Symptom: Drowsiness

Introduction: Drowsiness

Drowsiness: Excessive tiredness or sleepiness. See free access online books about Drowsiness below. See detailed information below for a list of 474 causes of Drowsiness, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Drowsiness: full list

Causes of Drowsiness:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Drowsiness. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Various causes of drowsiness or sleepiness include:
  • Sleep debt
  • Not getting enough sleep
  • Shift work
  • Jet lag
  • Boredom
  • Fatigue - see various causes of fatigue
  • Sleepiness - see various causes of sleepiness
• Infections
• Fever
• Virus
• Common cold
• Certain medications
• Emotional disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • Depression
  • Certain psychiatric disorders
• Sleep disorders
  • Insomnia
  • Sleep apnea
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • Narcolepsy
  • Pickwickian syndrome (obesity-hypoventilation syndrome)
• Brain conditions
  • Brain infection
  • Encephalitis
  • Head injury
  • Brain injury
  • Concussion

See full list of 474 causes of Drowsiness

» Review Causes of Drowsiness: full list

Causes of Types of Drowsiness:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Drowsiness:

• Daytime drowsiness (2 causes)
• Daytime tiredness (1 cause)
• Yawning (15 causes)
• Sedative effect
• Yawning Excessively (20 causes)

See full list of 26 types for Drowsiness

Drowsiness: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Drowsiness, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Drowsiness: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Drowsiness and Fatigue (284 causes)
• Drowsiness and Muscle weakness (276 causes)
• Drowsiness and Sleep symptoms (276 causes)
• Drowsiness and Pain (205 causes)
• Drowsiness and Nerve symptoms (199 causes)
• Drowsiness and Digestive symptoms (197 causes)
• Drowsiness and Sensations (193 causes)
• Drowsiness and Head symptoms (180 causes)
• Drowsiness and Muscle symptoms (170 causes)
• Drowsiness and Weakness (162 causes)
• Drowsiness and Tiredness (156 causes)
• Drowsiness and Behavioral symptoms (155 causes)
• Drowsiness and Sleeping problems (149 causes)
• Drowsiness and Headache (136 causes)
• Drowsiness and Personality symptoms (126 causes)
• Drowsiness and Respiratory symptoms (125 causes)
• Drowsiness and Swelling symptoms (123 causes)
• Drowsiness and Vomiting (122 causes)
• Drowsiness and Skin symptoms (118 causes)
• Drowsiness and Fever (117 causes)

See full list of 1719 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Drowsiness

Home Diagnostic Testing and Drowsiness

Home medical tests possibly related to Drowsiness:

• Fatigue: Related Home Tests:
  • Home Anemia Tests
  • Home Thyroid Function Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
  • Home Calcium Deficiency Tests
  • Home HIV Tests
• Thyroid: Home Testing:
  • Home TSH Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests
• Adrenal Gland Health: Home Testing:
• Sleep Disorders: Home Testing
  • Home Sleep Tests
  • Sleep Apnea Tests

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Sleep symptoms (445 causes)
• Fatigue (1283 causes)
• Muscle weakness (2042 causes)
• Sleeping problems (314 causes)
• Common symptoms (4555 causes)
• Sick (3141 causes)
• Weakness (2019 causes)
• Muscle symptoms (2574 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Drowsiness

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Drowsiness:

• Insomnia (258 causes)
• Sleep symptoms (445 causes)
• Sleeping disorders
• Weakness (2019 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Drowsiness

12 MEDICAL SYMPTOM BOOKS: FULL TEXT ONLINE! Read the full text of published book sections related to Drowsiness from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Drowsiness. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Drowsiness

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Drowsiness

Mild worm infections undiagnosed in children: Human worm infestations, esp. threadworm, can be overlooked in some cases, because it may cause only...read more »

Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can present in a variety of different...read more »

RLS sleep disorder causing night-time leg sensations often misdiagnosed: A common but relatively unknown sleep-related disorder called Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is often misdiagnosed. The typical symptoms are night-time tingling, crawling, or burning...read more »

Pituitary conditions often undiagnosed cause of symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms that can be caused by a pituitary disorder (see ...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Drowsiness

Diagnostic tests for Drowsiness:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Drowsiness. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Look for evidence of injury to head
  • Examine for neck stiffness which may indicate meningitis, encephalitis or subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Look for injection marks signifying drug addicts or diabetics
  • Breath odor may be a feature of alcohol, diabetes, kidney or liver failure

See full list of 28 diagnostic tests for Drowsiness

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Drowsiness. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• A history may have to be obtained from relatives, friends, witnesses or ambulance officers
• When did the drowsiness state start? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• How severe is the drowsiness? - may range from feeling sleepy to barely able to be roused.
• If the person did not present themselves, what was the setting in which the person was found?
• Are there simple reasons to explain drowsiness? - e.g. not getting enough sleep, sleep debt, shift work, jet lag, boredom and fatigue.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Drowsiness (21 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Drowsiness) may include:

• Fever? - suggests infection (and if severe possible shock) as cause of drowsiness e.g. meningitis, encephalitis, septicemia, pelvic inflammatory disease, aspiration pneumonia, urinary tract infection, peritonitis, pancreatitis, chagas disease, viral infections and even the common cold.
• Seizure activity? - e.g. twitching of limbs, incontinence of urine or feces - may suggest epilepsy, brain cancer, meningitis, stroke, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia.
• Headache? - may suggest subarachnoid hemorrhage (sudden severe headache), brain tumor, subdural haematoma, extradural haematoma, meningitis, encephalitis, hydrocephalus or obstructive sleep apnea (morning headache).
• Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea? - e.g. loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, unrefreshed sleep, restless sleep, morning headache, nocturnal choking, reduced libido.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Drowsiness (21 listings)

Stories from Users for Drowsiness

Real-life user stories relating to Drowsiness:

• Fluid running down back of my head feeling
• Yet another who feels constant fatigue...
• Loss of consciousness! CT scan neg
• In a crazy state
• Sleeping too much drastically affecting life
• Trouble wakeing up
• Sleepiness during day time particualry during meetings
• Sleepless drowsy spells
• Feeling drowsy but cant sleep
• Unexplained Coma
• Loss of sight, speech and eventually consciousness
• Cough and generally run-down
• coma after chemotherapy
• 5 year old in coma please help
• drowsiness and vision distortion Help!
• Unconscious for 20-30 min
• Coma

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Drowsiness or relevant symptoms:

• Constitutional (General Wellbeing) (156)
  • Sore Scalp/hair follicles
  • Fat loss in entire body
  • Dont know how much more I can take..
  • I'm Lost.
  • My wife does not sweat I'm worried
  • More user stories
• Neurological (Nerves) (357)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • Eye twitch
  • Essential tremor
  • More user stories
• Psychiatric (Mental Health) (218)
  • PLEASE can anyone help my son?!
  • My husbands making me sad
  • Heart condition or mental health problem?
  • Anxiety or...?
  • Weird Behavior at School. Normal?
  • More user stories

Videos for Drowsiness

Patient Surveys for Drowsiness

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about diseases related to your Drowsiness
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Causes of Drowsiness listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Drowsiness as a symptom include:

• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
• Altitude sickness, acute
• Amitriptyline
• Antipsychotic agents
• Arginosuccinic aciduria
• Asphyxiation
• Aspirin
• Atropine
• Baclofen
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines
• Brain death
• Bromazepam
• Bupivacaine
• Buprenorphine
• Buspirone
• Cannabinoids
• Carbamoylphosphate synthetase 1 deficiency disease
• Carbon monoxide toxicity
• Carbon tetrachloride

See full list of 474 causes of Drowsiness
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Drowsiness:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Drowsiness as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Sleeping pills
• Certain anti-depressants
• Tranquilizers
• Antihistamines
• Certain cold medications

See full list of 1452 medications causing Drowsiness

Drug interactions causing Drowsiness:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Drowsiness as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Zolpidem and benzodiazepine interaction
• Ambien and benzodiazepine interaction
• Zolpidem and diazepam interaction
• Ambien and diazepam interaction
• Percodan and alcohol interaction

See full list of 1998 drug interactions causing Drowsiness

Definitions of Drowsiness:

Drowsiness: A state of impaired awareness associated with a desire or inclination to sleep.
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Profound state of unconsciousness associated with depressed cerebral activity from which the individual cannot be aroused; coma generally occurs when there is dysfunction or injury involving both cerebral hemispheres or the brain stem.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Organs affected by Drowsiness:

The list of organs typically affected by Drowsiness may include, but is not limited to:

• Brain
• General constitution

Detailed list of causes of Drowsiness

The list below shows some of the causes of Drowsiness mentioned in various sources:

• Acanthamoeba infection - tiredness
• Acanthamoeba infection of the central nervous system - tiredness
• Acidemia, methylmalonic - drowsiness
• Acidosis - drowsiness
• Acquired Aplastic Anemia - tiredness

See full list of 474 causes of Drowsiness

How Common are these Causes of Drowsiness?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Drowsiness. Of the 474 causes of Drowsiness that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 16 causes are "very common" diseases
• 13 causes are "common" diseases
• 9 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 38 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 431 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 474 causes of Drowsiness

Conditions listing symptoms: Drowsiness:

The following list of conditions have 'Drowsiness' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Drowsiness Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Drowsiness based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: