Fatigue and brain fog are among the most frustrating symptoms of rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. They can affect work, relationships, and independence as much as joint pain does — yet they’re often invisible, misunderstood, or brushed aside.
That’s finally changing. The 2023 EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology) recommendations call fatigue what it truly is: a core, treatable part of inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (I-RMDs).
EULAR’s expert panel reviewed years of research and agreed on a few key points:
- Fatigue is real and deserves routine attention. Doctors should ask about it, track it, and treat it as part of disease management.
- There’s no one-size-fits-all cure. The best results come from combining physical activity, psychological support, education, and when needed, medication.
- It takes teamwork. Managing fatigue means looking at the whole person — inflammation, sleep, mood, pain, and lifestyle — not just lab results.
You can read the full paper here: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 83(10):1260.
The good news: several major arthritis and autoimmune organizations now offer free, evidence-based online tools to help you manage fatigue and brain fog.
arthritis.org
versusarthritis.org
autoimmune.org
arthritis.ca
arthritisaustralia.com.au
