What To Do For Fatigue

How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated

Muscle Fatigue: Why do muscles get tired and weak after exercise?

There’s no known cure for chronic fatigue syndrome. But experts say that these lifestyle changes can help:

Include regular, carefully planned exercise in your daily routine. Exercise can increase energy and make a person feel better. People with CFS should pace themselves while doing any physical activity that requires exertion. Talk with a doctor what’s right for you you don’t want to overdo it and get discouraged. Studies show that “graded exercise” is very helpful in CFS recovery.

Follow stress-management and stress-reduction techniques. A doctor or therapist can teach these they’re great ways to take control of some aspects of the illness.
Ensure good sleep habits to overcome CFS-related sleep problems.
Work on ways to keep track of important things, such as keeping lists and making notes, you have problems with concentration or memory.

Meeting regularly with a therapist or counselor can help in CFS treatment. The main goals of therapy are to help people cope with the illness and to change negative or unrealistic thoughts or feelings into positive, realistic ones.

Having a positive feeling that you can get better is very helpful. Therapy and support groups can also help teens with CFS and their parents deal with the academic or social challenges brought on by the illness, such as missed school, falling grades, or withdrawal from friends and social situations.

Doctors may suggest over-the-counter or prescription medicines for some of these symptoms.

When Should I See A Doctor For Fatigue

If you’ve been tired for several weeks with no relief, it may be time to call your healthcare provider. He or she will ask questions about your sleep, daily activities, appetite, and exercise and will likely give you a physical exam and order lab tests.

Your treatment will be based on your history and the results of your exam and lab tests. Your doctor may prescribe medications to target underlying health problems, such as anemia or irregular thyroid activity. He or she may suggest that you eat a well-balanced diet and begin an exercise program.

Fuel Your Body With High

Theres no specific diet for MS, but the NMSS recommends following a healthy diet thats low in fat and high in fiber. According to the NMSS, the foods you choose to eat affect your energy levels.

Consuming simple carbohydrates such as sugary foods and highly refined foods such as white bread, white rice, or pasta can cause blood sugar levels to spike and crash. The crash can exacerbate preexisting fatigue in persons with MS, explains Barbara Giesser, MD, neurologist and MS specialist at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

How can you avoid this? Regularly choosing high-quality foods can help, says Dr. Giesser. Good options include:

Protein-packed options, like beans, nuts, and lean animal proteins

Fiber-rich foods, like oatmeal, brown rice, and high-fiber breakfast cereals
Fresh fruit and leafy green vegetables
Fat-free or low-fat yogurt

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What Can I Do About Fatigue

Recognise that the fatigue is real and be kind to yourself. Explain to your family, friends, and colleagues at work the impact the fatigue is having. Because fatigue is invisible, sometimes it is not properly understood. Until it is experienced it can be hard to understand the impact of fatigue and how debilitating it can be.

Get a good nights sleep. Fatigue feels much worse if your sleep pattern is also disturbed. Try to improve your sleep pattern by reading the sleeping well section.

Try relaxation techniques. These can help with fatigue as they promote a good sleep pattern, and can help reduce stress. Consider trying techniques such as mindful meditation, aromatherapy, yoga, tai chi, and other activities you find relaxing, such as reading or having a long shower or bath.

Plan, prioritise and delegate.

Plan. Plan each day in advance so that you can do what you need, and consider what can be delegated to other people. Build a regular routine, and try to avoid boom and bust behaviour, where you are very active on good days and then feel exhausted the following day. An activity diary can help with this.

Prioritise. You can also decide which activities that you are doing are most important to you. If this is a task which is very important do it when you have the most energy. If they are not important, but have to be done can you delegate them?

Eat well. A healthy diet can help. See the section on eating well.

Rheumatoid Arthritis And Fatigue

Symptoms: Fatigue, morning stiffness, joint pain, inflamed joints

Rheumatoid arthritis , a type of inflammatory arthritis, is another cause of excessive fatigue. Because joint damage can result in disability, early and aggressive treatment is the best approach for rheumatoid arthritis.

Medications that may be used early in mild RA include:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

Other drugs used in more serious forms of RA include the anti-cytokine therapies , as well as shots and other forms of treatment.

Other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and Sjogren’s disease, may also cause fatigue.

How To Treat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

This article was co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD. Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017. This article has been viewed 60,219 times.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or CFS, is a debilitating condition which leaves the afflicted individual with an ongoing feeling of exhaustion. Persons with CFS may be unable to perform even mundane activities which under normal circumstances present no problem. There is no cure for CFS, and there are no medications developed specifically for the condition. Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options available which can alleviate the symptoms associated with CFS.

How Is A Pots Diagnosis Made

Problems with the autonomic nervous system can be difficult to diagnose. The standard test for POTS is the tilt table test. During the test, you are secured to a table that tilts from being horizontal to almost a 90-degree angle. The test measures your hearts response to switching from laying down to standing up. Some people with POTS faint during this test, even if they rarely faint standing up.

Although the test seems straightforward, many things can interfere with it. Its important that a POTS specialist oversees it. Its best to work with a doctor who has diagnosed and treated patients with POTS. This could be a cardiologist, a neuromuscular specialist or another doctor.

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Psychological Issues And Fatigue

Studies suggest that between 50 and 80 per cent of fatigue cases are mainly due to psychological factors. Suggestions include:

Talk about it Theres some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy might help to fight fatigue. See your doctor for a referral for talking treatment.
Reduce stress Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be working out at the gym, or a gentler option such as meditation, yoga, listening to music, reading or spending time with friends. Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.

Assess your lifestyle for example, are you putting yourself under unnecessary stress? Are there ongoing problems in your life that may be causing prolonged anxiety or depression? It may help to seek professional counselling to work out family, career or personal issues.
Learn to do nothing one of the drawbacks of modern life is the pressure to drive ourselves to bigger and better heights. A hectic lifestyle is exhausting. Try to carve out a few more hours in your week to simply relax and hang out. If you cant find a few more hours, it may be time to rethink your priorities and commitments.
Have more fun maybe youre so preoccupied with commitments and pressures that you dont give yourself enough time for fun. Laughter is one of the best energy boosters around.

Tip : Regulate Your Sleep

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Sleep problems are often behind the fatigue that people with MS experience.

Whether you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting the amount and type of sleep you need to awaken feeling refreshed, the result is the same: You feel tired.

To help prevent these problems, its important to regulate your sleep. This might involve identifying and treating other MS symptoms that cause sleep problems for example, urinary dysfun ction.

If all else fails, you can talk with your doctor about using sleep medications for a short period of time.

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What Can I Do To Manage Covid Fatigue

Fatigue can drain your energy and keep you from doing day-to-day things when youre down with a viral sickness like COVID-19 or long-haul COVID-19.

To manage your health and ease fatigue symptoms while youre sick or post-COVID, you should:

Accept that fatigue is a real side effect of having COVID-19.
Make sure to get a good nights sleep. This can help your body preserve energy.

Try relaxation techniques like mindful meditation, aromatherapy, yoga, and tai chi. These can help to reduce stress and fatigue symptoms.
Plan ahead on what you can get done with limited energy.
Prioritize the tasks that are important. This will help you spend energy on only those things that need to be done.

Delegate certain tasks to others who can complete them for you. This can include activities like grocery shopping or cooking.
Try to stay active. A viral infection can knock your energy out, but moving and light exercise can energize you.
Keep a diary on all things that either trigger your fatigue or make it worse. This will help you steer clear of energy-draining activities.

Eat foods that give your body energy.
Stay hydrated.

Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Shift work can wreak havoc on your body’s 24-hour internal clock, or circadian rhythm. When you work nights or rotate shifts, your body doesn’t know when to be awake and when to sleep, which causes fatigue.

Daylight is often a cue to be awake. If you must sleep during the day, try to make your sleeping area as dark, cool, and quiet as possible. If you must work at night, keep your workplace brightly lit. Try to work night shifts all in a row and avoid frequently rotating shifts. Stay away from caffeine, and stick to a regular sleep-wake schedule as much as possible on days off.

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Sleep Suggestions For Fighting Fatigue

A common cause of fatigue is not enough sleep, or poor quality sleep. Suggestions include:

Get enough sleep two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people dont get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. Some recommendations on getting a good nights sleep include: go to bed and get up in the morning at the same time every day, avoid naps through the day, and have a warm bath or shower before bed.
Limit caffeine too much caffeine, particularly in the evening, can cause insomnia. Limit caffeinated drinks to five or less per day, and avoid these types of drinks after dinner.
Learn how to relax a common cause of insomnia is fretting about problems while lying in bed. Experiment with different relaxation techniques until you find one or two that work for you for example, you could think of a restful scene, focus on your breathing, or silently repeat a calming mantra or phrase.

Avoid sleeping pills sleeping pills are not a long-term solution because they dont address the causes of insomnia.

Engage In Regular Physical Activity

I encourage exercise for my patients, says Conway. In my experience, it can make fatigue worse at first, but if a person can get over the initial hump, it can actually improve fatigue, he says.

If youre not sure how to get started with exercise or need some help identifying exercises that will improve your fitness without wearing you out, trying working with a physical therapist or a personal trainer who is knowledgeable about MS.

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How Would You Describe Fatigue Associated With Pots

People with POTS experience fatigue differently. Many describe it as feeling beyond exhausted. Its as if your energy is completely depleted. The fatigue is probably hundreds of times worse than your worst flu. People with POTS may also have trouble concentrating and thinking straight. Doing simple tasks may feel like youve just run a marathon.

This fatigue might come and go, hitting you without warning daily, weekly or less frequently. For some people, extreme fatigue lasts for days. Others may experience periodic attacks. It can come on at any moment even if you just woke up. And there is no amount of sleep or coffee that can make it go away.

What Should I Know About Fatigue

What is the Definition of Fatigue?

Fatigue is generally defined as a feeling of lack of energy and motivation that can be physical, mental or both. Fatigue is not the same as drowsiness, but the desire to sleep may accompany fatigue. Apathy is a feeling of indifference that may accompany fatigue or exist independently. In addition, individuals often describe fatigue using a variety of terms including weary, tired, exhausted, malaise, listless, lack of energy and feeling run down.

How Common is Fatigue?

Fatigue is common. About 20% of Americans claim to have fatigue intense enough to interfere with living a normal life. A physical cause has been estimated to be responsible 20% to 60% of the time, while emotional or mental causes comprise the other 40% to 80% of cases of fatigue. Unfortunately, fatigue can occur in normal individuals that experience intense physical or mental activity .

However, in contrast to fatigue that occurs with some diseases and syndromes, normal fatigue in healthy individuals is quickly relieved in a few hours to about a day when the physical or mental activity is reduced. Also, people occasionally experience fatigue after eating , which can be a normal response to food, especially after large meals and this may last about 30 minutes to several hours.

1. Have severe chronic fatigue for at least six months or longer with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis and

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What Is Pandemic Fatigue

Brindusa Vanta, MD

The escalating pandemic of COVID-19 created a perfect storm for stress, anxiety, depression, and the newly described “pandemic fatigue.” People of all ages had to get used to new habits like wearing a mask, social distancing, and stay-at-home orders, in addition to the fear of catching the infection.The World Health Organization defines pandemic fatigue as a natural and expected reaction to sustained and unresolved adversity in peoples lives. Feeling unmotivated and burnout are the main signs, but this condition is more complex and may have long-term consequences.

When To Contact A Medical Professional

What to do if you’re feeling COVID fatigue

Contact your provider right away if you have any of the following:

Confusion or dizziness
Little or no urine, or recent swelling and weight gain
Thoughts of harming yourself or of committing suicide

Unexplained weakness or fatigue, especially if you also have a fever or unintentional weight loss
Constipation, dry skin, weight gain, or you cannot tolerate cold
Wake up and fall back to sleep many times during the night

Headaches often
Are taking medicines, prescribed or non-prescribed, or using drugs that may cause fatigue or drowsiness
Feel sad or depressed

Treatment depends on the cause of your fatigue symptoms.

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How Will Your Doctor Treat Fatigue

Your doctors recommended treatment plan will depend on whats causing your fatigue. To make a diagnosis, they will likely ask you questions about:

the nature of your fatigue, including when it started and whether it gets better or worse at certain times
other symptoms that youve been experiencing
other medical conditions that you have

your lifestyle and sources of stress
medications that youre taking

If your doctor suspects you have an underlying medical condition thats causing your fatigue, they may order some medical tests. For example, they may order blood or urine tests.

Some Illnesses Cause Fatigue

Sometimes, fatigue can be the first sign that something is wrong in your body. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition that affects the joints, often complain of fatigue. People with cancer may feel fatigued from the disease, treatments, or both.

Many medical problems and treatments can add to fatigue. These include:

Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and medicines for nausea and pain

Having medical treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, or recovering from major surgery
Infections
Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Untreated pain and diseases like fibromyalgia
Anemia
Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders

Managing a health problem may make the fatigue go away. Your doctor can help.

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Tip : Limit Certain Drinks

Certain behaviors may seem to help with fatigue, but in the end, they may cause more problems than they solve.

Drinking a hot beverage may sound like a good way to wind down if youre having trouble sleeping, but coffee and tea typically contain caffeine.

Be sure to check whether your drink contains caffeine. It can prevent you from falling asleep, leading to fatigue the next day.

Similarly, while alcohol may help you feel sleepy after you first drink it, it can make it harder to get a restful nights sleep later.

Consider behaviors that may be contributing to poor sleep habits and fatigue and try to take steps to adjust them.

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