Why am I so tired after my stroke?

BACKGROUND Fatigue is a common complaint after a stroke, and contributes to the large national burden of caring for stroke victims. Nevertheless, causes and cures for post-stroke fatigue are generally under-appreciated. DISCUSSION Post-stroke fatigue can be organic, psychological, emotional, or a combination of these. A precise diagnosis will aid in treatment planning for effective return to normal levels of activity. Depending on the cause of fatigue, a post-stroke patient may benefit from physical therapy, occupational therapy, anti-depressants, counseling, and careful attention to basic needs. However, patients and care-givers should be patient and recognize that a stroke victims may never fully recover their abilities and dealing with fatigue may be a long-term issue. CONCLUSION Post-stroke fatigue can be vexing but multi-modal rehabilitation often allows at least some improvement. Additional research on effective therapy for different sources of fatigue will benefit our stroke patients in the future.