Understanding the Fatigue Rating Scale for IBD
Fatigue is a common and often debilitating symptom for individuals living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Unlike regular tiredness, IBD-related fatigue can be overwhelming, persistent, and challenging to manage. It is important to assess and track fatigue to understand its impact and help guide treatment strategies.
Crohn's and Colitis Ireland (CCI) offers a valuable tool to help individuals measure and track their fatigue levels: The Fatigue Rating Scale. This scale is designed to help both patients and healthcare providers assess the severity of fatigue and better understand its effect on daily life.
What is the Fatigue Rating Scale?
The Fatigue Rating Scale is a simple yet effective tool that allows individuals living with IBD to rate their fatigue levels. By regularly completing the scale, patients can gain a clearer picture of how fatigue impacts their daily functioning. This information is crucial in working with healthcare providers to develop personalised management plans that address fatigue and its underlying causes.
The scale is based on a series of questions that help to measure the intensity and frequency of fatigue. It can track how fatigue affects activities such as work, social interactions, physical activity, and overall quality of life. The Fatigue Rating Scale is an essential part of understanding fatigue as a symptom and plays a key role in improving care for individuals living with IBD.
Why Use the Fatigue Rating Scale?
Our Fatigue Rating Scale for IBD is designed to help people living with IBD:
- Self-assess their fatigue and its impact on their daily life.
- Easily raise fatigue symptoms with healthcare professionals during consultations.
- Evaluate whether lifestyle changes are improving fatigue levels.
- Discuss fatigue with family, friends, and employers to help them understand the challenges faced.
We encourage people with IBD to bring a completed fatigue scale to their appointments with their healthcare team. This tool is intended to support better conversations and more effective management of fatigue.
If you would like any help in using the scale or would like to send your feedback please email wladzia.czuber-dochan@kcl.ac.uk
You can access and score the Fatigue Rating Scale below.