Getting help with CFS may be difficult because the condition is so mysterious. However, you can take a proactive approach to the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome with the support of your physician and you can use self-hypnosis as a guide. CFIDS and CFS are treatable and you can get the relief that you need.
Learning about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The problem with this condition is that it is a relatively new discovery and it is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are quite problematic.
The basic symptoms include excessive exhaustion without cause. Exercise is completely exhausting and you have difficulty functioning properly because you are so very tired.
It is crucial that you understand that this is a real syndrome that has serious ramifications on your overall health and your daily life.
This is not an imagined condition that will simply go away on its own. You should seek help with CFS from your physician and you can augment your treatment plan with self-hypnosis.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Statistics show that between 100,000 and 250,000 Americans suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome with some researchers believing the levels are actually higher than that.
There is a misconception that chronic fatigue syndrome is more common in women than it is in men. For this reason, CFS may have gone undiagnosed in men. Also, men don’t visit doctors as often as women. The fact is, while women are 3 times more likely to get CFS, men DO get it as well.
Both male and female CFS sufferers share many of the same symptoms and levels of functioning/disability. It can be difficult to diagnose CFS because the symptoms can be different from person to person.
The reason CFS is hard to diagnose is because the symptoms can mimic other health issues like flu, mononucleosis, fibromyalgia, or even depression! However, researchers have identified these common complaints that occur in 85 to 100% of CFS sufferers:
- Persistent, life-altering fatigue not related to exertion, not relieved by rest.
- Four or more of the following symptoms that have been present for 6 months:
- Short term memory impairment
- Impaired mental function/lack of concentration, brain fog, depression
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Low grade fever
- Muscle/joint pain without redness/swelling
- Unusual (for you) headaches
- Sensitivity to smells, noise, light, medications, food
- Sleep disorders, too much, inability to sleep
- Impaired immune function – Candida infections, allergies.
Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Researchers are not quite sure what causes chronic fatigue syndrome. There are some who favor viral causes from several different possible viruses including herpes simplex, the virus that commonly causes cold sores. Epstein-Barr, the virus that causes mononucleosis is another possible cause.
There are others who think that CFS is an autoimmune disorder, as seen in lupus, or allergic individuals, or rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system ramps up into high gear to fight invading organisms and winds up attacking itself instead!
Still other researchers feel CFS may be caused by other physical conditions, such as mercury dental fillings, low thyroid, low blood sugar, insomnia, or even a nutritional deficiency! Whatever the various possible causes, there seems to be an association between CFS and stress which may trigger the condition.
Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome
This condition is also known as chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome. This condition is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis. There are other terms for CFS as well. This condition is problematic because the symptoms differ from one individual to the next and different systems of the body are affected.
What To Do
When patients have CFS-sounding complaints, a favor approach in treating of their symptoms is natural, more self-managing, approach which is based on use of nutritional (diet and vitamins), along with lifestyle adjustments. Below are some strategies that I use in managing CFS:
Vitamin therapy: Men need higher doses of all the B vitamins which can boost energy levels. Vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene are antioxidants that also help fight viruses. Vitamin D helps boost the immune system.
Mineral therapy: Calcium, magnesium, and manganese. These three minerals are crucial in energy production.
Diet therapy: A well-balanced diet with 6-8 fruits, vegetables, higher protein, high fiber, complex carbohydrates. Limit refined sugars, caffeine, and fat. Add acidophilus to aid the immune system, drink 48-64 oz water daily.
Lifestyle therapy: Minimize emotional/physical stressors. Get enough sleep, supplements such as melatonin can help. Get regular, moderate exercise that you can sustain, like casual walking, bicycling, or swimming. Yoga and Tai-Chi can help de-stress you.
Counseling: Men need to talk about their feelings, how being chronically sick is affecting their personal relationships and their career life. One-on-one, or group therapy, can help restore a man’s loss of self-esteem and give him a sense of support and camaraderie amongst other men during the illness.
