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How Does Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Start

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Heart Failure Early Signs And Symptoms

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
  • Heart failure is a condition whereby the heart muscle is unable to adequately pump blood throughout the body.
  • There are a variety of illnesses and diseases that affect the heartâs pumping capability.
  • Heart failure causes signs and symptoms due to the excess accumulation of fluid within the tissues of the body.
  • When the heart muscle becomes weak and cannot adequately pump blood into the arteries, blood âbacks up,â and pressure in the blood vessels causes water to leak out of blood vessels into the tissues of the body, which may cause heart failure.

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How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated

Treatment is determined by your healthcare provider and based on:

  • Your overall health and medical history
  • Extent of the condition
  • Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
  • Expectations for the course of the condition
  • Your opinion or preference
  • Medicine, including corticosteroids, antidepressants, and others
  • Light-intensity aerobic exercise
  • Dietary supplements and herbal preparations
  • Psychotherapy and supportive counseling

What Is Causing My Chronic Fatigue

Wouldnt it be nice to know whats causing your chronic fatigue syndrome? Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by extreme fatigue that persists for more than six months. The fatigue often gets worse with physical or mental activity, and resting more does not seem to make a profound change. While it would be nice and easy if there was only one culprit responsible for causing chronic fatigue syndrome, we know this is not the case. If you struggle with Chronic fatigue, you should consider working with a doctor who is certified in Functional Medicine and one who can put these pieces of your health puzzle together.

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Severity Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms

Symptoms vary widely in severity and people may have some symptoms more severely than others. However, the following definitions are provided by NICE to provide a guide to the level of impact of symptoms on everyday functioning:

Features of mild chronic fatigue syndromeThese include:

  • You are able to care for yourself and do some light domestic tasks but may have difficulties with mobility.
  • You are usually still able to work or attend education, but to do this you have probably stopped all leisure and social pursuits.
  • You often have reduced hours, take days off and use the weekend to cope with the rest of the week.

Features of moderate chronic fatigue syndromeThese include:

  • You have reduced mobility and are restricted in all activities of daily living.
  • However you may have peaks and troughs in your level of symptoms and ability to do activities.
  • You have usually stopped work or education, and need rest periods, often resting in the afternoon for one or two hours.
  • Your sleep at night is generally of poor quality and disturbed.

Features of severe chronic fatigue syndromeThese include:

Features of very severe chronic fatigue syndromeThese include:

  • You are in bed all day and dependent on care.
  • You need help with personal hygiene and eating, and are very sensitive to sensory stimuli.
  • Some people with very severe CSF/ME may not be able to swallow and may need to be tube fed.

Severe Or Very Severe Cfs/me

Do You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

If you have severe or very severe CFS/ME, you will need more frequent reviews and increased support and care. You should also be referred:

  • To a physiotherapist or occupational therapist working in an CFS specialist team for support on developing energy management plans.
  • To a dietician with a special interest in CFS.

The process and pace of any CBT should be adjusted to meet your needs. This might include shorter, less frequent sessions and longer-term goals.

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Etiology Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Etiology of CFS is unknown. No infectious, hormonal, immunologic, or psychiatric cause has been established. Among the many proposed infectious causes, Epstein-Barr virus, Lyme disease, candidiasis, and cytomegalovirus have been proven not to cause CFS. Similarly, there are no allergic markers and no immunosuppression.

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Physiological Findings And Physical Therapy

As most physical therapy treatments are ultimately focused on exercise and movement, physical therapists need to review the aerobic and anaerobic respiratory cycles as they relate to ME/CFS patients.

Physical therapists must recognize that research indicates the aerobic metabolism system in those with ME/CFS is broken and according to Dr. Mark Van Ness of the University of the Pacific, Classic exercise training produces little improvement and may result in PEM. He also states, Aerobic conditioning does not appear to improve or repair broken aerobic metabolism.

”’Dialogues for ME/CFS” is made possible with a reward from the Wellcome Public Engagement Fund. Click https://www.dialogues-mecfs.co.uk/ for access to additional scientifically-based videos on ME/CFS.”’

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Some Of The Reasons For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

1. Emotional stress, typically related to grief or loss of a loved one, Marital stress, loss of a job or worrying about a health problem.

2. High Viral/Bacterial/ Mold Biotoxin Load-Because some people develop chronic fatigue syndrome after having a viral infection, researchers question whether some viruses might trigger the disorder. Suspicious viruses include the Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus Epstein Barr Virus, Fibromyalgia, CMV, Mycoplasma, Hepatitis C, Herpes, H.pylori, E.Coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella

3. Toxic Body Burden-We are exposed to more environmental toxins on a daily basis than ever before in history. Even the simplest of daily routines can expose one to several common pollutants found in the water we drink, food we eat, and air we breathe. While our liver, kidneys and lymphatic system play a major role in removing biologically harmful compounds, our bodies have not evolved to deal with the growing number of toxins we unknowingly interact with every day.

When chemicals enter the body, then can bind to human tissue proteins causing a variety of chronic health problems such as diabetes, autoimmune disease, MS, inflammatory disease, hormone imbalances and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to binding to human proteins, they easily overwhelm our Detoxification system causing stress to the liver and toxin overload. This happens when your body has taken in more toxins than it can process.

What Is The Prognosis

New research into chronic fatigue syndrome

The clinical course of CFS varies considerably among persons who have the disorder. The actual percentage of patients who recover is unknown, and even the definition of what should be considered recovery is subject to debate. Some patients recover to the point where they can resume work and other activities, but continue to experience various or periodic CFS symptoms. Some patients recover completely with time, and some grow progressively worse. CFS follows a cyclical course, alternating between periods of illness and relative well being.

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Assessment And Treatment Of Me/cfs Patients:

  • Validate your patient. Again, your patient has likely seen many providers who didnt know what to do, misdiagnosed them, or outright marginalized their condition. Acknowledge that you know this a biological illness and that you understand it is complex and can greatly impact a persons quality of life. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Determine your patients energy limitations first, based on oral history, report of measures such as hours upright in which the patient logs hours of standing/walking/running, sitting with both feet planted, sitting with feet elevated, and fully reclined. Patient log of activities and corresponding PEM is another way to obtain trackable information about the patients functional activities. Have the patient include in the activity log non-physical activities such as screen-time, social interactions, cognitive and emotional stressors, and any corresponding post-exertional malaise that may result. All treatment, regardless of the purpose, will be constrained by the patients energy limitations. Have your patient complete the Depaul Symptom Questionnaire Short Form for PEM. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • So What Does Chronic Fatigue Feel Like

    Sometimes, chronic fatigue feels like being covered in tar from head to toe. Limbs are heavy and there is a weight that is impossible to shift, even when doing the most menial of activities.

    It may feel as if someone is stabbing my legs with a small knife. Or, it can be a strange numbing sensation, like my leg is about to crack open.

    Most days it feels like staring at the sun or walking out into bright daylight, except this happens while indoors. I can spend the day unable to open my eyes completely.

    Occasionally, its close to that sweet spot between being drunk and hungover, except no cocktail happy hour preceded it.

    On most days, its like climbing up a steep hill carrying a baby elephant. I could go on

    Most doctors seem to overlook fatigue when treating women with endometriosis. As a patient, all I can do is stop fighting the fatigue and lie down, yet my body refuses to recharge, no matter how much I sleep. What I could really do with is a solution or a line of treatment. Maybe just some advice on what steps I can take to carry on with my life. Last week, I lost three days of work because I could barely do anything other than remain horizontal and close my eyes.

    Chronic fatigue is life-altering and needs specific attention. Having a health professional perform a subtle yet quite noticeable eye roll or barely acknowledge us when we mention this very real symptom should be a thing of the past.

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    Can Boredom Cause Fatigue

    Being bored can make you feel tired. That may sound strange, but it’s true. If you were very busy during your working years, you may feel lost about how to spend your time when you retire. When you wake up in the morning, you may see long days stretching before you with nothing planned. It doesn’t have to be that way.

    Engaging in social and productive activities that you enjoy, like volunteering in your community, may help maintain your well-being. Think about what interests you and what skills or knowledge you have to offer and look for places to volunteer. Read Participating in Activities You Enjoy for ways to find volunteer opportunities.

    Long Covid/ Long Haulers

    Chronic Fatigue: Easy Natural Remedies

    Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 in Wuhan Province, China, and its rapid spread into other parts of the world, researchers, scientists, and patients familiar with post-viral syndromes began to become concerned not only about the acute danger of this particular virus but the potential long-term sequelae. Following SARS-1, West Nile Virus, H1N1 influenza virus, and other reports claim, that up to 11% of patients who had severe infections from Epstein-Barr virus , Q fever , or Ross River virus , and others, develop ME/CFS. Other studies following SARS and MERS suggest an even higher proportion develop ME/CFS or Fibromyalgia.”

    Given that some estimates suggest as much as 75% of all ME/CFS patients developed their illness following a post-viral or post-bacterial illness, there has been considerable frustration in the ME/CFS community-researchers and patients alike-that had ME/CFS patients been taken more seriously all along, then research into what causes this debilitating outcome in some patients and not in others would have been identified and potentially remedied by now.

    Additionally, there is great frustration in the ME/CFS community as they watch these new cases as they are now being officially diagnosed as they pass the six-month mark required for official ME/CFS diagnosis.

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    Continued Research Should Lead To Better Understanding And Treatments

    A great deal more is known about ME/CFS today than 35 years ago. With continued and expanded support from the NIH, CDC, and private foundations dedicated to ME/CFS, I expect a lot of progress in the coming decade. Instead of doctors saying, The tests came back normal, there is nothing wrong, they will say, Tests showed us what was wrong, and we have treatments to fix it.

    And doctors will recognize the wisdom of the wise advice we all learned in medical school: Listen to your patient. The patient is telling you the diagnosis.

    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis And Your Dna: Alternative Tests

    Researchers have been busy carrying out studies to determine if there is a DNA connection that leads to the development or onset of myalgic encephalomyelitis. Recent findings have indicated that there may indeed be a correlation between a persons DNA and the disorder, so for some, it may be worth having your DNA tested, particularly if you have more than one family member that suffers from it.

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    Home Remedies And Lifestyle Changes

    Making some lifestyle changes may help reduce your symptoms.

    Limiting or eliminating your caffeine intake can help you sleep better and ease your insomnia. You should limit or avoid nicotine and alcohol too.

    Try to avoid napping during the day if its hurting your ability to sleep at night.

    Create a sleep routine. Go to bed at the same time every night and aim to wake up around the same time every day.

    You Feel Foggy Or Out Of It Mentally

    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Persistent Fatigue

    If in addition to feeling tired, you have a sense of fogginess or being out of it, this might be cause for concern. Cleveland Clinic pulmonologist Joseph Khabbaza, MD, says that some form of brain fog was found relatively often in patients, even in those with milder cases of COVID-19. And for more on cases that are not so mild, check out 80 Percent of Hospitalized COVID Patients Are Deficient in This Vitamin.

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    How Can I Feel Less Tired

    Some changes to your lifestyle can make you feel less tired. Here are some suggestions:

    • Keep a fatigue diary to help you find patterns throughout the day when you feel more or less tired.
    • Exercise regularly. Almost anyone, at any age, can do some type of physical activity. If you have concerns about starting an exercise program, ask your doctor if there are any activities you should avoid. Moderate exercise may improve your appetite, energy, and outlook. Some people find that exercises combining balance and breathing improve their energy.
    • Try to avoid long naps late in the day. Long naps can leave you feeling groggy and may make it harder to fall asleep at night. Read A Good Nights Sleep for tips on getting better rest at night.
    • Stop smoking.Smoking is linked to many diseases and disorders, such as cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems, which can drain your energy.
    • Ask for help if you feel swamped. Some people have so much to do that just thinking about their schedules can make them feel tired. Working with others may help a job go faster and be more fun.

    Other Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms

    Other symptoms that may be associated with CFS/ME include:

    • Dizziness, palpitations, fainting, nausea on standing or sitting upright from a lying position.
    • Increased sensitivity to temperature, causing increased sweating, chills, hot flushes or feeling very cold.
    • Twitching and other abnormal uncontrolled body movements.
    • Flu-like symptoms, including sore throat, tender glands, nausea, chills or muscle aches.
    • Intolerance to alcohol, or to certain foods or chemicals.
    • Increased sensitivities, including to light, sound, touch, taste and smell.
    • Pain, including pain on touch, muscle pain, headaches, eye pain, tummy pain, or joint pain.

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    Diagnosis Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    • Clinical criteria

    • Laboratory evaluation to exclude non-CFS disorders

    The diagnosis of CFS is made by the characteristic history combined with a normal physical examination and normal laboratory test results. Any abnormal physical findings or laboratory tests must be evaluated and alternative diagnoses that cause those findings and/or the patients symptoms excluded before the diagnosis of CFS can be made. The case definition is often useful but should be considered an epidemiologic and research tool and in some circumstances should not be strictly applied to individual patients.

    In February 2015, the Institute of Medicine published an extensive review of this disease called Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness. In this review, they proposed a new name, systemic exertion intolerance disease , and new diagnostic criteria that simplified the diagnosis and emphasized the most consistent features. In addition, the review clearly emphasized the validity of this debilitating disease.

    Diagnostic Criteria For Me/cfs Using The National Academy Of Medicine Clinical Criteria

    What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) â the answer might surprise

    For a diagnosis of ME/CFS, the person must have the following three symptoms:

  • Substantial reduction in functioning and persistent and profound fatigue for at least 6 months. The person is unable to undertake the same level of activity before they became ill. Their fatigue is not the result of significant exertion and is not substantially alleviated by rest.
  • Post-exertional malaise.
  • Diagnosis also requires at least one of the following two symptoms:

  • Cognitive impairment .
  • Orthostatic intolerance .
  • It is important to note that these are not the only symptoms of ME/CFS, just the minimum needed to meet the diagnostic criteria.

    While diagnosis requires that a person has had symptoms continually for six months, early intervention with pacing and rest can help reduce symptoms, improve quality of life and reduce the risk of exacerbating the disease. Research suggests that patients who are able to pace their activity and not push themselves tend to do better in the long term. Pacing and rest can start even prior to an official diagnosis.

    While there is currently no cure and no evidence-based treatments, it is important to find a doctor who is not only sympathetic to ME/CFS, but can work with you to help manage your symptoms.

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    What Are The Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    Symptoms of CFS often mimic the flu. The following are the most common symptoms of CFS. However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

    • Sensitivity to light
    • Low-grade fever
    • Depression

    The symptoms of CFS may look like other medical conditions. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

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