Treat Inflammation To Beat Fatigue
According to Dr. Ananthakrishnan, if youre feeling tired its important that inflammation in your body is being effectively treated. During a flare, the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining to the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to inflammationand this is why you can feel exhausted. According to the Crohns & Colitis Foundation, chemical signals produced during inflammation can directly act on the brain to cause tiredness and a lack of energy. So treating inflammation flares with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, or other therapies is a top priority. Talk to your doctor about which treatments are best for you.
Exercise Combats Uc Fatigue Too
We get it: Feeling tired makes the sofa all the more appealing. But dont take this lying down: Try a brisk walk around the block instead. Why? Incorporating even moderate regular physical activity into your daily routine can reduce fatigue, Dr. Ananthakrishnan says. Research backs him up: A 2020 review article in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, found that recreational exercise decreases the risk of flares and fatigue in people with IBDs. A different 2020 study reports that a 12-week personalized exercise program not only improved fatigue levels in folks with IBD, but also improved overall quality of life.
Also Check: Green Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mat
Talk About Your Crohns Fatigue
If youre feeling fatigued more often than not, talk to your doctor, who may reassess your treatment plan to be sure its still controlling your Crohnsand see if something else might work better to combat your exhaustion. Your doctor can also recommend lifestyle changes and refer you to other health care pros who can helplike a dietitian to make sure your nutrition is in a good place, and a trainer or physical therapist who can teach you energizing exercises that are appropriate for your fitness level.
Bottom line: Crohns is a bit of an energy roller coaster, with periods of feeling great, like youre up for anything, followed by flares when you feel like you cant scrape yourself off the couch. So give yourself some grace. Do your best to keep up with your treatments, prioritize sleep hygiene and healthful eating, and do your best not to skip regular exercise.
And know how there will be times when you cant stick to even your simplest goalsand thats OK. Call in your support system: Lean on a partner to take dinner and clean-up duty while you rest. Talk on the phone with a friend to keep your spirits up. And hit up your doctor for some fresh fatigue guidance. Most important, rest easyyouve got this.
Crohns Disease Treatment: National Institutes of Health . Treatment for Crohns Disease.
You May Like: How To Deal With Mental Fatigue
Ibd & Related Conditions
One common reason for fatigue is anemia. People with IBD may be anemic either due to frank blood loss from the intestine , or from an iron deficiency. Malabsorption of vitamins and minerals is common in IBD, and without enough iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, the body cant make more red blood cells. Treating the cause of the anemia, be it stopping the bleeding or supplementing with iron or B vitamins, would be the best course of action to treat anemia associated with IBD.
Arthritis is the most common extra-intestinal complication of IBD. Another type of auto-immune disease, arthritis, comes with its own causes of fatigue, such as pain and inflammation. Some forms of arthritis will improve when IBD is under control, and other forms are independent of the status of the IBD. If arthritis is a suspected cause of fatigue, the best course of action would be to treat both the IBD and the arthritis.
Read Also: Natural Ways To Fight Fatigue
Other Signs And Symptoms Of Ibs
Other common signs and frequent symptoms of IBS are:
- Lower abdominal pain and cramping due to excessive gut muscle contractions to produce a bowel movement.
- Weight loss and nutrient deficiencies are common in patients suffering from extreme diarrhea.
- Excessive gas, bloating, nausea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms are caused by an overload of bad bacteria in the gut.
- Diarrhea and constipation are caused by abnormal gut contractions due to disrupted communication between the gut and brain.
- Sensitivity to FODMAP foods, a type of carbohydrate that causes gut inflammation and irritation. High FODMAP foods include nuts, legumes, avocados, onions, and garlic.
- Joint pain due to excessive inflammation throughout the body.
- Psychological distress caused by the physical symptoms of IBS. Incidentally, feeling stressed also worsens the symptoms.
- Brain fog, confusion, poor judgment, and difficulty concentrating are most likely related to stress, fatigue, and other physical symptoms.
You May Like: Why Do I Feel Fatigue After Eating
Read Also: Best Eye Drops For Eye Fatigue
Why Does Crohns Disease Cause Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of Crohns Disease, and there are several reasons why it occurs.The chemical signals that are produced when the body becomes inflamed impact the brain. This causes a lack of energy and fatigue. You may also be experiencing anaemia, which is known to cause extreme tiredness.Due to the digestive troubles the condition causes, it can also lead to a nutritional deficiency. This in turn will cause fatigue. Other causes include issues with sleep, arthritis, and medications.
How Common Is Ibd
. Your experience of fatigue with Crohns may depend on your diseases activity and severity.
A of studies on fatigue and IBD found that 41 to 48 percent of people with IBD experience fatigue during remission. Up to 86 percent of people with moderately-to-severely active Crohns had fatigue.
A smaller of 113 people with IBD supported these findings. Researchers found that the prevalence of fatigue was 39.5 to 44.2 percent in remission and 80 to 82.9 percent during a flare-up.
You May Like: Genetic Testing For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
How Common Is Fatigue In Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Fatigue affects many people with IBD, and it occurs more frequently among people with Crohn’s disease. Approximately 54% of people with Crohns disease and 33% of those with ulcerative colitis report experiencing fatigue.2 Fatigue also seems to worsen with more aggressive disease, with the people with the most aggressive Crohns disease most likely to report fatigue.9 Up to 86% report feeling fatigue during moderate-to-severely active Crohns disease.3 Even during remission, about 40% to 50% of patients with IBD disease report fatigue.3,9
Biological Factors Related To Fatigue
Disease activity: All included studies observed a positive correlation between disease activity and fatigue, but the scoring systems used to discriminate active disease from disease remission differed among the papers. The team from Chicago and Texas used the Pediatric Crohns Disease Activity Index and defined disease remission as a score < 10. They reported that children with active Crohns disease had significantly more symptoms of general fatigue and sleep/rest fatigue than children and teenagers in remission. The Finnish study among 160 children and teenagers used a visual analogue scale to measure disease activity. Children with severe IBD had significantly more trouble falling asleep , felt significantly more overtired and had significantly longer sleep duration than adolescents with less active disease . In that study, the results of the self-reported questionnaires and the parent reports were very similar when the adolescents had higher VAS scores, but this was less true in the parent-adolescent pairs with mild IBD symptoms.
Medication: The research team from Chicago and Texas evaluated the association between fatigue and medication and concluded that the use of mesalamine, thiopurine or anti-tumor necrosis factor were not predictors of fatigue as measured with the PedsQL Fatigue Scale.
Recommended Reading: Heartburn Nausea Fatigue Headache Bloating
Also Check: Congestive Heart Failure And Fatigue
Testing The Multiple Mediation Model
Figure 2 shows our final model, without the anxiety variable. Although an anxiety-mediating effect was hypothesized in the relationship between Disease activity and Fatigue, we were unable to obtain a model that showed adequate fit indices and with significant structural parameters of the relationship between Disease activity and anxiety and between anxiety and fatigue. Therefore, as partially expected, our results showed a partial mediation model, indicating suitable fit indexes: X2 = 24.16, df = 22, X2/df = 1.10, NNFI = 0.98, CFI = 0.99, and RMSEA = 0.03 . Disease activity was positively associated with fatigue , depression , and Emotional regulation . Moreover, emotional regulation and Depression were associated with fatigue. The model explained 40% of fatigue variance.
Figure 2. Mediation model: indirect effects of Disease Activity on Fatigue through Emotional processing and Depression.
Table 4 shows total and specific indirect effects of the model. The 95% bootstrap confidence interval for the total indirect effect did not include zero , as well as confidence intervals for specific indirect effects , suggesting a significant partial mediation effect.
Table 4. Total and specific indirect effect of mediation model.
Identification And Selection Of Studies
We searched for studies published in Medline and EMBASE up to May 2017. The search strategy for Medline was as follows: AND OR physical examination OR physical ) AND impairment ) AND OR inflammatory bowel diseases OR OR inflammatory bowel disease) , with the filter child . For EMBASE, the search strategy was as follows: AND Inflammatory AND AND . We restricted our search to studies published in English. Duplicate articles identified in both Medline and EMBASE were manually deleted in End Note. To identify additional relevant studies, we checked the reference lists of the selected articles.
We selected cross-sectional or case-control studies reporting on fatigue in patients under the age of 19 years with IBD. Two reviewers independently screened the abstracts of all identified articles to determine their eligibility. Any disagreements regarding the inclusion of articles were solved by discussion until consensus was reached.
Recommended Reading: How To Combat Fatigue From Blood Pressure Medication
Read Also: How To Fight Fibromyalgia Fatigue
Contributors To Fatigue In Crohns Disease
There are several factors that can potentially contribute to fatigue in a person with Crohns disease. Many of these stem from the complications of Crohns or other effects it has on your body, according to the .
These include:
- Inflammation.Inflammation is associated with increases in proteins called cytokines. The effects of cytokines can cause fatigue, which can also help explain why fatigue can worsen during a Crohns flare.
- Anemia. Some people with Crohns have anemia, which means a low red blood cell count. One of the main symptoms of anemia is fatigue. Anemia can happen due to bleeding in the digestive tract or deficiencies in specific nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, or folate.
- Nutrient deficiencies. The effects of Crohns disease on the intestines can mean that nutrients arent well absorbed in general. This is called malabsorption. Not getting enough nutrients in your diet can cause fatigue.
- Sleep disturbances. People with Crohns disease can experience disrupted sleep, particularly during a flare when symptoms worsen. Frequently poor sleep results in fatigue.
- Emotional stress. Coping with a chronic condition like Crohns disease can be stressful and even lead to depression. Increased stress levels or being in a depressed state can cause fatigue.
- Medication side effects. Crohns disease is typically treated with medication. Certain medications have fatigue as a side effect.
- having anxiety or depression
People who are experiencing fatigue can have:
For example:
My Ongoing Struggle With Crohn’s Fatigue
For me, Crohn’s disease fatigue is almost as much of a monster as the actual inflammation, or the GI signs and symptoms often controlling my life. I struggle with fatigue the most, and I often wonder why.
I think there’s a combination of reasons somewhat because fatigue is invisible, even to me, and it can feel extremely subjective to assess and share.
I think the lack of understanding about how Crohn’s disease leads to intense and long-lasting fatigue is not talked about enough, not with doctors or amongst patients and so I think it’s something I try hard to ignore, or work through, or blow past.
Also Check: How I Cured My Adrenal Fatigue
Assessment Of Concurrent Symptoms
In order to select an optimal treatment strategy, assessment of concurrent symptoms is mandatory. Many factors are known to contribute to fatigue, such as inflammation, pain, emotional distress, sleep disturbance, anaemia, alterations in nutrition and overall nutritional status, and a diminished activity level. The presence of any of these conditions should be treated in accordance with practice guidelines and with referral to other care professionals as appropriate. Furthermore, medication side effects as well as alcohol and/or drug abuse should be taken into account, as should other comorbidities.
2.2.1. Inflammation
During periods of active gut inflammation, fatigue rates understandably increase. Fatigue, on the other hand, is a highly reported symptom and a major concern in IBD patients and fatigue can be a concealed indication of active disease. Disease activity should be ascertained by the usual clinical, radiological and endoscopic assessments in order to optimize treatment.
2.2.2. Anaemia
2.2.9. Comorbidities
2.2.10. Substance abuse
Alcohol and/or drug abuse are associated with emotional distress, poor sleep quality and anxiety, and should always be assessed in the work-up of IBD-related fatigue.
You May Like: Extreme Fatigue Bloating And Constipation
Variables Associated With Fatigue
Multiple linear regression slope coefficients and 95% confidence intervals along with explanatory variable and model p values are listed in Table 4.
Table 4.
Multiple linear regression models outputs slope coefficient estimates and 95% confidence intervals for fatigue scores as outcome variables
IBD disease status was a highly significant explanatory variable patients with active disease reported higher fatigue scores in BFI and across the MFI dimensions , except for the Mental Fatigue score. Fatigue scores were significantly positively correlated with self-reported CDAI and SCCAI scores , in comparison to laboratory inflammation measures FCP and CRP .
Fig. 3.
Correlation of MFI overall with disease activity diagnostic indices Crohns disease CDAI score , ulcerative colitis SCCAI score , combined CD and UC CRP scores , and combined CD and UC FCP values .
Females scored significantly higher in MFI General Fatigue , Physical Fatigue , Reduced Activity and overall MFI measures . There was some evidence that female gender was also linked with higher BFI scores .
Dietary supplement users had lower Mental Fatigue and overall MFI scores . Shorter duration of the disease was significantly associated with greater fatigue according to BFI and MFI General Fatigue dimension . Similarly, older age patients experienced lower Mental Fatigue .
You May Like: Best Treatment For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
What Can You Do To Help With Fatigue
What you can do to help with your fatigue will greatly depend on the reasons why you are suffering from it . Some ways include:
- Get tested for vitamin and mineral deficiencies – deficiencies can can cause you to feel tired
- Exercise – some people report that doing some exercise helps them to feel less fatigued. Gradually improving your fitness can help with increasing your energy stores which should help you to feel less tired
- See if adaptations can be made for you at work, school or colleague to help you conserve energy
- Try using some relaxation techniques such as yoga, massage or mindfulness. Relaxing properly can help your body to recover better
- Plan your days – if you know you are going to have a busy day one day then try to make sure you have nothing to do the following day so you can rest
- Ask for help – dont be afraid to ask people around you to help you out with tasks around the house or looking after your children
- Avoid using stimulants such as caffeine and sugar to get you through the day. Although they may give you a short energy boost the ‘crash’ when the energy runs out will be worse
Proteomics And Inflammatory Cytokine Analysis
A total of 131 serum samples were analyzed for 184 proteins. Levels of cytokines associated with inflammation, such as interleukin -6, were undetectable or low in patients with fatigue compared with control subjects.
IL-12B, IL-7, NBL1 and IL-12 were significantly associated with fatigue on multivariable analysis but not multiple hypothesis testing. Thus, persistent fatigue in quiescent disease is not likely to be due primarily to systemic inflammation.
Don’t Miss: Weight Gain Hair Loss Fatigue
How Is Fatigue Evaluated
Many different scales and questionnaires are used to measure fatigue. No single standard exists.3 One questionnaire about fatigue with inflammatory bowel disease was developed and scientifically validated in the United Kingdom and is available online. You or your provider may be interested in using this questionnaire to track changes over time.1
Your health care provider may do laboratory tests. It is common to check for anemia, active inflammation, thyroid function, or pregnancy.10 Your provider may ask questions about sleep hygiene, medications, and exercise.
Levels Of Fatigue In Ibd Patients
The proportion of IBD patients with active disease that experienced moderate or severe fatigue according to BFI and MFI overall questionnaires was 82.9 and 80.0%, respectively. In contrast but still clinically important, 39.5 and 44.2% of the quiescent disease IBD patients experienced moderate or severe fatigue according to BFI and MFI overall questionnaires, respectively.
Based on BFI and all MFI dimension results, 59.283.7% of active CD and 14.371.4% of remission CD patients reported moderate to severe fatigue 42.995.2% of active UC and 22.754.5% of remission UC patients reported moderate to severe fatigue .
Fig. 2.
Comparison of population percentages experiencing moderate and severe fatigue and severe fatigue .
There was a large variation between the different fatigue dimensions in all patient categories, highlighting the multifactorial nature of this symptom. The most prevalent type of moderate and severe fatigue in all studied patients was General Fatigue . The least prevalent was Mental Fatigue in CD and UC active disease , and Reduced Motivation and Reduced Activity in CD and UC in remission, respectively .
There was a larger difference between severe fatigue prevalence in disease in remission comparing to active disease than in moderate fatigue . There was little difference between Reduced Activity, Mental Fatigue and Physical Fatigue prevalence between active disease patients and patients in remission.
Table 2.
Recommended Reading: How To Improve Mental Fatigue
