Bulletin Spring 2018

FATIGUE
ROSEMARIE DRAVNIEKS, MSWA MANAGER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Fatigue is often referred to as a hidden symptom of multiple
sclerosis (MS). Estimates vary but it is considered to affect
between 60% – 80% of people with MS, the most common
reported symptom affecting people with MS.
Fatigue is not the same as tiredness. Tiredness is a normal
experience for everyone and is usually resolved by getting a
good night’s sleep.
Fatigue on the other hand is the experience of a daily lack
of energy and overwhelming tiredness that is not resolved
by sleep. This level of fatigue can have a severe impact on
a person’s normal day to day functioning and therefore their
quality of life.
So, what can you do about it?
If there is an additional underlying medical cause for
your fatigue, this needs to be addressed by your treating
doctor, however there are some steps you can take to help
manage fatigue:
• Assess your available energy levels – think of your
personal energy like a bucket. If you take something out of
the bucket it needs to be refilled or it will run dry. This may
be tracked over the course of a day or a week depending
on what works for you. You may want to keep a diary for a
week to see if there are patterns or triggers to your fatigue,
what activities fatigue you etc. Also see what activities reenergise
you.
• Be aware of your own warning signs that indicate you
are getting fatigued and act early. Some of the signs you
may have include tired eyes, heavy legs, general tiredness,
stiffness in shoulders, lack of concentration, poor balance,
weakness or feeling ill, unmotivated, sleepiness, increased
irritability, increased anxiety, feeling impatient and so on.
It’s important to rest rather than try and push through these
signs; you will recover quicker.
• Conserve your energy for the activities that are important
to you:
– Plan and organise your work day/week
– Delegate tasks to others when possible
– Schedule in rest breaks before you become fatigued.
Regular short breaks are more beneficial that one long
break after a long period of activity
– Pace yourself – Try not to rush activities at the beginning.
Alternate between sitting and standing when you can
– Use good body mechanics to reduce strain on our body
– work without bending over, when lifting use your leg
muscles to lift not your back, move items in several small
loads rather than one large load, or better still, use a
trolley to transport items, avoid reaching overhead
• Eat Well – fatigue can be made worse if you are not eating
enough or if you are not eating nutritious energising foods
• Exercise – Reduced physical activity can make you feel
worse and more fatigued. If you stay active within your
limits, such as regular moderate exercise, this can increase
your feelings of energy
• Sleep well – poor sleep will make your fatigue worse
• Dealing with heat and humidity which often aggravate
MS related fatigue you can:
– Drink cool water
– Stay inside during hot times of the day
– Wear breathable clothing
– Consider use of cooling vests/neck ties
22 | MSWA BULLETIN SPRING 2018