How Can I Manage Fatigue
The good news is that there are ways you can deal with fatigue:
- Talk to your doctor. Make sure you let your doctor know if your fatigue does not improve, or is made worse by your arthritis medicines. Sometimes small changes in treatment can make major differences in how you feel.
- Exercise.Exercise is one of the best things you can do to combat fatigue. Exercise can help strengthen muscles and increase your fitness. Within a few months, you should feel an increase in strength and energy and be able to do more without getting as tired. The key to a successful exercise program is to begin gradually, listen to your body and build slowly. You may also find it helpful to get advice from a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist.
- Learn ways to get a good nights sleep.
- If pain is interfering with your sleep, talk to your doctor about learning ways to manage pain.
- Limit caffeinated drinks to five or less per day, and avoid these types of drinks after dinner.
- Try different relaxation techniques until you find one that works for you. For example, you could visualise a restful scene or focus on your breathing.
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2. Kick-start your exercise routine. Inactivity can be a vicious circle RA fatigue makes it hard to get moving, and inactivity makes fatigue worse,â Ali explains. âMost people with RA do feel energized after exercise. It may help to work with a physical therapist to get started.â The best exercises for people with RA are often low-impact activities like stationary cycling, swimming, and walking.
3. Nix the naps. A good nights sleep requires healthy sleep habits. If possible, avoid napping during the day. You need to be awake for about 16 hours in order to sleep well at night for example, getting up at 7 a.m. and going to bed at 11 p.m. When you do turn in, keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and comfortable and avoid making it an entertainment center . Also, skip the alcohol and heavy meals before bedtime and limit caffeine after noon. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can also help you establish a quality sleep routine that leaves you feeling refreshed.
6. Ask your doctor about medications for fatigue. Certain medications may help chronic fatigue, such as modafinil. However, âyou need to use these with caution, because once you start taking them, it may be hard to stop,â Ali says. âTramadol is a pain medication that can help improve sleep thats disrupted by RA pain. As another option, a low-dose antidepressant, also given at bedtime, has been shown to reduce pain, increase sleep, and reduce fatigue in some people with RA,â he says.
Can Boredom Cause Fatigue
Being bored can make you feel tired. That may sound strange, but it’s true. If you were very busy during your working years, you may feel lost about how to spend your time when you retire. When you wake up in the morning, you may see long days stretching before you with nothing planned. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Engaging in social and productive activities that you enjoy, like volunteering in your community, may help maintain your well-being. Think about what interests you and what skills or knowledge you have to offer and look for places to volunteer. Read Participating in Activities You Enjoy for ways to find volunteer opportunities.
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Contributing Role Of Inflammation
High levels of inflammation might be a cause of RA fatigue. According to a 2018 review, chronic low-grade inflammation might create imbalances in cellular energy availability and expenditure. That imbalance ultimately causes you to become drained and worn when RA symptoms are active.
RA inflammation also increases pain, leaving a person feeling further worn out. When joints hurt, pain makes it harder to sleep and get good quality sleep. When your rest is unrefreshing, you experience more fatigue. It is a vicious cycle.
Does Scoliosis Make You Tired Fatigue And Scoliosis
Scoliosis is not a simple condition. From diagnosis to treatment, there are a lot of variables and challenges that shape a persons experience with it. In the conditions most common form, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis , early diagnosis can be a big challenge. The symptoms of scoliosis vary greatly from patient to patient and are very condition-specific, but some signs to look for are postural changes and fatigue.
Scoliosis is a progressive condition, meaning its virtually guaranteed to get worse over time. Starting active treatment while the condition is in its milder form has a lot of benefits in terms of ease and success of treatment. Pain and abnormal levels of fatigue are common clues that something is off balance in the body. As pain isnt always a big part of scoliosis, changes to posture and increasing levels of fatigue can help indicate the presence of an abnormally-curved spine. Lets start by exploring whats happening in the body as scoliosis develops.
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Symptoms Of Fatigue In Inflammatory Arthritis
Just like there are many causes of fatigue, there are also many symptoms that may indicate what you have is inflammatory arthritis-related fatigue. Its very subjective and not quantifiable with a lab or measurable outcome, which is why fatigue can feel so frustrating and overwhelming, says Dr. Cohen. You cant quantify it, but you know its not normal.
Heres a look at some of the key symptoms to discuss with your health care team:
Extreme tiredness
Dr. Khattri says that while symptoms of fatigue and feeling tired do overlap, fatigue is often at the extreme end. You feel like you have no control.
With normal tired you know sleep can fix it, says CreakyJoints community member Lel. Fatigue decides when its over youre just a helpless bystander.
Change in energy levels
While some patients wake up feeling fatigue, others experience sudden, overwhelming changes in energy levels and simply hit a wall.
RA fatigue stops me in my tracks. I feel myself fading out suddenly, then I have to rest . It feels like sandbags dropped on me, says CreakyJoints community member Kristina H. It hits me around the same time every day, or sometimes I wake up knowing its going to be a low energy day.
Increase in flares
Poor sleep
Research shows that poor sleep can make the symptoms of fatigue worse, increasing sensitivity to pain, irritability, and making it that much harder to concentrate, says Dr. Cohen.
Brain fog
Reduced quality of life
Irritability
Low motivation
Headache
How To Beat Arthritis Fatigue
Fatigue can be a persistent foe when you have arthritis. Learn how to fight back and get the rest and energy you need.
The first step in fighting arthritis-related fatigue is to identify possible causes. Keeping a journal to note your energy levels throughout the day and what you did before, during and after can help. Once you recognize possible causes of your fatigue, discuss them with your doctor. The two of you can come up with a comprehensive plan so you have the energy you need. The plan to regain your vigor may include changes to your arthritis medication and lifestyle, as well as medications to treat fatigue directly.
Medications That Help Ease Fatigue
Studies have shown that medications used to treat your inflammatory arthritis dont do much to help fatigue, and some medications can make you drowsy to boot. But unchecked inflammation and pain caused by arthritis certainly contribute to fatigue. So, your first step in getting your energy back is to get disease activity under control.
You will also need to treat any other underlying medical conditions you have that may cause or worsen your fatigue. Here are a few types of medications that may help relieve fatigue.
Anemia medicine. If you have anemia, which can leave you feeling drained and fatigued, you may need iron supplements or the hormone epoietin .
Lifestyle Changes That Combat Fatigue
Managing Pain
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Other Sources Of Fatigue
Your fatigue is not always directly related to your arthritis disease activity, inflammation or pain. In fact according to a 2017 study published inCurrent Rheumatology Reports your fatigue level probably has more to do with other contributing factors, including obesity, physical inactivity, sleep disturbance and depression. Several of them may work together to cause your extreme tiredness, but identifying and treating even one of these factors can provide relief.
Managing Pain
Balance Rest With Activity
Everyone needs to allow time for rest, and when you have RA, getting adequate rest is particularly important. However, its still important to be active.
Doing too little can also lead to fatigue, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Do some light exercise every day to help keep your joints in shape and to avoid muscle deconditioning.
This showed that physical activity can help people with RA manage fatigue. Regular exercise also can make it easier to get a good nights sleep.
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Fatigue Is Different Than Feeling Tired
Fatigue is different than ordinary tiredness. Fatigue is disruptive and interferes with all aspects of daily living. About 10 million healthcare provider visits each year are attributed to fatigue, and many of those are tied to arthritis-related conditions.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, 98 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients and 50 percent of people with lupus or Sjogren’s syndrome report fatigue. The percentage escalates with obesity and depression, and complications of secondary conditions such as fibromyalgia, lung conditions, and cardiovascular problems.
People often feel that fatigue is inadequately addressed during healthcare provider visits, likely because there is no quick fix. The impact of fatigue is significant. Many people describe its effect on their lives as greater than pain. Fatigue is extreme weariness, overwhelming exhaustion, a feeling of being “wiped-out,” and having no energyeven after a night’s sleep. Fatigue affects your ability to think, and its unrelenting presence can cause emotions to change quickly.
Here are 10 tips for fighting fatigue. Talk with your healthcare provider and make sure all of these issues have been addressed.
How Can I Feel Less Tired
Some changes to your lifestyle can make you feel less tired. Here are some suggestions:
- Keep a fatigue diary to help you find patterns throughout the day when you feel more or less tired.
- Exercise regularly. Almost anyone, at any age, can do some type of physical activity. If you have concerns about starting an exercise program, ask your doctor if there are any activities you should avoid. Moderate exercise may improve your appetite, energy, and outlook. Some people find that exercises combining balance and breathing improve their energy.
- Try to avoid long naps late in the day. Long naps can leave you feeling groggy and may make it harder to fall asleep at night. Read A Good Nights Sleep for tips on getting better rest at night.
- Stop smoking.Smoking is linked to many diseases and disorders, such as cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems, which can drain your energy.
- Ask for help if you feel swamped. Some people have so much to do that just thinking about their schedules can make them feel tired. Working with others may help a job go faster and be more fun.
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Dealing With Inflammation Saps The Bodys Energy Levels
In addition, a study showed that 95 percent of patients with RA report suboptimal levels of energy that impact their quality of life. There is a biological explanation for it, says Dr. Domingues: When there is an inflammatory process, such as RA, lupus or ankylosing spondylitis, your immune system is constantly producing and carrying inflammation and, therefore, using energy.
Importantly, chronic fatigue syndrome, also called myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS, differs from fatigue. ME/CFS is a complex disease characterized by extreme fatigue that is not associated with an underlying medical condition and lasts for six months or longer. Researchers dont know what causes it, but they do know that it will often worsen with physical or mental activity, according to a consensus report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
Beating Chronic Fatigue By Improving Lifestyle
The effects of Chronic Fatigue cant be managed overnight. It requires small daily habit changes and lifestyle shifts to incorporate more activity, better rest, and improved dietary habit. By assessing and adjusting your daily activities, you can help determine what is contributing to your chronic fatigue, and make the appropriate lifestyle changes. Successfully managing these factors that contribute to Chronic Fatigue associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis, a patient can drastically improve energy levels and overall wellbeing.
If youre concerned about how chronic fatigue is affecting your life, talk to your rheumatologist about the options to beat fatigue and improve your wellbeing.
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Develop An Arthritis Pain Management Strategy
A person can work with a doctor to develop a plan for managing arthritis pain.
Where possible, it is important to avoid going to bed in pain. A doctor can recommend an appropriate pain relief medication to prevent pain before bedtime. They might suggest:
- nighttime release arthritis drugs
- drugs that work for 24 hours
- an evening dose of pain medication
Identifying and managing arthritis triggers can also be helpful. A person can try keeping a pain and sleep log to determine and address any patterns that seem to worsen sleep or pain.
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Skip Caffeine After 2 Pm
Thats because it can take up to eight hours for half of the caffeine you consume to be metabolized by your body. Drink coffee too close to bedtime and it can mess with how well you rest. Poor sleep quality has been linked to more fatigue, as well as higher levels of depression in people with RA.
Taking your last coffee break by 2 PM can help ensure youre able to fall asleep by 10 PM or so, say experts. Other healthy habits to help you rest better: Avoid heavy meals and alcohol before bed wind down with a warm bath or soothing music and keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and comfortable. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can also help.
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Are The Causes Of Ra
On balance, and based on the available evidence, it appears likely that the predictors of fatigue are not unique to RA populations. Rather, some of the most consistent candidates have been identified as predictors in other rheumatic diseases, such as osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, as well as in a broader range of long-term medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis and cancer . Together, this points towards an as yet untested hypothesis that fatigue, its prognostic factors, and therefore its optimal treatment strategy, may be common across many long-term illnesses, irrespective of whether they have an inflammatory aetiology. Future studies may benefit from investigating this hypothesis with a view to developing generic fatigue interventions across a range of chronic conditions.
What Can I Do To Reduce Fatigue Caused By Arthritis
The fatigue resulting from arthritis can be treated by addressing the main causes of arthritic pain and discomfort. Joint pain and inflammation makes movement more difficult and uncomfortable, but physical therapy can help reduce the pain caused by arthritic joints. In one study published in the Journal of Osteoporosis, results suggested that physical therapy helped reduce pain scores by 52% in patients suffering from arthritis of the knee.
Our Continuum Wellness physical therapists can do a free screening of your arthritic joint to determine which symptoms you need help with. Our specialists can then build you a customized therapy plan designed to:
- Reduce your symptoms.
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Ongoing Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness and people described different symptoms which they experienced whilst living with the disease, some of which were eased by the medication prescribed but others that persisted. Joint instability, inflammation and deterioration are all causes of pain and most people we interviewed had these in some form. Some people also have rheumatoid nodules which are bumps/lumps which can appear overnight on tendons and joints. Most commonly nodules on elbows and fingers were mentioned. These were not necessarily painful, sometimes disappeared on their own or required aspiration, a steroid injection or surgery for removal.People described pain in many waysâ extraordinary, incredible, absolute agony, excruciating, pumping, intolerable, burning, tingling, nervy, like toothache without the teeth, a raging fever, feet shouting at me etc. Many felt that the hardest thing about RA was having to âstruggle against the painâ, âdeal with the painâ or âmanage the painâ on a daily basis. Ongoing, âgrindingâ pain was debilitating, people couldnât tackle problems, it sapped their energy and de-motivated them.One woman talked about the pain she had had and steeling herself against the pain to go through the pain barrier. People also said they had become used to the pain, learnt to cope with it and that their pain tolerance levels had been raised. Sometimes this was bad as they didnât immediately notice more severe joint damage.
Reason : Its A Byproduct Of Ra
Eighty percent of RA patients experience significant fatigue. The reason: RA causes the body to make inflammatory proteins, called Tumor Necrosis Factor, or TNF, and weve known for a very long time that they cause fatigue,, says Jonathan M. Greer, M.D., a rheumatology and internal medicine specialist in Palm Beach County, FL, and assistant clinical professor of medicine at both Nova Southeastern University and the University of Miami. But that doesnt mean all is lost. A Rheumatology study found that patients receiving anti-TNF therapies experienced clinically important improvements in RA-related fatigue.
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