Battery Down: What You Need to Know About MS Fatigue

 Everything you do, from walking and talking to working, requires you to expend energy. The average person doesn’t think about how much effort their body puts into performing day to day functions. But what happens when you can’t create or use the energy required to perform these functions? That’s the reality that 75-90 percent of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) face every year. Though MS is associated with muscle weakness, fatigue is its most common symptom. Even people undergoing the best treatment for multiple sclerosis can often struggle with fatigue. So what is MS fatigue, what causes it, and how can patients learn to mitigate it? Let’s dig deeper and find out.

What is MS?

To understand MS fatigue, it’s important to first understand the disease itself. MS is an autoimmune disorder that targets the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves, and is caused by the degradation of the myelin sheaths that protect neurons. This causes a breakdown in communication between the brain and the body. It can lead to problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and of course, fatigue.

What causes MS fatigue?

Doctors aren’t sure of the exact cause of MS fatigue, but there are a few common theories:

• Constant activation of the immune system means your body is expending a lot of energy at a base level at all times, as though constantly trying to fight off a virus
• People with MS may need to use more parts of their brain to do even simple tasks, which requires more effort from the body
• Fatigue may be related to electrical signals in the brain that may be compromised due to the degradation of myelin sheaths around neurons

MS fatigue is different from regular tiredness because it’s unrelenting. It is overwhelming, full-body exhaustion that can’t be relieved by sleep that can be acute (lasting up to one month) or chronic (lasting up to 6 months). 

There are two types of fatigue. One is general tiredness, as though you haven’t slept well the night before. This can get worse throughout the day. The other is muscular fatigue, where muscle weakness increases after repeated activity.

How can you mitigate MS fatigue?

While there is no cure for MS or this particular symptom, there are several ways to work around MS fatigue.

 

• Know how MS fatigue affects you — Take stock of your energy levels, and try to determine which activities require you to expend the most energy. Fatigue warning signs are different for everyone. Keep an eye out for the symptoms that affect you most commonly so you can prepare for a low energy day. Common warning signs of fatigue include:
• Tired eyes
• Tired legs
• Whole-body tiredness
• Decreased/lack of energy
• Stiff shoulders
• Weakness
• Inability to concentrate
• Boredom/lack of motivation
• Sleepiness
• Increased irritability, nervousness, anxiety, or impatience
• Conserve energy — work smarter not harder whenever you can. Plan and organize your work. Maybe even rearrange your environment to ensure that things are easy to reach or out of the way. Schedule breaks. Taking frequent, short rests can help. Take your time and pace yourself as you work, prioritize your tasks,  and don’t push yourself, even if you feel you can handle it.
• Eat right and exercise — Fatigue can get worse if you don’t eat well. Make sure you’re getting the right nutrition, and regular, moderate exercise when you can manage it can make a lot of difference.
• Stay stress-free — stress can make episodes of fatigue a lot worse. Try combating it on a personal level by being flexible with your expectations of yourself. If you’re experiencing fatigue you may not be able to cross off everything on your to-do list for the day, and you should be okay with that. Rely on the people around you for support when things get difficult; they can lend a hand or an ear. And try and keep yourself distracted when you can. Find activities that don’t require you to use too much energy to avoid dwelling on the situation.

While any one of these techniques can make a huge difference in how you’re affected by fatigue, the best treatment for Multiple Sclerosis is a combination of them all. Talking to your doctor about your symptoms can also help. They can help find other ways for you to battle fatigue, like incorporating certain exercises into your rehabilitation plan.

When you’re living with MS, every bit of energy you have to expend counts. At its worst, this may make getting out of bed an achievement all on its own. But even on the bad days, it’s still possible to live your life to your utmost capacity. That’s why the best treatment for Multiple Sclerosis includes a plan to mitigate fatigue. Talk to your doctor and take the first step to make those bad days a little better.