Fatigue in People with Multiple Sclerosis: Cause, Evaluation and Treatment

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms in people with MS and is an important factor in limiting the job related and social activities. Due to the lack of a comprehensive study on fatigue in MS in Iranian databases, the main aim of the present study was to present a comprehensive review of fatigue, its assessment, causes and treatment.
This study is a review literature on MS fatigue in national and international databases between 1989 and 2013.
Fatigue has a significant impact on the quality of life, social isolation and unemployment of the MS patients. MS related fatigue is affected by primary and secondary causes. Comprehensive evaluation of fatigue helps choose the most effective treatment strategy to overcome this overwhelming symptom. Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and visual analogue scale for fatigue (VAS-F) are the most common tools to measure fatigue in people with MS. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are suggested for treatment of fatigue. Non-pharmacological strategies are including aerobics, energy conservation techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Considering the importance of fatigue and its obvious impact on employment and quality of life of people with MS, a careful evaluation to plan appropriate treatment is necessary.