Daily fatigue can be physical, mental and psychological. Fatigue is a continuous weariness resulting with decreased energy, motivation and concentration. Many things will cause fatigue including but not limited to anemia, diabetes and depression, sleep disorders can also cause fatigue. I will talk about fatigue related to my brain injury. (Read what you can do about fatigue.)
Fatigue is different than sleepiness or drowsiness, which is caused by not sleeping enough. We often deprive ourselves of sleep for work, recreation and education. Medications and sleeping disorders can also cause a lack of sleep. (Read about the difference between fatigue and sleepiness.)
Research has found that fatigue can result from damaged nerves acquired in a traumatic brain injury. Nerves create pathways by transmitting electrical signals from the neuron body through the axon to other nerves. A forceful blow to the head producing a traumatic brain injury can sever the axons causing the nerves to die followed by swelling. (Watch a video about diffuse axonal injury.) When the nerves die new neuron-pathways need to be made to communicate the electrical signals, requiring more energy. This extra effort causes fatigue similar to re-learning how to walk, write and coordination skills in rehabilitation. Fatigue slows the mental processing of information and physical response time of the traumatic brain injury survivor. (Read how neurofatigue affects the body.)
After my injury when I cleaned, dressed and ate in the morning, I would walk to the bus stop. As I waited for the bus I noticed I couldn’t focus my eyes on distant road signs. Other mornings I would become dizzy when getting off the bus. Before I started my day I would need more rest.
My body seems to fall apart in the evenings when I use a lot of energy during the day. My right leg becomes heavy and I need to swing it from the hip when I walk. These are the signs of spasticity.
Of all the issues associated with a traumatic brain injury, fatigue is the most common and annoying.
Fatigue is different than sleepiness or drowsiness, which is caused by not sleeping enough. We often deprive ourselves of sleep for work, recreation and education. Medications and sleeping disorders can also cause a lack of sleep. (Read about the difference between fatigue and sleepiness.)
Research has found that fatigue can result from damaged nerves acquired in a traumatic brain injury. Nerves create pathways by transmitting electrical signals from the neuron body through the axon to other nerves. A forceful blow to the head producing a traumatic brain injury can sever the axons causing the nerves to die followed by swelling. (Watch a video about diffuse axonal injury.) When the nerves die new neuron-pathways need to be made to communicate the electrical signals, requiring more energy. This extra effort causes fatigue similar to re-learning how to walk, write and coordination skills in rehabilitation. Fatigue slows the mental processing of information and physical response time of the traumatic brain injury survivor. (Read how neurofatigue affects the body.)
After my injury when I cleaned, dressed and ate in the morning, I would walk to the bus stop. As I waited for the bus I noticed I couldn’t focus my eyes on distant road signs. Other mornings I would become dizzy when getting off the bus. Before I started my day I would need more rest.
My body seems to fall apart in the evenings when I use a lot of energy during the day. My right leg becomes heavy and I need to swing it from the hip when I walk. These are the signs of spasticity.
Of all the issues associated with a traumatic brain injury, fatigue is the most common and annoying.