Neurologic Fatigue “MS symptoms, like tremors, muscle weakness, and muscle spasms, use up a lot of energy and can lead to fatigue,” Cohen says. “Damage that has been sustained over time along nerve pathways can be aggravated by stress, activity, fever, and heat exposure. All of these factors contribute to MS fatigue.”
Fatigue is also among the most common symptoms, reported by at least 75% of MS patients at some point in the disease course. For many, fatigue is considered to be the single most debilitating symptom, surpassing pain and even physical disability.
Primary fatigue is caused by MS damage in the brain and spinal cord. And lots of processes might be involved. One idea from researchers is that passing messages around nerve damage takes extra energy. Secondary fatigue is caused by living with MS symptoms like pain, or disturbed sleep.
Fatigue in MS is not just an ordinary tiredness, like you might get at the end of a hard day's work. People describe it as an overwhelming sense of tiredness with no obvious cause. You may wake up feeling as tired as you did when you went to sleep.
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis, occurring in about 80 percent of people. It can significantly interfere with a person's ability to function at home and work, and is one of the primary causes of early departure from the workforce.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Common symptoms include fatigue, bladder and bowel problems, sexual problems, pain, cognitive and mood changes such as depression, muscular changes and visual changes.
Causes of sleep disturbances in MS
Increased napping during the day due to fatigue. Reduced physical activity due to fatigue and MS-related disability. Emotional changes including stress, anxiety or depression. Other MS symptoms including restless legs, pain, urinary or bowel symptoms, and temperature dysregulation.
Generally, we would be expecting the symptoms to have some kind of impact on your everyday functioning. If you are worse, number one, always check for infection. However, it's very common in MS to have a lot of ups and downs, good days and bad days, and that can be closely related to how fatigued you are.
MS fatigue can be physical and mental; it saps energy in an instant and can stop you from completing tasks. MS fatigue can be very debilitating and, unlike 'ordinary' fatigue, it can take a long time to recover from. MS fatigue is often overwhelming.
It can be acute (lasting a month or less) or chronic (lasting from 1 to 6 months or longer). Fatigue can prevent you from functioning normally and affects your quality of life. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 80% of people with MS have fatigue.
Some people with MS say drugs don't get rid of their fatigue. But medicine can keep them awake and make their tiredness easier to handle. Even if a drug helps you, it may not work as well over time.
Dexedrine® (dextroamphetamine)
This is an oral medication that has been used to improve wakefulness, boost energy, and decrease fatigue and appetite.
A person with benign MS will have few symptoms or loss of ability after having MS for about 15 years, while most people with MS would be expected to have some degree of disability after that amount of time, particularly if their MS went untreated.
MS fatigue, steroid therapy, and depression can all lead to unwanted weight in people with MS. Though these factors are not your fault, you owe it to yourself to take control of your weight. Overeating can increase MS symptoms or health conditions, such as: fatigue.
People with MS often say they sleep poorly at night and are fatigued in the daytime. In the general population the three most common sleep problems reported are insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome (RLS). Research suggests that people with MS are even more likely to have all of these problems.
People with MS and their partners tell us living with the condition can create both physical and emotional barriers, which can put a strain on relationships. For some couples, worries about MS and uncertainty about the future can cause a breakdown in communication and intimacy.
Constant fatigue is common for people with MS. This tiredness can impact all aspects of life, including effective brain use and the ability to go out and partake in activities. The symptoms of MS can cause constant discomfort and disability that limit a person's ability to go about daily activities.
The truth is that 15 years after the onset of MS, only about 20% of patients are bedridden or institutionalized. Another 20% may require a wheelchair, or use crutches, or a cane to ambulate, but fully 60% will be ambulatory without assistance and some will have little deficit at all.
MS can cause significant anxiety, distress, anger, and frustration from the moment of its very first symptoms. The uncertainty and unpredictability associated with MS is one of its most distressing aspects. In fact, anxiety is at least as common in MS as depression.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
Multiple sclerosis (MS) triggers that worsen symptoms or cause a relapse can include stress, heart disease and smoking. While some are easier to avoid than others, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and overall health and wellness can have outsized benefits for MS patients.