosis
- Hodgkin’s diseaseÂ
- HookwormÂ
- Human adjuvant disease
- Hydroa vacciniforme
- Hypereosinophilic syndrome
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Hypervitaminosis a
- Hyponatremia
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyquincarb
- Idiopathic diffuse interstitial fibrosis
- Inadequate sleep
- India tick typhus
- Indian tick fever
- Infectious diarrhea
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Infectious mononucleosisÂ
- Infective endocarditis
- Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumorsÂ
- Influenza
- Influenza aÂ
- Influenza bÂ
- Interferon gamma
- Invasive group a streptococcal disease
- Isoprocarb
- IsopsoriasisÂ
- Israeli spotted fever
- Kenya feverÂ
- Kenya tick typhus
- Kenya tick-bite fever
- Kidney cancerÂ
- Lamivudine
- Legionnaires’ diseaseÂ
- Leukemia
- Lipoprotein lipase deficiencyÂ
- Liver abscess
- Liver cancer
- Loratadine
- Lung abscess
- Lupus
- Lyme disease
- Lyme diseaseÂ
- Lymphadenopathy
- Lymphocyte depletion hodgkin’s diseaseÂ
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitisÂ
- Lymphoma
- Lymphoma
- Lymphomatoid granulomatosisÂ
- Machupo virus
- Malignancy
- Marchiafava-micheli disease
- Marseilles fever
- Mediastinitis
- Mediterranean spotted fever
- Meningococcemia
- Mesenteric adenitis
- Metal fume fever
- MethomylÂ
- Metolcarb
- Mexacarbate
- Milk poisoning
- Milk-alkali syndromeÂ
- Millian erythemaÂ
- Mixed cellularity hodgkin’s diseaseÂ
- Mixed connective tissue diseaseÂ
- MononucleosisÂ
- Morpholine
- Mosquito-borne diseases
- Mountain feverÂ
- Mountain tick feverÂ
- Mucha-habermann syndrome
- Multifocal fibrosclerosis
- Mumps
- Munk diseaseÂ
- Mycobacterial infections
- Mycobacterium xenopiÂ
- Myelitis
- Myelodysplastic diseaseÂ
- Myeloproliferative diseasesÂ
- MyocarditisÂ
- Nasopharyngitis
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Newcastle disease
- Nilutamide
- Nitrilacarb
- Nodular sclerosing hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Obstructive jaundice
- Occasional hepatitis
- Ocular vacciniaÂ
- Opsoclonus myoclonusÂ
- Organic acidemiaÂ
- Ovarian cancer
- Oxamyl
- Panniculitis
- Papillary renal cell carcinoma
- Paragonimiasis
- Paratyphoid fever
- Peanut allergy
- Pelvic abscessÂ
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Pemphigus
- Perennial allergic rhinitis
- Perennial rhinitis
- Pergolide
- Perirectal abscess
- Pernicious anemia
- Pfeiffer-weber-christian syndrome
- Pharyngoconjunctival feverÂ
- Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloid leukemia
- Pirimicarb
- Pituitary gland dysfunction
- Pleuropulmonary blastomaÂ
- Pneumocytosis
- Pneumonia
- PneumonitisÂ
- Polio
- Polyarteritis nodosaÂ
- Polycythemia vera
- Polymer fume feverÂ
- Polymorphous light eruptionÂ
- Polymyalgia rheumaticaÂ
- Postpericardiotomy syndromeÂ
- Post-transplant lymphoproliferative diseaseÂ
- Poxviridae diseaseÂ
- Praziquantel
- PromacylÂ
- Promecarb
- Propoxur
- Prostate disorders
- Protozoan infections
- Proximal colorectal cancer
- Pseudomembranous colitisÂ
- Psittacosis
- Pulmonary anthraxÂ
- Pyelonephritis
- Q fever
- Queensland tick typhus
- Rabies
- Rectractile mesenteritis
- Renal carbuncle
- Renal cell carcinoma
- Renal failure
- Renal tuberculosis
- Respiratory tract infections
- Rheumatic fever
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Rhinovirus infection
- Rhodococcus equiÂ
- Rib tumor
- Rocio encephalitis
- Rubella
- Sarcoidosis
- Sargramostim
- Sars
- Scleredema adultorum
- Scleroderma
- Sea sickness
- Sea snake poisoning
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis
- Secondary syphilis
- Sepsis
- Severe anemia
- Shingles
- Silicosis
- Simian b virus infectionÂ
- Sindbis feverÂ
- Slowly progressive bokhororÂ
- Slowly progressive viliuisk encephalitis
- Slowly progressive viliuisk encephalomyelitis
- Space adaptation syndromeÂ
- Sphenoid sinusitisÂ
- Spirochetes disease
- Spleen cancerÂ
- Spleen conditionsÂ
- Spleen neoplasm
- Splenic infarctÂ
- Sporadic colorectal cancer
- Squamous cell skin cancerÂ
- Stachybotrys chartarumÂ
- Steroid withdrawal syndrome
- Stevens-johnson syndrome
- Stress
- Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis
- Subacute thyroiditis
- Sulfone syndrome
- Sumatriptan
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Tazimcarb
- Temporal arteritisÂ
- Thiocarboxime
- Thiodicarb
- Thiofanox
- Thyroid disease
- Tiagabine
- Tick-borne encephalitisÂ
- TonsilitisÂ
- Tooth abscess
- Toothache
- Toxoplasmosis
- Transverse myelitis
- Traveler’s diarrhea
- Treponema infection
- Tretinoin
- Trimellitic anhydride
- Trimethacarb
- Trypanosomiasis
- Tuberculosis
- Type 2 diabetes
- Type a influenza
- Type b influenza
- Type c influenza
- Typhoid fever
- Upper respiratory infection
- Urinary tract infection
- Varicella virus antenatal infection
- Varicella zoster
- Vasculitis
- Ventral hernia
- Vibrio vulnificus infection
- Viral digestive infections
- Vlcad deficiencyÂ
- Warm-reacting-antibody haemolytic anemia
- Weber-christian disease
- Wegener’s granulomatosis
- West african trypanosomiasisÂ
- West nile encephalitis
- West nile feverÂ
- Western equine encephalitis
- Wheat intoleranceÂ
- Whooping coughÂ
- Winkelman bethfe pfeiffer syndromeÂ
- Worm conditionsÂ
- X-linked sideroblastic anemia
- XmcÂ
- Xylylcarb
- YawsÂ
- Yellow nail syndromeÂ
- Zidovudine
- Zieve syndrome
References
Epidemiology and Demographics
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References
Risk Factors
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References
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
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References
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms | Physical Examination | Laboratory Findings | Other Diagnostic Studies
Treatment
Treatment
Medical Therapy | Primary Prevention | Secondary Prevention | Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy | Future or Investigational Therapies
Related Chapters
Related Chapters
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