removing sources of light from the bedroom and making it cooler to promote sleep.talking about medication options with a doctor.practicing mindfulness, yoga, or other therapies to help relaxation.taking a deep breath and trying to relax when a cognitive issue is causing them frustration.recording when they experience brain fog to help look for patterns that they may be able to address.In addition, a person may find it helpful to take additional steps, such as: using treatments for AS, including biologics, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and other therapies.focusing on the organization of thoughts, events, and so on to help keep a person alert throughout the day.
Some tips and strategies to help reduce brain fog include: The treatment for brain fog typically involves treating the underlying AS and making lifestyle adjustments that can help improve brain functioning. People with AS who experience brain fog can take steps to help reduce its effects. Therefore, a person with AS who develops depression may find that this depression contributes to their brain fog. Research has also linked depression to cognitive dysfunction. Studies have shown that symptoms of AS can lead to depressive symptoms. Use of corticosteroidsĪ 2021 study looking at cognitive decline in RA noted that people who use corticosteroids and have cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, have an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment.ĭoctors also use corticosteroids as a localized treatment for AS, which could indicate that people with AS and cardiovascular risk factors also have an increased risk of brain fog associated with steroid use. The resulting fatigue can contribute to brain fog. Other experts note that chronic pain can cause the nervous system to become extra sensitive, which makes sleeping more difficult. This can lead to a cycle of sleeplessness and more severe symptoms. The Spondylitis Association of America points out that the symptoms of AS can make it difficult for a person to sleep, leading to increased pain, stiffness, and fatigue, which then affect sleep further. Pain associated with AS can lead to a combination of fatigue and impaired cognitive ability. Active cytokines send signals to a person’s brain, which may interfere with its expected functioning.
When it does, it releases proteins known as cytokines, which cause inflammation to occur. However, they do believe that brain fog may have a link to the chronic inflammation and pain associated with the condition.įactors that may cause brain fog in people with AS may include the following: Chronic inflammationĬonditions such as AS involve the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy cells in the body. They also suggest that it may be underreported.Įxperts do not yet fully understand how conditions such as AS cause brain fog to occur. According to a 2020 study, researchers still do not know the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction among people with AS. How AS affects the brain and central nervous system is still not clear. These complications mean that people experiencing brain fog often see many doctors before getting an accurate diagnosis.How does ankylosing spondylitis cause brain fog?
When you experience brain fog or these symptoms, your body is telling you something is causing your brain to be inflamed (also known as neuroinflammation). These episodes are often described as a type of cognitive dysfunction that involves: It is characterized by episodes of “mental slowness, poor concentration and mental clarity” that can last anywhere between a few seconds to days At EnviroMed, we want to encourage people to take action earlier and explore their cause of brain fog in hopes to stop and reverse it.Īlthough brain fog is sometimes thought to be a condition itself, it is actually a symptom of another illnesses. Some people notice this brain fog and take action earlier, while others wait until their executive and cognitive functions get much more impaired. To new a few that we commonly see in our practice are chemical toxins, infections (biotoxins), poor gut health, food sensitivities/intolerance and stress. There are many factors that can cause neuroinflammation. The more medical term is neuroinflammation, which is inflammation of the brain and the nerves. Many of our patients often say it feels like a “hangover” after a night out. Or we lose our train of thought and can’t seem to have easy back and forth conversation with someone or even not remember what they did yesterday. Brain fog is a term often used when our mind feel sluggish or foggy, for example when words just don’t come easily to us and we don’t feel as shard.
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