A much-maligned and often misunderstood symptom of Multiple Sclerosis. The loss of cognitive awareness and the loss of mental acuity is MS Brain Fog. And it could be that you have brain fog clouding your view of MS.
Brain Fog is a term used to describe a loss of mental acuity. It has, to the best of my knowledge, no clinical name. It is a form of cognitive dysfunction, although this term encompasses any of a range of cognitive deficits.
I suffer from this, almost constantly, to one degree or another. It presents as absent-mindedness or forgetfulness, difficulty in concentrating, and, occasionally as a lack of spatial awareness or dysmetria. I have seen it described as a “mental cataract” preventing you from seeing things clearly.
Brain Fog Clouding
I use the phrase “Brain Fog Clouding” purposefully because brain fog obscures your perception of reality making everyday management of your autoimmune disease difficult.
You may have noticed that you are having trouble focusing. You may have even noticed brain fog clouding your mind, making it tough to think clearly. While this may feel normal to you, it might be a sign of an underlying health condition that needs immediate medical attention. Which conditions cause brain fog? Read on below to learn the most common causes of brain fog, as well as how to treat them.
This can give rise to periods of “staring seizures” where you space out and then drift back. This can be unnerving and I have experienced it only once.
Recently, I was in my kitchen making a mug of coffee, I had put a teaspoonful of coffee in the mug and switched the kettle on. I found myself staring at the mug holding the teaspoon. My mind was blank!
This lasted for perhaps 20 seconds and something made me take a step back, at which point everything became clear again. This was a strange and frightening experience. Was I losing my marbles?
The forgetfulness can lead to many “senior moments”. And can really make you think you are beginning to suffer from dementia. Where dysarthria can leave you fumbling to enunciate words, the brain fog can leave you searching for the words to start with. This leaves me feeling idiotic.
To take the last thought a little further; Brain Fog can be likened to dementia with good reason, it is a form of dementia! Dementia and Multiple Sclerosis are both considered to be diseases and disease is, by definition: a name given to a collection of symptoms.
Treatments for Foggy Head
Sjorgen’s Syndrome is a CNS condition that also presents these symptoms, but should not be confused with multiple sclerosis.
Diet is important to good mitochondrial health and a good blood supply to the brain is essential for optimum thinking and clarity of thought. A very good book that deals with mitochondrial health is The Wahls Protocol which propounds a dietary regime that I follow with exceptional results.
Brain fog is a common symptom of a number of ailments, everything from a minor cold to a serious, chronic illness. If you’re experiencing brain fog, the medical term for the feeling of being mentally exhausted and unable to focus, you aren’t alone. While there are a number of causes of brain fog, from anaemia to depression, one of the most common causes is hypoglycemia, low blood sugar.
I am not aware of any medication that can specifically target brain fog. Many pain-relieving drugs can, however, exacerbate it. I have found amitriptyline particularly bad and I believe Gabapentin can be equally detrimental.
Brain Fog Limitations
I find myself having to rewrite many posts. Because I have forgotten what I was doing and deleted a perfectly good piece of writing.
This is a very inefficient way of working. It is also a highly infuriating way of working. MS Brain Fog makes coherent writing very difficult. But, it is a challenge that any MSer should be willing to accept.
When you feel like you’re in a cloud, detached from reality, ungrounded and easily distracted, you’re experiencing brain fog. Unlike the ‘brain freeze’ that comes from eating too many ice-creams, brain fog can be extremely debilitating and affect your ability to perform even the most basic tasks. Here we outline the causes of brain fog and how to reduce brain fog clouding your thoughts.
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