Symptom 5. Muscle Weakness: The Vanishing Might
Muscle weakness, a pervasive sense of exhaustion, is another common symptom of ADEM. It’s not just about feeling tired after a long day or lack of sleep. This weakness is profound and pervasive, draining energy and leaving a shell of your former self.
Your muscles might feel heavy, as if weighed down by invisible weights. Everyday tasks like opening a jar or climbing stairs become Herculean tasks. The strength you once took for granted seems to have abandoned you, leaving behind a sense of helplessness.
This muscle weakness is the consequence of inflammation wreaking havoc in your nervous system. The signals from your brain to your muscles get distorted, much like a disrupted telephone line. The messages get scrambled, resulting in decreased muscle power and a sense of constant fatigue.
Living with this muscle weakness can be distressing. You can feel trapped in your own body, struggling against an invisible adversary that’s draining your strength. The joy of physical activity is replaced with a battle against relentless fatigue and dwindling strength.
Feelings of unexplained muscle weakness shouldn’t be written off as a lack of exercise or aging. It could be your muscles subtly hinting at a deeper, underlying issue. Pay heed to the hints your body is giving you, it might just lead to the resolution of your unseen battles. (5)
