Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are especially susceptible to fatigue, with 90% reporting it as a major issue. This leads to many physicians brushing it off as a normal symptom of the disease. However, fatigue is not necessarily a primary symptom of MS, but rather, a secondary symptom that is caused due to sleep deprivation. Research indicates that obstructive sleep apnea, pain, muscle spasms, depression, and frequent urination are the causes of fatigue in MS.
Understanding MS
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system and disrupts the communication pathway between the brain and the body. Symptoms of the disease include fatigue, numbness and tingling, weakness, walking difficulty, muscle spasms, pain, vision issues and many more.
Treatable Fatigue Causes
The fatigue endured by MS patients results in a decrease in overall quality of life and outlook for the future. However, fatigue is often treatable. Pain is often linked to lack of sleep, so addressing the causes of a lack of sleep can also help reduce pain. Sleep deprivation often results in a vicious cycle of pain and sleeplessness, leading to fatigue, depression, and more pain.
The University of Michigan has conducted several studies linking sleep disturbances to common and treatable causes of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis. Addressing these causes can help reduce fatigue and improve the quality of life for MS patients.
Sleep, Fatigue and MS
Studies have found that decreased sleep efficiency is correlated with fatigue, tiredness, and lack of energy in MS patients. Poor quality sleep hinders the body’s ability to repair itself, contributing significantly to pain levels and daytime fatigue.
Improving sleep is vital in managing the symptoms of MS. Simple ways to improve sleep include maintaining a healthy sleep environment, sticking to a regular sleep schedule, and avoiding caffeine and electronics before bedtime.
Ways to Reduce Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common factor contributing to fatigue in MS patients, can be managed by losing weight, which reduces the likelihood of the air passageways in the throat becoming blocked. Surgery, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, mouth guards, or chin straps can also be helpful in reducing OSA.
Pain and MS
Pain is a major symptom of MS, and it often affects sleep. MS patients often take pain and anti-inflammatory medications that may disrupt sleep. Exercising, even though it may sound like the opposite approach, has been found to help reduce pain in MS patients, and there are various other methods to manage pain. Whole body vibration (WBV) is another proven way to reduce pain in MS patients. Here, MS patients’ bodies undergo shaking while standing, sitting, or lying down.
Diet plays an important role in pain management as well. Sugary and alcoholic substances drain energy and create a pain response. Using spices like turmeric, capsaicin, and ginger in cooking can naturally reduce pain and inflammation.
Conclusion
MS is a difficult disease to manage, but MS patients need not believe that fatigue is a direct result of the disease. Studies suggest that poor sleep is a result of worry, depression, pain, muscle spasms, and medications that keep MS patients awake during the day.
Improving sleep quality, adopting a better lifestyle, reducing pain, and addressing depression can help reduce fatigue and improve the lives of those with MS.
