Do you persistently feel tired? Even resting does not give any relief in the condition? Is tiredness or fatigue limiting your daily activities as physical exertion is making it worse? All the other medical conditions have been ruled out by your doctor as he found nothing abnormal in your blood investigations and physical examination?
Then you might be suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome. Most of the cases go undiagnosed and do not get treated.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disorder in which person suffers with persistent and severe tiredness for over six months without any underlying medical condition. Tiredness is not relieved by rest and becomes worse on physical or mental activity. Person may experience a kind of brain fag which makes concentration difficult and low energy level makes daily activities difficult. It most commonly affects people in their forties and fifties and is more common in women than men.
What causes it?
The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown but many theories try to explain the mechanism of the disease.
- Infections: Many people experience severe tiredness or flu like symptoms before appearance of other symptoms which explains link between viral infections and chronic fatigue syndrome. Viruses, like Epstein Barr virus, herpes virus, and retrovirus are linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Impaired immune system: Altered or impaired immune system makes the person prone to chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Difficulty in handling Stress: Difficulty managing stress may contribute to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Other causes: Hormonal imbalance, physical or mental trauma, lack of sleep are among other causes for chronic fatigue syndrome.
What are the common symptoms?
- Tiredness or fatigue: Severe and persistent fatigue or chronic tiredness interferes with work or daily activities. Person feels prolonged exhaustion even on daily physical or mental activity. Rest does not give any relief.
- Brain fag: Impaired short term memory due to difficulty in concentration and mental tiredness.
- Depression: Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome experience prolonged sadness and lethargy, low energy level is also a common symptom.
- Pain: Person may experience pain in multiple joints without active swelling and unexplained muscle ache.
- Disturbed sleep: Person does not wake up refreshed.
- Headache
- Sore throat
How is it Diagnosed?
There are no specific laboratory tests for diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. Clinical findings and symptoms often help to diagnose and exclude the possibilities of other diseases.
What are the treatment options?
- Conventional treatment depends upon symptoms of the patient. It believes in correcting the symptoms of the person. Treatment options like antidepressants, painkillers, sleeping pills may help the person to certain extent.
- Psychological counseling may help to learn effective coping mechanisms to resolve the stress.
- Life style modifications: Graded exercise therapy, avoiding stressful situations, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugar and sweeteners, relaxing, and healthy diet will help you along with proper treatment.
How homeopathy can help you?
Holistic and individualistic approach of homeopathy can effectively treat the symptoms and corrects the altered immune system which leads to internal healing. Some homeopathic pills can effectively deal with multiple symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and can do wonders. It can reduce the dependency on the pain killers and antidepressants. Homeopathy is strongly recommended in case of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Are you too facing symptoms of chronic fatigue? Get in touch with us to know how you can be helped with homeopathic treatment. Leave your contact details here. Alternately you can give us a call on +91-22-66888888 or write in to us at info@lifeforce.in
-Dr Aparna Hingmire, Associate doctor to Dr Rajesh Shah, Life Force Team
