Article: Fatigue and MS: What helps with agonizing tiredness?
Fatigue and MS: What helps with agonizing tiredness?
Tired, exhausted, lacking energy - this is how patients feel who suffer from the so-called fatigue syndrome. It is considered one of the "invisible symptoms" of multiple sclerosis, from which those affected often suffer particularly badly due to the lack of understanding of other people. What exactly is fatigue - and what can you do about it?
What does fatigue mean?
The term fatigue comes from French and translated into English means nothing other than tiredness or exhaustion . The term only partially describes what fatigue means for the patients affected: leaden tiredness, constantly depleted energy reserves and the urgent need to just lie down and do nothing. Fatigue has nothing to do with previous exertion – such as sport – or with insomnia at night. It is more of a side effect that is diagnosed as a symptom of a variety of illnesses. Doctors use the term primarily for cancer patients, often specifically with the English term cancer fatigue . But exhaustion syndrome is also diagnosed in other medical disciplines, for example as a result of serious heart or lung disease and in chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatism, AIDS or Crohn's disease. Fatigue syndrome should not be confused with chronic fatigue syndrome, which is a separate illness.
What does fatigue syndrome mean for those affected?
Fatigue is very different from the tiredness that healthy people feel after a long or strenuous day. Those affected tend to describe a permanent mental and physical weakness that has a significant impact on their quality of life. Lack of energy and exhaustion often increase over the course of the day, so that tiredness is usually felt for six hours or more. The symptoms are sometimes so severe that it is impossible to carry out normal work - not to mention major stress or activities that require a high level of concentration. Many sufferers therefore withdraw from their professional lives, and some even from their social environment. The reason: As an "invisible" symptom, people around those affected sometimes have little understanding for the abnormal exhaustion, especially since patients can look perfectly healthy. "Pull yourself together" is the last thing those affected want to hear in this situation. What is particularly unpleasant is that the symptoms increase particularly in warm temperatures, so they are noticeable on beautiful summer days when friends and acquaintances are drawn to activities in the park.
Fatigue and MS symptoms
Fatigue syndrome appears in many patients early in the course of the disease or immediately after the MS diagnosis. Sometimes, however, it only appears later on. The type of multiple sclerosis and the degree of disability often play no decisive role - fatigue syndrome can affect any patient. Around 80 percent of sufferers suffer more or less severely from leaden exhaustion. While some sufferers experience mental fatigue and concentration problems, others show more physical symptoms; combinations are often possible. Since many MS patients already suffer from a higher heat intolerance due to the disease (keyword: Uhthoff phenomenon), the problem of temperature dependence is exacerbated in this clinical picture. In MS patients, fatigue syndrome can occur both as a direct result of the main disease and as "secondary fatigue", i.e. as a reaction to other diseases or medication.
therapy with medication
The German Multiple Sclerosis Society (dmsg) lists various drug treatment options, which - according to the association - often lead to unsatisfactory results. In individual cases, for example, an active ingredient that is actually used to treat viral diseases has shown positive effects. Another alternative is a drug that is otherwise used to treat narcolepsy and is not approved for the treatment of fatigue. Although initial studies indicate positive effects on subjectively perceived exhaustion, there is still no real proof of effectiveness, so health insurance companies often do not cover the costs of treatment. Taking antidepressants that increase motivation, such as noradrenaline or serotonin uptake inhibitors, is also possible, according to the association. What all treatment approaches have in common is that they are prescription drugs with sometimes serious side effects. Those affected should seek advice from their doctor about whether trying one of the options makes sense.
Our top 8 tips for fatigue
- Stay cool! Since high temperatures in particular lead to more severe symptoms for many patients, they should avoid the midday heat in summer. Otherwise, anything that cools is allowed: the air conditioning in the car, cold baths or special items of clothing such as cooling vests, neck scarves or cooling socks. Medical supply stores now offer a wide range of clothing in which cooling elements can be integrated.
- Eat right! Brazilian scientists have discovered in a study that a low-fat diet with whole foods, omega-3 fatty acids and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables can potentially alleviate the symptoms of fatigue.
- Take rest breaks! Patients whose symptoms are not particularly severe should listen to their bodies and take consistent rest periods. Since the symptoms are different for each patient, it is worth noting your body's reactions to breaks of different lengths at different times in order to develop a personal rest-activity mix.
- Stay fit! Patients who are physically active can improve their general physical resilience through Nordic walking, swimming or cycling. A good level of fitness often leads to a significant reduction in symptoms.
- Plan tasks flexibly! Every day is different, and some are simply useless. Instead of a to-do list for the day, you should create one for the week, where you can flexibly move your tasks from one day to the next. Since fatigue usually gets worse as the day progresses, it is best to complete particularly important or demanding tasks in the morning. The afternoon is then reserved for easier routine tasks.
- Take longer breaks! Many facilities offer rehabilitation measures where patients not only do something to combat fatigue through physical activity, but are also taught strategies and tools to deal with the syndrome. You can often get information about this from your health insurance provider.
- Drink a lot! Lack of fluids can worsen the symptoms of fatigue syndrome. Two to three liters a day are a must anyway, provided your heart and kidneys are healthy, and in summer you can drink more.
- Try it out! Do you notice that completely different things help you get through a day without major symptoms of exhaustion? Playing with the children? Going for a walk in the fresh air? Listen to your body's feedback and increase your mindfulness.
