Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome



What is chronic fatigue syndrome?


Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease that causes you to become so fatigued (tired) you can't perform normal daily tasks. This is called chronic fatigue. The main symptom of CFS is chronic fatigue that lasts more than 6 months. Physical or mental activity often make the symptoms worse, and rest usually doesn't improve the symptoms.

CFS is complicated and difficult to diagnose. Some people have a hard time accepting CFS as a disease. It's important to remember that your fatigue is real and that you can work with your doctor to improve your symptoms.

What are the other symptoms of CFS?




People with CFS experience fatigue that lasts a long time. Symptoms may include headaches, sore throat, tender or painful areas in your neck or armpits, unexplained muscle soreness, pain that moves from joint to joint without swelling or redness, loss of memory or concentration, trouble sleeping and extreme tiredness after exercising that lasts more than 24 hours. These and other symptoms often won't go away or keep coming back for 6 months or more.

CFS may occur after an illness such as a cold or it can start during or shortly after a period of high stress. It can also come on slowly without any clear starting point or any obvious cause. In some cases, CFS can last for years.

What causes chronic fatigue syndrome?

No one is certain about what causes CFS. The symptoms may be caused by an immune system that isn't working well. Or they may be caused by some kind of virus. Researchers are still looking for the cause of CFS.



How is chronic fatigue syndrome treated?

The first step is to see if there is any other explainable cause for your fatigue. Your doctor will probably want to review your symptoms and medical history, and give you a physical exam. Your doctor may also want to do some blood tests, but lab testing is not often helpful in the diagnosis of CFS.


Some of the symptoms, such as muscle aches, sleep problems, anxiety and depression, can be treated with medicine. The medicine may only reduce your symptoms and allow you to be more active, not cure the fatigue. So far, there is no medicine that cures the entire syndrome. Most symptoms improve with time.

How can I help myself?

• Keep a daily diary to identify times when you have the most energy. Plan your activities for these times.
  
• Keep up some level of activity and exercise, within your abilities. Your doctor can help you plan an exercise program to maintain your strength at whatever level is possible. Exercise can help your body and mind.
  
• Give yourself permission to recognize and express your feelings, such as sadness, anger and frustration. You may need to grieve for the energy you have lost.
  
• Ask for support from family and friends. Look for support groups or counseling in your community. Your doctor is another important source of help. Emotional support is important in coping with a chronic health problem.
  
• If your memory and concentration are affected by chronic fatigue, keep lists and make notes to remind yourself of important things. Also, give yourself more time for activities that take concentration. Medicine may also help you sleep better, which might improve your memory and concentration.
  How can my doctor help?
  
  Your doctor can work with you to provide symptom relief and to help you find ways of coping with the way CFS changes your life. Chronic fatigue affects you physically, emotionally and socially. When you address all of these factors, you have the best chance of adjusting to your illness and feeling more satisfied with your life.
  If you have CFS, a good long-term relationship with your doctor helps. This relationship can be the key to managing CFS.
  

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diseases

While the exact cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is unknown, there are several theories. Most experts believe that CFS is an immune activation (autoimmune) disorder in which the immune system is so geared up to defend the body against invaders that it attacks the body's own tissues. This autoimmune activity is similar in some respects to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Many CFS patients suffer from gastrointestinal overgrowth of Candida albicans and allergies, common findings in those with impaired immune function. Other experts believe that some sort of viral infection plays a role in CFS with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as the main suspect. Other suspected viral agents for CFS include the human herpes virus 6, Inoue-Melnich virus, Brucella, Borrelia bugdorferi, giardia lamblia, cytomegalovirus, enterovirus and the retrovirus.
Other possible causes of CFS include a defect in the mechanisms that regulate blood pressure, anemia, chronic mercury poisoning from amalgam dental fillings, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, sleep problems, and fibromyalgia.






As with all things, proper nutrition plays an important role in chronic fatigue syndrome. A deficiency of virtually any nutrient can produce the symptoms of fatigue and render the body more susceptible to infection.
Studies show that multiple nutrient deficiencies, food intolerance, or extreme physical or mental stress can trigger CFS. Incorporating dietary changes and nutritional supplementation to make up for deficiencies can help enhance the immune system, making it less susceptible to diseases such as CFS, and helping the body fight CFS by improving energy levels and easing some of the symptoms of the disease.
Those suffering from CFS often fall prey to other diseases and disorders as a result of their compromised immune systems. Depression is quite common among CFS patients. Also common is impaired or "sluggish" liver function (hepatic detoxification).
Impaired hepatic detoxification occurs when the liver is stressed by such things as exposure to food additives, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other toxins and can no longer remove these toxins from the body quickly enough. This "sluggish liver" problem leaves the body with a "junkyard" of foreign substances that cause depression, general malaise, headaches, digestive disturbances, allergies, chemical sensitivities, PMS and constipation; all of which a person who is already suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome hardly needs.
In one study of CFS patients with impaired hepatic detoxification who underwent a comprehensive detoxification program, 52% showed a reduction in symptoms after 10 weeks with symptom improvement mirroring the normalization of liver detoxification mechanisms. One system for liver detoxification is a Liquid Oxygen Flush. Another alternative is a Lemon/Honey Cleanse