Fatigue - You Don’t Have to Live With It
by Ruth Galbraith, ND
Are you always tired? Do you wake every morning unrefreshed? Do you feel that no matter how much sleep you get, you are never well rested, or do you suffer from insomnia on a regular basis? Do you know you should exercise, but feel worse if you do?
Do you struggle through each day, just trying to find the energy to put one foot in front of the other? Do you suffer from insidious muscle and joint pains or frequent sore throats or other infections? Do you find you have a difficult time remembering what you were going to do or say, or have trouble choosing the right words?
These, and a host of other symptoms, can be part of the picture for someone suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).
According to the CFIDS Association of America, 800,000 adults in the U.S. suffer from CFS/CFIDS. These people may experience symptoms so severe that it breaks up their marriage or causes them to lose their job. Eighty percent of those who suffer have not been diagnosed.
In addition to those symptoms listed above, a CFIDS sufferer may experience:
incapacitating fatigue or profound exhaustion; extremely poor stamina (worse after physical or mental exertion and requiring extended recovery time); tender lymph nodes; headaches; inability to comprehend or retain what is read; inability to calculate numbers; visual disturbances (blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain, need for frequent prescription changes); depression; irritability; anxiety; panic attacks; mood swings; chills; night sweats; shortness of breath; dizziness; balance problems; sensitivity to heat or cold; alcohol intolerance; irregular heartbeat; irritable bowel (abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, gas/bloating); low grade fever or low body temperature; numbness; tingling or burning sensations; dryness of mouth and eyes; gynecological problems including PMS and endometriosis; chest pains; rashes; ringing in the ears; allergies; sensitivities to noise, odors, chemicals or medications; unexplained weight changes; light-headedness; mental fogginess; fainting; muscle twitches; and seizures.
All of this sounds rather grim, but the good news is that there is so much that can be done about chronic fatigue and related illnesses. The first step, and perhaps the most important, is to get the diagnosis right. Just as many who suffer from CFIDS have not been diagnosed, there are quite a few incorrect CFIDS diagnoses. It’s important to see a doctor who will take the time to really listen to your history and consider all the possibilities, order the correct testing to rule out other serious disorders, and move forward with treatment that builds your immune function and stamina, rather than further depleting you.
Because many of the symptoms of CFIDS can mirror those of other illnesses or disorders (such as Lyme disease, diabetes, IBS, colitis, various autoimmune disorders, menopause, cancer and hypothyroidism, to name a few) only a qualified health care professional should make the diagnosis.
Naturopathic doctors are particularly well suited to properly diagnose and treat those suffering from chronic fatigue and related disorders. Because a naturopathic doctor spends 1-2 hours with each new patient, a thorough history and physical examination are obtained, from which appropriate testing can be done and diagnosis made. In addition, the principles of naturopathic medicine dictate that a patient’s treatment will be nourishing to the body, promote wholeness, and enhance the body’s own ability to attain and maintain optimum health without the ongoing use of medications. Many standard treatments for CFIDS, Fibromyalgia and other causes of fatigue and chronic pain are primarily symptomatic in nature and do not address the underlying cause of the problem – therefore, lasting results have been difficult to obtain.
What would you do if you discovered that a few simple tests and some modifications to your diet could make all the difference in the world to how you feel? Depending on the results of your lab tests, some minor adjustments to your body’s chemistry using completely natural, bio-identical hormones or even just a customized mix of herbs could have you back on track and feeling like you used to, full of energy and ready to go out and enjoy life!
If you have been struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome or a related disorder and have seen multiple doctors with few positive results, consider trying naturopathic medicine. You will discover a whole new way of approaching your fatigue, with treatments tailored specifically to your individual needs, and results that are deeper and more long-lasting, often permanently restoring your health and physical function.
by Ruth Galbraith, ND