astheneia

Asthenia, transliterated as astheneia, is a term derived from the Greek ασθένεια meaning weakness or debility. In medical and clinical usage, asthenia denotes a generalized sense of physical weakness, fatigue, or lack of energy rather than a specific disease. It is considered a symptom or syndrome that can accompany many underlying conditions.

Historically, the concept appears in ancient Greek medical texts as a description of weakness arising from illness, aging, or exhaustion. Over time, asthenia has been used in various medical traditions to capture a broad sense of diminished strength, often without pinpointing a single cause. In modern English-language medicine, the term is used more precisely to describe the symptom of fatigue and reduced endurance that can be associated with diverse diseases or states.

In contemporary practice, asthenia may be categorized as physical asthenia (reduced muscle strength with easy fatigability) or fatigue-dominant asthenia. It can occur in chronic infections, cancer, endocrine disorders, cardiovascular disease, nutritional deficiencies, sleep disorders, and psychiatric illness. It is distinct from, but overlaps with, specific neuromuscular conditions such as myasthenia gravis and with historical diagnoses like neurasthenia.

Evaluation of asthenia involves a patient history, physical examination, and targeted laboratory or imaging studies to identify underlying causes. Clinicians may use scales or questionnaires to assess energy levels and functional impact, along with objective measures of muscle strength when indicated. Treatment focuses on the root cause, supplemented by supportive care such as adequate nutrition, sleep, gradual physical activity, and rehabilitation. Prognosis depends on the underlying condition and the effectiveness of its management. See also fatigue, neurasthenia, myasthenia gravis, cachexia.