Spondylosis causes fatigue primarily through chronic inflammation, where the body releases cytokines (inflammatory messengers) that drain energy, similar to fighting an infection, leading to exhaustion and 'brain fog'. This is compounded by disrupted sleep from pain, potential anemia from inflammation, and the sheer effort of managing constant pain, which creates a vicious cycle of exhaustion and pain.
Fatigue is a common complaint in spondyloarthritis, and one that doesn't often receive the attention it deserves. Different from feeling “tired,” fatigue doesn't just go away after a good night's sleep, and can affect many aspects of life.
Inflammation is known to modulate several neuronal processes, including dorsal anterior cingulate cortex function, the mesolimbic pathway, and insula reactivity. During a physical or mental task, the inflammation-induced altered activation of these neuronal processes may contribute to the feeling of fatigue.
Misaligned Spine Signs Include Fatigue
Patients with spondylolisthesis may experience tiredness since it hampers their nerve function. This prevents the body from operating optimally, which may include not balancing the hormones. A hormonal imbalance may lead to exhaustion and sleep problems.
There are a number of reasons why you might feel tired if you have lower back pain. It could be the constant energy drain from dealing with the pain all the time, not being able to sleep well because of the pain, or other accommodations and stressors that come with having persistent pain.
Mechanical back pain occurs more with dynamic spondylolisthesis—that is, vertebral slippage that becomes worse and better with flexion and extension of the spine, respectively. With degenerative spondylolisthesis, additional symptoms are lower extremity pain, weakness, tingling, burning, and numbness.
People with rheumatoid arthritis typically have several permanently inflamed joints. The inflammation can lead to weakness, drowsiness and exhaustion. This feeling of extreme tiredness is also called “fatigue.” Some people find this to be the worst symptom of the disease.
In addition to common symptoms like back pain, one rare complication of spondylitis and other inflammatory conditions is cognitive impairment. Sometimes called “brain fog,” cognitive impairment can include mental changes such as temporary memory loss, forgetfulness, and difficulty remembering words or phrases.
Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more lifestyle issues, such as poor sleep habits or lack of exercise. Fatigue can be caused by a medicine or linked to depression. Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of an illness that needs treatment.
Can Ankylosing Spondylitis Cause Pregnancy Complications? Studies show that if you have AS, it's not likely to cause complications during pregnancy. Most people with AS go on to have normal deliveries. As with any pregnancy, miscarriage (the sudden loss of a baby) is possible.
July 18, 2025
A new peer-reviewed study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology suggests that ivarmacitinib, a new medication known as a selective JAK1 inhibitor, may be a promising treatment for people with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The study was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
Mild cervical spondylosis might respond to:
Medical causes– unrelenting exhaustion may be a sign of an underlying illness or condition (such as flu, glandular fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disorders, heart disease or diabetes). Lifestyle-related causes – alcohol or drugs or lack of regular exercise can lead to feelings of fatigue.
Women's bodies go through many changes during perimenopause and menopause. One of them is the abrupt loss of energy or extreme lethargy referred to as Sudden Crashing Fatigue. Females experience this as a sense of “crashing out” from overwhelming tiredness and fatigue.
Ongoing neck tension and discomfort can make you tired simply because it's chronic pain. But neck pain can be particularly exhausting because of how it arises from an underlying problem within or around the cervical spine.
Five significant signs your brain might be in trouble include memory loss (especially recent events), difficulty with familiar tasks or language, confusion about time/place, significant personality/behavior changes, and problems with judgment, focus, or coordinating movement, often indicating conditions like dementia, brain injury, or other neurological issues, requiring a doctor's visit.
It usually only affects 1 eye, rather than both. If you have iritis, your eye may become red, painful and sensitive to light (photophobia). Your vision may also become blurred or cloudy.
The expected symptoms of cervical spondylosis include:
Headaches in the back of your head. Chronic and severe pain in your shoulders or arms or legs. Tingling or numbness in your shoulders or arms or legs. Muscle weakness in your arms and fingers.
There are a number of things you can do to help manage your fatigue. Planning your time wisely to spread your energy over the course of a day or week can help. It's also important to factor some gentle exercise into your day and to have a healthy diet.
In this test, the second through fourth metacarpophalangeal joints (see image, lower left) or the metatarsophalangeal joints (see image, lower right) are squeezed together to test for tenderness. A positive result raises the question of an inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Increased inflammation throughout the body (the immune system on red alert), disrupted output of the hormone cortisol (the endocrine system on red alert), and stiff and guarded movements (the motor system on red alert) also go hand in hand with chronic pain. Each of these adds to fatigue and exhaustion.
Posterior facet replacement with the newly FDA-approved Total Posterior Spine (TOPS™) System (Premia Spine) is a safe and effective alternative to lumbar spinal fusion in patients with grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis, offering pain relief without sacrificing physiological movement.
Spondylolisthesis can cause impingement of the nerves and/or fatigue of the back muscles, and may result in lower back and/or leg pain.
Corticosteroid Injection
Corticosteroids may provide long-term pain relief and can be injected directly into the epidural space, the fluid-filled area surrounding the spinal cord. These injections are performed after you are given local anesthesia.