According to Pamela Martin, a researcher and patient living with multiple sclerosis, MS fatigue is both physical and mental. The Healingwell.com website indicates that patients describe this fatigue as feeling "bone tired" with exhaustive mental distress. Damage to the messaging systems in the muscles causes MS sufferers to fatigue from the inability of their muscles to receive sufficient energy. Martin notes that clients find no relief from rest and no energy from sleep.
Symptoms
The Multiple Sclerosis Encyclopedia website notes that a person may be walking and suddenly their gait deteriorates and they are unable to lift a foot to take the next step. This phenomenon worsens with continued attempts to keep moving and causes complete physical exhaustion. The site indicates that sufferers need to sleep after this type of debilitating fatigue.
A study by the Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 92 percent of MS patients studied indicated that heat worsened their fatigue, 89 percent of those studied noted that the exhaustion prevented sustained physical functioning, 69 percent of participants reported that this fatigue interfered with their responsibilities, and 63 percent stated that this condition caused frequent problems in their lives.
Causes
The "Neurology Science Journal" notes that scientists do not have a complete answer regarding MS fatigue, but one theory suggests that this fatigue results from the loss of myelin, a protective coating on nerve fibers. The areas where myelin loss occurs seem to be the most affected areas. Myelin loss may also account for the ways in which clients develop fatigue symptoms.
A 1998 study through the "Neurology Science Journal" noted that fatigue levels in MS result from the degree of muscle deterioration. It is important to note that additional study is needed in this area to determine the true cause of MS fatigue. The journal adds that speculation regarding the disease's ability to exhaust any stored energy in the body may also cause this condition. Muscle weakness and decreased nerve conduction are often described as the cause; however, some research in the "Neurology Science Journal" suggests that compromised metabolism and inadequate respiration to the muscles deplete energy.
Foods
MultipleSclerosis.com notes that MS fatigue can be aggravated by eating processed fats, such as hydrogenated oils, which are difficult for the body to digest. Insufficient fish oil, as an anti-inflammatory agent, can also exacerbate this fatigue as well as vitamin deficiencies, such as vitamins B and D and iron deficiencies. The website also mentions that the body may not be eliminating toxins in the digestive tract due to poor muscle activity and this too may be related to MS fatigue.
Treatments
Medications for depression, increased vitamin intake, physical therapy, and medications that control tremors and muscle spasms may be effective in treating the symptoms of MS fatigue. The MS support website This Is MS indicates that a new drug for improving walking has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for trials, beginning in June 2010. This drug is alleged to decrease relapse and progression of the disability. A currently effective treatment for symptoms of inflammation is an intravenous infusion of methylprednisolone, a form of anti-inflammatory steroids. This steroid induces rapid recovery from acute symptoms, and some studies indicate that the steroid causes a reduction in myelin-producing, active lesions in the central nervous system, according to the MS support website.
Yoga
Yoga is alleged to reduce fatigue in patients with MS in only six months, but it has no effect on alertness and cognitive function, according to a June 2008 Oregon Health and Science University study.
A study published in the "Journal of Neurology" noted that yoga is as good as traditional aerobic exercise programs in improving measures of fatigue, which is a common disabling symptom of MS. It was the first randomized, controlled trial of yoga in people with MS. Yoga classes were offered once a week for 90 minutes to study participants. They were instructed in 19 poses, each held for 10 to 30 seconds, with rest periods of 30 seconds to a minute. The patients performed breathing exercises to promote concentration, progressive relaxation, and visualization and meditation techniques. The "Journal of Neurology" study noted that 30 percent of the participants studied yoga and, of this group, 57 percent found the techniques useful for reducing fatigue.
References
- Healing Well: MS and the Fatigue Facts
- Multiple Sclerosis: MS Fatigue
- Multiple Sclerosis Encyclopedia: Fatigue
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Current Understanding and Future Directions
- Oregon Health and Science University: Yoga Reduces Fatigue in MS Patients, OHSU Study Finds
