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Mercy internist Dr. Jonathan Rich

Mercy Internist Dr. Jonathan Rich Discusses "The Real Reason You're Tired" On WBAL-TV11's "The Woman's Doctor"

There can be many reasons you're fatigued, and sometimes getting to the bottom of fatigue is complicated.

Mercy Medical Center internist Dr. Jonathan Rich said that during diagnosis, he first has to figure out what someone means by fatigued.

"There is sleepiness, which is not the same as fatigue. Someone can feel sleepy because they're not sleeping at night, but fatigue is when you're getting enough sleep but still feel low in energy," he said.

According to Dr. Rich, causes of fatigue can include depression, anemia, thyroid problems, celiac disease, heart disease, lyme disease, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes or medications someone takes.

He said it's important to talk to the patient.

"Look at what's going on in their life, look at medications they're taking and take a very thorough history," he said.

If you are chronically tired, make sure you see a doctor to try to get a diagnosis.

For more information and to view WBAL-TV11's interview with Mercy's Dr. Jonathan Rich on "The Woman's Doctor," visit this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/19968537/detail.html.