Malaise

Alternative names:

general ill feeling

Definition:

A generalized feeling of discomfort, illness, uneasiness, or lack of well-being that is often associated with a disease state.

Considerations:

Malaise is a nonspecific symptom that can occur with almost any significant infection, or with metabolic, endocrine, or neurologic disorders. It may develop slowly or may appear rapidly depending on the nature of the disease.

Fatigue accompanies malaise in many common diseases.

Common causes:

• influenza
• acute bronchitis
• acute nephritic syndrome
• acute pulmonary eosinophilia (Loeffler's syndrome)
• AIDS
• amebic liver abscess
• anthrax
• aseptic meningitis
• atrial myxoma; left
• atrial myxoma; right
• atypical mycobacterial infection
• autoimmune hepatitis
• blastomycosis
• cellulitis
• chancroid
• chronic active hepatitis
• chronic glomerulonephritis
• chronic renal failure
• chronic symptomatic HIV infection
• CMV in immunocompromised host
• CMV pneumonia
• disseminated tuberculosis (infectious)
• empyema
• end-stage renal disease
• endometritis
• epidural abscess
• erysipelas
• erythema multiforme
• erythema nodosum
• Goodpasture's syndrome
• pulmonary histiocytosis X
• hypoglycemia
• impetigo
• infectious mononucleosis (CMV)
• infectious mononucleosis (EB)
• legionnaire's disease
• Lyme disease - secondary
• lymphadenitis and lymphangitis
• medullary cystic disease
• metastatic brain tumor
• metastatic pleural tumor
• neuroblastoma
• osteomyelitis
• paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH)
• pharyngitis
• plague
• pneumonia
• poliomyelitis
• polymyalgia rheumatica
• primary brain tumor
• pulmonary nocardiosis
• pyelonephritis
• rapidly progressive (crescentic) glomerulonephritis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• rubella
• sarcoidosis
• sclerosing cholangitis
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• transplant rejection
• typhoid fever
• Wilm's tumor

Note: There are other causes of malaise. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and associated complaints. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for malaise, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.