While there is no cure, you should be treated for chronic fatigue syndrome to minimize the symptoms, if left untreated, could leave you with decreased function or homebound. By treating the symptoms, you can improve your physical condition, return to normal activities and enhance your quality of life. According to a 2005 CDC study, 40 percent of CFS patients improved their symptoms.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can be difficult to treat and there is currently no cure. Effective treatment may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, healthy diet and dietary supplements, clean sleep habits and medication to treat depression, allergies and joint pain. You may also find alternative treatments like acupuncture, meditation, yoga and massage to be helpful.
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HealthyWomen answeredFatigue is a state of overwhelming, sustained exhaustion and a reduced capacity for physical and mental work that rest doesn't improve. Fatigue can be a symptom of an underlying medical or psychiatric disorder. Some options to manage fatigue include lifestyle adjustments, such as energy conservation adjustments. This technique encourages you to review which activities and/or responsibilities during the day require more (or less) energy and then to plan for them by conserving energy where you can, so expending it where it's really needed won't be so exhausting. Aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) and making sure you get enough refreshing sleep can help with fatigue management as well. -
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Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum , Integrative Medicine, answeredSometimes spinal manipulation (especially in the neck) can flare autonomic dysfunction if the space in the spinal cord is tight.
This is not a big deal and simply requires a tune up. Begin with taking (or continuing) a nutritional supplementation program that targets CFS. Include Ribose and add natural remedies or medications (Ambien, Desyrel, Klonopin) as needed to get your eight hours sleep a night. Ask your doctor to increase your thyroid dose to see if it helps and if spastic colon or nasal congestion symptoms are present, consider treating for candida. Add in vitamin B6 each day for 6-12 weeks as it can help recovery from the chiropractic manipulation.
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Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum , Integrative Medicine, answered
Although the coping skills taught in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be very helpful for any illness, in chronic fatigue syndrome some practitioners make the severe mistake of trying to convince people that their illness is not real. This is as inappropriate as saying multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or quadriplegia is not real.
This is especially important because very effective treatment for CFS is actually available.
As the CFS represents an energy crisis in your body, it is important to eliminate things that drain your energy such as infections, nutritional or hormonal deficiencies, or certain toxic exposures that people or certain jobs may be exposed to. Basically, if you're feeling like an "emotional toxic waste dump," learning to say “no” to things and people that don't feel good can be an important part of the healing process.