"Brain Fog": 6 potential causes

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Brain Fog is a form of cognitive dysfunction that can cause unpleasant mental symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, poor concentration or lack of clarity. These problems can have a big impact on a person's quality of life, and in the long run it can lead to other dangerous health conditions.

1. What is brain fog?

Brain fog in itself is not a medical condition, it is actually a symptom of other health conditions. Specifically, the phenomenon of brain fog is a form of cognitive dysfunction, related to the following problems:
Mental clarity; Memory problems; Poor concentration; Inability to concentrate. Some experts also describe brain fog as mental fatigue. Depending on the severity of the brain fog, it can interfere with the patient's work and study.

2. The causes of brain fog

In fact, there are many explanations for why brain fog occurs. Once you have identified the cause of your brain fog, you can figure out how to effectively overcome and control the disease. Here are 6 potential causes of brain fog.
2.1. Stress Chronic stress can raise blood pressure, weaken the immune system and lead to depression. In addition, it can also make you feel extremely tired. When the brain is exhausted, abilities such as thinking, reasoning, and concentrating become more difficult.
2.2. Sleep deprivation One of the other possible causes of brain fog is lack of sleep. Poor sleep quality can significantly affect brain function. Ideally, you should try to sleep from 8 to 9 hours a night to ensure clarity for the brain. When you sleep too little, it can lead to poor concentration and unclear thinking.
2.3. Hormonal changes Hormonal changes can also cause brain fog. Especially during pregnancy in women, the level of 2 hormones (progesterone and estrogen) will increase rapidly. This change can affect memory and cause short-term cognitive impairment.
Similarly, the decline in estrogen hormone levels during menopause in women can cause memory loss, wandering thoughts, and poor concentration.
2.4 Diet Daily diet is also considered to be one of the main factors associated with brain fog. Vitamin B12 has an extremely important role in health, especially its ability to enhance brain functions. When your body is deficient in vitamin B12, it can lead to brain fog.
In case you have a food allergy or sensitivity, brain fog can develop after you consume certain foods, including MSG, peanuts, dairy products or aspartame sweetener. Eliminating irritating or allergenic foods from your diet can help improve symptoms of brain fog.

2.5 Use of certain drugs You need to contact and discuss with your doctor soon if you notice the presence of brain fog while using the drug. Brain fog can be a side effect of medications. You may be able to reduce the dose or switch to a different medication to improve your brain fog symptoms.
In addition, brain fog can also occur after cancer treatment. This condition is called chemo brain.
2.6 Certain Other Medical Conditions Medical conditions related to inflammation or changes in blood glucose levels can also cause mental fatigue. Brain fog is a common symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome, which is associated with persistent fatigue, lasting more than 6 months.
People with fibromyalgia may also experience brain fog. In addition, a number of other conditions are also considered to cause this disease, including:
Anemia; Diabetes; Depression; Sjögren's syndrome; Hypothyroidism; Migraine headache ; Alzheimer ; Dehydration; Autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.

3. How is brain fog diagnosed?

You need to see your doctor soon if symptoms such as lack of consciousness persist, worsen, or do not improve. Brain fog can be a warning sign of an underlying health problem going on in the body, so the doctor will conduct a general physical examination and exploit the patient some of the following information:
daily diet; Mental health; Level of physical activity; Use current medications or supplements. In addition, you should also let your doctor know about other symptoms you may have. People with hypothyroidism, for example, may experience brain fog along with other symptoms such as hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, or weight gain.
Besides, doctors can also determine the cause of brain fog through blood tests. At the same time, this test also helps detect problems such as:
Poor function of the kidneys, liver and thyroid gland; Blood sugar levels change abnormally; Infection status ; Nutritional deficiencies; Inflammatory disease. Based on the results of the blood test, the doctor will determine if the patient should have other tests. Other methods of diagnosing brain fog may include: An MRI, CT scan, or X-ray.
In addition, the doctor may also conduct allergy testing or perform sleep studies to help check for sleep disorders in people. In some cases, patients may be asked to keep a food diary to help determine if diet is contributing to brain fog.

4. How is brain fog treated?

Treatment of brain fog will depend on the cause. For example, if you are anemic, taking iron supplements can increase the production of red blood cells and help reduce the symptoms of brain fog. In cases where a patient is diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, the doctor may recommend corticosteroids or some other medication to help reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.
Sometimes, brain fog can be significantly improved by correcting problems such as nutrient deficiencies, switching medications, or managing sleep quality.
Home remedies to help improve brain fog include:
Make sure to get 8-9 hours of sleep every night; Manage stress by limiting or avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine intake; Exercise regularly ; Enhance brain power, such as solving puzzles; Participate in some enjoyable activities that help relieve stress; Increase protein, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats. In short, brain fog can make people feel frustrated and frustrated inside. If left untreated, brain fog can greatly affect your quality of life. Therefore, to protect health and prevent complications, when detecting symptoms of brain fog, patients need to go to the hospital to be examined by a neurologist. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the most prestigious medical treatment units for neurological diseases in Vietnam. The Department of Neurology at Vinmec has the function of examining, diagnosing, consulting and treating diseases related to neurological factors, including headaches, vestibular syndrome, cerebellar syndrome, dementia The typical method of the department is to use intravenous and arterial fibrinolytic drugs for stroke cases, along with the combination with paraclinical means such as electroencephalography, electromyography. ST Scan, MRI,...
Neurological examination at Vinmec, customers will be:
Visited by a team of highly qualified and experienced experts: Doctors qualified from Master of Science Doctor to Professor, Doctor, reputable in internal medicine and surgery, highly trained domestically & abroad, such as: Doctor Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, Doctor Bui Ngoc Phuong Hoa, Doctor Vu Duy Dung ... State-of-the-art equipment, comparable to major hospitals in the world: The most modern silent magnetic resonance imaging machine in Southeast Asia; The 16-sequence PET/CT and SPECT/CT systems help in early detection of neurological damage even when there are no symptoms of the disease. Apply the most advanced intensive treatment techniques in the world in treatment.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: healthline.com