“Fatigue from inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis can feel like you have the flu.
Thats because inflammation affects your whole body, not just your joints.
Ankylosing Spondylitis Fatigue Factors
Fatigue gives the impression of very common in people with ankylosing spondylitis.
In astudy published in March 2020 in the journalClinical Rheumatology,150 participants with AS completed a series of questionnaires.
People with severe fatigue reported a lower quality of life.
Not everyone with ankylosing spondylitis experiences fatigue.
“Fatigue because of pain is easy to understand,” Dr. Rosian says.
“Pain itself is exhausting, and if you have pain at night, its hard to sleep well.
Several factors can contribute to fatigue in AS, according to theSpondylitis Association of America.
InflammationUncontrolled systemic (body-wide) inflammation is the factor that best predicts fatigue in AS.
And the longer you’re not moving, the more pain and stiffness you may develop.
DepressionHaving a potentially painful and unpredictable condition like AS can lead tostress, despair, and depression.
It may also lead toinsomniaand other sleep disturbances.
In addition to getting enough physical activity, these steps may help you fight fatigue in AS.
Fatigue is one of the most challengingsymptoms of ankylosing spondylitis, and can make you feel powerless at times.
Additional reporting byQuinn Phillips.
Alexa Meara, MD, is an assistant professor of immunology and rheumatology atThe Ohio State University.
She maintains a multidisciplinary vasculitis clinic and supervises a longitudinal registry of lupus nephritis and vasculitis patients.
Her clinical research is in improving patientphysician communication.
Her interests in medical-education research include remediation and work with struggling learners.
Dr. Meara received her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC.
Chris Iliades, MD, is a full-time freelance writer based in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
Iliades also writes a regular blog for The Pulse, a website for fetal health and pregnancy.
Iliades is board-certified in Ear, Nose and Throat and Head and Neck Surgery.
