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Stories for Reprint
Worn Out from Osteoarthritis
By Ferdous Al-Faruque, MARRTC Staff
Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered that fatigue may be a major obstacle for those living with osteoarthritis or OA.
Participants of the study described their fatigue as being different from the usual kind of fatigue that people often experience from exhaustion. "Being fatigued, being weary or weak, is not the same thing as being drowsy or sleepy and they seemed to understand that," says Denise Power, a researcher at the University of Toronto and lead author of the study. Unlike regular fatigue, the OA related fatigue that participants felt could not be overcome with mere rest. Of the 28 women and 18 men who participated in the study, many of them described their disease as exhaustion, being tired and worn out. One participant very eloquently characterized is as "coming up against a brick wall."
During small group discussions conducted by researchers, individuals with OA gave examples of how fatigue impacted their daily life. Many complained they were unable to complete household chores due to fatigue. Power says, "Some of the women spoke about doing only a couple loads of laundry and not trying to do it all in one day." Power remembers how one woman in particular had to stop every few steps and rest on a bench when she and her husband took a trip to the zoo. Eventually, the couple had to cut their visit short because she wasn't able to go on.
Aside from a few who mentioned it to their spouse, most did not talk to anyone about their fatigue and that included their doctor. Power says that it's important for people to discuss all OA symptoms with their doctors, including fatigue. "The big message with OA is that people often perceive osteoarthritis as a normal part of aging," she said. "Arthritis is not a normal part of aging and there are things that can be done, (people) should seek that information out."
In the medical community, physicians know fatigue is often connected with other forms of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, but may not understand that it is also a problem for those with OA. In fact, Power says that one of the most interesting findings of the study was that some of the factors that people with rheumatoid arthritis associate with increased fatigue were found to be true for their OA participants as well. These factors include pain, frustration, depression and sleep disturbance.
Leading a normal life is important for most people with osteoarthritis. Since fatigue may stand in their way, Power believes this is an area scientists should delve into more deeply. "The overarching conclusion (of the study) was that fatigue in OA may be an important symptom that we do need to do further research on," she says.
OA is caused when the cartilage, attached at the end of the bone in a joint, breaks down from wear and tear. OA, the most common form of arthritis, is estimated to affect 21 million people and is the leading cause of disability in the United States.
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