WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Arefa Cassoobhoy,
MD, MPH
MD, MPH
You’re
having a conversation, and suddenly you can’t remember the right word — or the
wrong words come tumbling out of your mouth. You’re cooking dinner, the timer’s
going off, but you can’t remember why you set it.
having a conversation, and suddenly you can’t remember the right word — or the
wrong words come tumbling out of your mouth. You’re cooking dinner, the timer’s
going off, but you can’t remember why you set it.
When
brain fog clouds your thinking, you may feel frustrated or embarrassed. You may
also wonder what it means for your MS. But don’t worry. It happens. With your
doctor’s help and some new techniques, you can learn ways to work around it.
brain fog clouds your thinking, you may feel frustrated or embarrassed. You may
also wonder what it means for your MS. But don’t worry. It happens. With your
doctor’s help and some new techniques, you can learn ways to work around it.
MS Overview Slideshow
MS Relapse Slideshow
4 Brain Fog Basics
Brain
fog is a catchall term for all sorts of brain changes that can come with MS.
Here are four things to know.
fog is a catchall term for all sorts of brain changes that can come with MS.
Here are four things to know.
- It’s
common. About half the people with MS
have these issues at some point, says Rosalind Kalb, PhD, a clinical
psychologist and vice president of clinical care at the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society. For most, the cloudy thinking is mild and
manageable. Only 5% to 10% of people with MS have issues with their
thinking that seriously affect their day-to-day life or career. - It
can affect your short-term memory, attention, and concentration. It
can muck up your ability to retain new information and plan.But it doesn’t
usually affect your intelligence, reading comprehension, or long-term
memory. - It
may get worse over time, but it may not. Once
you have episodes of brain fog, they usually don’t go away completely.
They are more likely to progress slowly. - It
can have many causes. Sometimes the fog is triggered
by actual changes in the brain caused by MS. But it can also be brought on
by other issues — like depression,
fatigue, and side effects from medication.
Tips for Managing Brain Fog
Pinpoint
the cause. Talk to your doctor. You could have an underlying and treatable
condition — like depression — that’s to blame for your fuzzy thinking. Taking
medications for bladder problems and having trouble sleeping can also leave you
foggy, says Cindy Richman, senior director of patient and health care relations
at the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
the cause. Talk to your doctor. You could have an underlying and treatable
condition — like depression — that’s to blame for your fuzzy thinking. Taking
medications for bladder problems and having trouble sleeping can also leave you
foggy, says Cindy Richman, senior director of patient and health care relations
at the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
Get
organized. If your memory is unreliable, stop relying on it. “You
really have to replace your memory with organization,” Kalb says. Get in
the habit of writing everything down.
organized. If your memory is unreliable, stop relying on it. “You
really have to replace your memory with organization,” Kalb says. Get in
the habit of writing everything down.
Have
a family calendar. Hang it in the kitchen or another central place where you and the
rest of your family will see it many times a day. “Everyone in the family
from age 6 or 7 and up should be responsible for adding to it,” Kalb says.
a family calendar. Hang it in the kitchen or another central place where you and the
rest of your family will see it many times a day. “Everyone in the family
from age 6 or 7 and up should be responsible for adding to it,” Kalb says.
Use
tech.
Your smartphone can be an ally. Try out MS-specific apps as well as alarms to
keep you on track. You can set reminders to go off right where you need them —
like the supermarket or drugstore.
tech.
Your smartphone can be an ally. Try out MS-specific apps as well as alarms to
keep you on track. You can set reminders to go off right where you need them —
like the supermarket or drugstore.
Cut
down on distractions. Brain fog can make it harder to filter out background noise and
other things that can take your attention. So if you need to concentrate on a
task or conversation, turn off the TV or go to a quiet space.
down on distractions. Brain fog can make it harder to filter out background noise and
other things that can take your attention. So if you need to concentrate on a
task or conversation, turn off the TV or go to a quiet space.
Here is another source to read about Brain Fog
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