Making information on MS fatigue accessible to all

Translating and adapting Fatigue: an invisible symptom of MS.

Last updated: 3rd March 2021

In 2020, MSIF published Fatigue: an invisible symptom of MS. The global MS movement has since made a fantastic effort translating and adapting this resource for people with MS around the world .

With translations from MS organisations across the globe, the resource is currently available in 12 languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Czech, Icelandic, Russian, Slovak, Serbian, Polish and Macedonian.

A huge thank you to the MS organisations involved, including:

Esclerosis Multiple Argentina and Esclerosis Multiple Uruguay (Spanish)
Association Tunisienne des malades de la Sclérose En Plaques (Arabic)
Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (Urdu)
Yayasan Multipel Sklerosis Indonesia (Indonesian)
Unie ROSKA – česká MS společnost, z. s. (Czech)
MS Felag Islands (Icelandic)
Russian MS Society (Russian)
Slovenský zväz sclerosis multiplex (Slovak)
MS platforma Srbije (Serbian)
MS Makedonija (Macedonian)
Polskie Towarzystwo Stwardnienia Rozsianego (Polish).

About the resource

Fatigue: an invisible symptom of MS is a comprehensive guide to MS fatigue adapted by MSIF’s International Resource Group. The tool was created using resources from MS Australia, MS Society UK and ARSEP Foundation.

The guide unpacks MS fatigue and its causes. As an invisible symptom, MS fatigue can be difficult to explain and navigate. The tool is packed with information, tips for managing MS fatigue and even a custom fatigue diary!

How to describe MS fatigue to others

It can be complicated to describe your MS fatigue to friends, family, colleagues and healthcare professionals, but helping others to understand can make your daily life with MS fatigue less frustrating. Tara from India says:

‘Fatigue is the most invisible of MS symptoms! It’s also the symptom that’s the most difficult for friends, family and care givers to understand. Fatigue is the one symptom that makes people probably think that you are making a fuss about nothing at all.’

The guide includes two useful metaphors to describe MS fatigue which can help friends, family and colleagues understand and relate to what you are experiencing.

Fatigue diary

Some people find it useful to keep a fatigue diary. By keeping a note of your MS fatigue levels at different times of the day and during different activities, you may begin to see patterns. The guide explains and demonstrates how to use a fatigue diary to
find patterns and make changes to improve your MS fatigue. A blank template for the fatigue diary is included at the end of the booklet and available to download here.

Download now!

Fatigue: An invisible symptom of MS can be downloaded in the languages above from the #MSResourceHub. Explore the guide and share this resource with your networks!

If you are an MSIF member interested in translating this resource to your language, why not get in touch? Contact info@msif.org