Malaise

What is malaise?

Malaise is when you just generally feel unwell. It’s somewhere between feeling healthy and sick. You don’t feel well enough to say you’re in good health, but you don’t have symptoms or feel sick enough to say you have an illness.

Virtually everyone experiences malaise at some point in their life. But it’s typically because of minor conditions or issues. It’s often vague or hard to describe. It’s usually not serious when it happens on its own and isn’t something you experience frequently.

People with malaise may describe feeling:

• Discomfort
• Ill, unwell or poorly
• Not great or not right
• Off or off-color
• Tired
• Uneasy
• Weak

How to pronounce malaise

Malaise is pronounced “muh-LAYZ.” It comes from French and roughly translates as “discomfort.”

What can cause malaise?

Malaise is usually non-specific, which means it can happen with many medical conditions. It can happen as an early symptom before more noticeable ones appear. But malaise can also happen on its own or at any time during an illness. Conditions that can cause it include (but aren’t limited to) the following:

• Autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions: Malaise can happen with inflammation-related conditions, like fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Blood disorders: These include conditions like anemia.
• Digestive tract conditions: These are tummy troubles of all kinds, especially ones that cause nausea and vomiting.
• Headache disorders: You can experience malaise as a symptom of migraines (before the main symptoms start) or similar conditions.
• Heart conditions: Many heart conditions, like arrhythmias, can cause malaise. In rare cases, it can also be a symptom of severe conditions, like silent heart attacks.
• Infections: That includes bacterial infections like strep throat or ear infections. It can also happen with viral infections, like influenza or COVID-19.
• Medications: Malaise can be a side effect of both prescription medications and nonmedical drugs.
• Metabolic conditions: You might experience malaise during blood sugar highs and lows.
• Mental health conditions: Common mental health issues like anxiety and depression can cause vague symptoms like malaise.
• Seizures: These can be isolated or happen because of epilepsy.
• Sleep-related conditions: Examples include sleep deprivation or sleep apnea.

Post-exertional malaise

There’s one form of malaise that’s specific to a disease. Post-exertional malaise is a key symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis).

“Post-exertional” means it happens after you push your body’s strength or endurance. That doesn’t necessarily refer to strenuous exercise or activity. For some people, it can happen after simple activities, like taking a shower or going for a walk. And even mentally taxing activities can trigger it.

Post-exertional malaise is more than just feeling tired or fatigued. People who develop it may end up bedridden or severely weakened for days. And people who’ve had it before often try hard to avoid having it again, either by pacing themselves or avoiding activities they fear might cause it.

Does malaise involve other symptoms?

There are a few symptoms that commonly happen alongside malaise. When it happens in combination with them, you should schedule an appointment to talk to a healthcare provider about them. They include:

• Brain fog
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headaches
• Lethargy
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fainting (syncope)
• Vertigo

How is malaise treated?

There’s no way to treat malaise directly. Instead, treatments focus on whatever’s causing it. But in some cases, healthcare providers can’t find a cause. In those cases, malaise isn’t treatable. Your healthcare provider is the best source of information about whether your malaise is treatable. They can also tell you more about any possible treatment options.

Can malaise be prevented?

Experts aren’t sure exactly how and why malaise happens, and it often happens unpredictably. That means it isn’t preventable.

When should malaise be treated by a doctor or healthcare provider?

You should see a healthcare provider if you have it often, especially when it involves other symptoms.

While it isn’t common, malaise can also happen as a symptom of dangerous conditions, like heart attacks or strokes. If you think you’re having one of them or have other symptoms of these conditions, you should get medical attention immediately. Call 911 (or your local emergency services number) right away.