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Chronric Diseases

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME – THE EXHAUSTING FACTS

Imagine feeling fine when you wake up one morning, but by the end of the day, you fee
l like you’ve  got a bad case of the flu. The  fatigue  is too severe  to feel  like you can
function properly, let alone get out of bed the next day.

You need help just to get  to the bathroom. Every muscle  joint in your  body hurts, you
have a piercing headache and your throat is scratchy. You find it difficult to think clearly
and, despite feeling exhausted, you may find that your sleep is restless and you feel less
than refreshed when you wake in the morning.

You think it’s the flu and tomorrow will be better, but then tomorrow comes and it’s not
better and six weeks later there is little improvement, and then six  months later, you’re
still exhausted. What’s going on?

The above description is a typical scenario when Chronic Fatigue  Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) strikes.

CFIDS, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)
and by other names, is a complex and debilitating chronic illness that affects the brain
and multiple body systems.

CFIDS is characterized by incapacitating fatigue (experienced as profound exhaustion
and extremely poor stamina) and problems with concentration and short-term memory.

Symptoms

CFIDS is also accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as pain in the joints and muscles, disrupted sleep or feeling unrefreshed after sleep, tender lymph nodes, sore throat and headache.

A distinctive characteristic of the illness is post-exertional malaise, a worsening of
symptoms following physical or mental exertion occurring within 12-48 hours of the
exertion and requiring an extended recovery period.

The symptoms of CFIDS are highly variable and fluctuate in severity, complicating
treatment and the ill person’s ability to  cope with the illness. Most symptoms are
invisible, which  makes  it difficult  for  others  to  understand  the  vast  array of
debilitating symptoms with which people with the illness must contend.

Other symptoms frequently reported by people with CFIDS include difficulty
comprehending or retaining what is read, inability to calculate numbers and
impairment of speech and/or reasoning.

Visual  disturbances (blurring, sensitivity  to light, eye pain, need  for frequent
prescription changes); psychological problems  (depression, irritability, anxiety,
panic  attacks, personality  changes, mood  swings); chills  and  night sweats;
shortness of breath; dizziness and balance problems are additional symptoms.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of CFIDS is a time-consuming and difficult process which is generally arrived
at by excluding other illnesses with similar symptoms  comparing a patient's symptoms
with the 1994 International case definition.

As yet, there is no indicator or diagnostic test that can clearly identify the disorder. Overlapping symptoms can occur with several diseases, such  as fibromyalgia, and
multiple chemical sensitivities.

Social Impacts of CFIDS

CFIDS not only affects one’s physical status but also one’s social, family and work life.
Often just keeping up with  day to day  responsibilities can  be very difficult. A person
with CFIDS needs to rely heavily on one’s social network for support.

For people living on their own, taking the garbage out or maintaining normal household
duties  becomes  cumbersome. Individuals  with  CFIDS  are  often  unable to maintain
normal work  responsibilities  as some  days are  worse than  others and the person is
unable to get out of bed.

Exercise may be  difficult and  maintaining  an  active social  life may be  hampered by
fatigue and exhaustion. Some common feelings for the person with CFIDS include guilt,
helplessness, confusion, dependence, anger, sadness  worthlessness as  they struggle
to cope.

Treatment with Complementary Therapies

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a Chinese therapy practiced for more than 2,000 years. It involves the
insertion of  tiny, hair-thin, smooth-pointed  needles  into  specific  body points called
meridians. There are 12 meridians, each  believed  to be associated  with a  vital body
function or organ.

It is thought that by stimulating  these points, a person's "vital energy," or "qi," can be balanced. Acupuncture is used to relieve pain, prevent nausea  and to treat substance
abuse as well  as several other conditions. Side  effects are  minimal but there is a risk
of infection from improperly sterilized needles.

To help decrease this risk, it is important to find a certified practitioner. There are
standards and certifications in place for acupuncture practitioners.

Acupressure & Therapeutic Massage 

Acupressure massage such as Shiatsu or Hannya Massge, is  similar to acupuncture in
that it focuses on the body's 12 meridians, or pathways to vital energy. It is based on traditional Chinese medicine  that applies manual pressure  to specific points along the
pathways to relieve pain, stress, mild depression, and other disorders.

The theory of therapeutic massage is that the body's soft tissues respond to touch, an essential element of  health and well-being. According  to  Massage Magazine, massage
was the first health procedure used to relieve pain, because the  first thing that people
do is touch and rub a painful area.

Massage is defined  as rubbing soft tissues of the body to alleviate  pain and stress.
Proponents of this therapy also report that massage eases the symptoms of irritable
bowel syndrome.

Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine

Naturopaths believe in the natural healing capacity of a person and adhere to the
concept of harmonious functioning of the  entire being: physical, mental, spiritual,
emotional, environmental and social.

Naturopathic practitioners treat people with a combination of many methods, which
can include  nutrition, plant-based (botanical) medicine, physical medicine, exercise,
massage, counseling, biofeedback, and hypnotherapy.

Homeopathy utilizes  highly  individualized  treatment plans that consist of natural pharmaceuticals, derived from plants, minerals and animals. These substances are
chosen  to create the same symptoms a person  is experiencing so  that the body
can build its own defenses and heal itself.

Supporters of this  therapy cite the use of  immunizations  in traditional  medicine as a
type of homeopathic therapy, because the body develops antibodies (builds a defense
system) to protect it from disease after the vaccine is given.

Meditation 

Meditation is used to ease stress, chronic pain and anxiety by giving the mind & body
a break from  the pressures  that accompany  life. The mind and  body are calmed by
staying in the present moment.

This is done by focusing on breathing, an image or a sound. It takes practice to acquire
the  capability  to  do  this, but  once  this  is accomplished, proponents of this therapy
state that it is quite successful.

Meditation can  take several forms & it is important that a person choose the one that
is right for them. Learn more about this therapeutic technique  by finding an instructor,
reading a book, listening to audiotapes or searching the Internet for additional
information.

Sources: The CFIDS Association of America
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