Tag: Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

Are There Any Chronic Fatigue Treatments?

There is no specific treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome but a combination of treatments is being used by the doctors to alleviate the symptoms and signs. Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is characterized by neurological problems, having flu-like symptoms, and debilitating fatigue, often experienced as poor stamina and extreme exhaustion. There are various core symptoms such as general pain, mental fogginess, excessive fatigue and gastro-intestinal problems, headaches, sleep disorder, sore throat, and abnormal temperature.

Display of symptoms varies among the patients. The degree of their severity varies, which can be between getting easily fatigued after stressful activity, being completely bedridden, and totally disabled. Should the symptoms not indicative of other serious health problems they should wane and disappear over time. For some patients, the chronic fatigue illness starts suddenly with a flu that does not go away completely while for other patients it gradually appears over a period of time. For many patients, the illness is often triggered after involving in high stress circumstance.

The combination is taken from the following treatments:

Cognitive behavior treatment. This is a therapy combined with the gradual exercise and wherein the patient is treated by dealing with their mental health. The aim is to classify behaviors and negative beliefs that cause delay of recovery and eventually replace with positive, healthy behaviors.

Moderating daily activities. The patient is encouraged to avoid or reduce excessive psychological and physical stress; however, it is not encouraged to take too much rest. In this treatment, the objective is to gently enhance the stamina and maintain moderate activity level.

Gradual/steady exercise. This is a kind of exercise program where the patient relies on the help of physical therapist. It aims to increase gradually the level of exercise to improve chronic fatigue symptoms.

Depression treatment. Depression is treated with serotonin re-uptake inhibitor and tricyclic anti-depressants. The anti-depressant does not only help treat depression but it can also relieve pain and improve sleep.

Pain treatment. Like depression, pain is medically treated by administering non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, like ibuprofen or aspirin, or acetaminophen. These medicines can also aid in lowering the fever and pain.

Allergy-like treatment. Medical treatment used is antihistamines, like cetirizine, decongestants, and fexofenadine. These drugs help relieve allergy symptoms like runny nose.

Hypotension treatment. The low blood pressure is treated with drugs like atenolol, midodrine, and fludrocortisones. These are useful when people suffer from chronic fatigue.

Poor nervous system treatment. Clonazepam is used to treat symptoms like skin tenderness and dizziness while anxiety is treated with alprazolam and lorazepam.

There are experimental therapies that experts continue to research with the aim of finding treatments for the syndrome. These therapies include the following:

Acupuncture
Anti-viral drugs
D-ribose
Methylphenidate
Immune globulins
Cholinesterase inhibitors
Corticosteroids

The Food Diet

In addition to the above mentioned treatments, health experts advise patients to be careful with their diet. They recommend avoiding diet rich in toxins or those unhealthy foods. Patients should be careful with foods containing carcinogens, aspartame, additives, mono sodium glutamate, amalgam, fluoride, sugar, among others.

Unhealthy foods such as table or refined salt, margarine, hydrogenated fats, chlorinated water, refined oils, junk foods, fried and smoked foods, soft drinks, baking powder, and alcohol drinks can aggravate chronic fatigue symptoms so they must be avoided at most times.

Causes Of Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

Drowsiness is a simple feeling that can be relieved by going to sleep. Fatigue is more serious such that sleep can never relieve the condition. Apathy is more different as it is a condition where one doesn’t completely care of the things around them. All three are fatigue symptoms. Fatigue is the condition when one is suffering from tiredness, lack of energy, and weariness. Chronic fatigue symptoms are more serious than what you may think.

They require medical attention as there can be other serious health case overlooked. For example, a thyroid problem can cause fatigue symptoms. Another is the condition of depression, which is different from CFS, but displays similar symptoms such as low energy level and fatigue lasting a day.

Sometimes, the symptoms of chronic fatigue are associated by other illnesses, such as diabetes, addison’s disease, eating disorders like bulimia or anorexia, arthritis, kidney disease, congestive heart disease, lupus, cancer, and even malnutrition. If the patient is suffering the symptoms due to one of the mentioned diseases, medical advices are needed before giving them any kind of treatment. These symptoms are entirely different from the normal and common chronic fatigue symptoms, which often happen to adults who lead a pretty stressful and unhealthy lifestyle.

Causes of chronic fatigue symptoms can be divided into two types, psychological and physical, which include the following:

Sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy, or apnea
Asthma or hay fever
Hypothyroidism
Anemia
Illegal drugs or alcohol regular use
Ongoing pain
Grief and depression

There are home care treatments which can help overcome most of the chronic fatigue symptoms. Adequate and regular rest each night is one thing. Eating balanced and healthy diet, as well as drinking lots of water everyday, is another to curb the symptoms. Learning to avoid a sedentary daily lifestyle can bring the energy out of you. Even simple walking and jogging can help you relax. While maintaining a reasonable personal and work schedule will avoid you from getting easily tired. Or avoiding the increase in your stress level will keep those symptoms away.

Also, taking off from stressful circumstances will help you avoid too much stress. Taking vacation, dealing with relationship problems in a calmer way, taking multivitamins, and avoiding stress-triggering activities are simple yet proven ways to avoid those chronic fatigue symptoms. It also works if you avoid too much night life activities as well as refraining from too much consumption of nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, or drugs.

Alternative and Natural Remedies

If considering medication, there are alternative or natural remedies which can help the condition. There are different alternatives readily available such as having a reflexology massage. It is not only a good way to relax but it also helps improve your blood circulation. While acupuncture, on the other hand, is perfect for the more adventurous type. It increases physical and mental strength, a very ideal way to help overcome those symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Other natural remedies include meditation, which helps bring in your inner piece. And also aromatherapy, which gives you not only inner peace but helps you instantly relax after a whole day of stress and demands. All these natural remedies are believed to bring effective calming results; however, if the patient is suffering from other illness, it is advised that they seek medical advice from a qualified, professional physician before trying out any of these alternative medications.