Chronic-FatigueJust another Totalaccessnet.com Blogs weblog

There is no specific treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome but a

combination of treatments is being used by the doctors to alleviate the

symptoms and signs. Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is characterized by

neurological problems, having flu-like symptoms, and debilitating fatigue,

often experienced as poor stamina and extreme exhaustion. There are various

core symptoms such as general pain, mental fogginess, excessive fatigue and

gastro-intestinal problems, headaches, sleep disorder, sore throat, and

abnormal temperature.

Display of symptoms varies among the patients. The degree of their severity

varies, which can be between getting easily fatigued after stressful

activity, being completely bedridden, and totally disabled. Should the

symptoms not indicative of other serious health problems they should wane

and disappear over time. For some patients, the chronic fatigue illness

starts suddenly with a flu that does not go away completely while for other

patients it gradually appears over a period of time. For many patients, the

illness is often triggered after involving in high stress circumstance.

The combination is taken from the following treatments:

• Cognitive behavior treatment. This is a therapy combined with the gradual

exercise and wherein the patient is treated by dealing with their mental

health. The aim is to classify behaviors and negative beliefs that cause

delay of recovery and eventually replace with positive, healthy behaviors.

• Moderating daily activities. The patient is encouraged to avoid or reduce

excessive psychological and physical stress; however, it is not encouraged

to take too much rest. In this treatment, the objective is to gently

enhance the stamina and maintain moderate activity level.

• Gradual/steady exercise. This is a kind of exercise program where the

patient relies on the help of physical therapist. It aims to increase

gradually the level of exercise to improve chronic fatigue symptoms.

• Depression treatment. Depression is treated with serotonin re-uptake

inhibitor and tricyclic anti-depressants. The anti-depressant does not only

help treat depression but it can also relieve pain and improve sleep.

• Pain treatment. Like depression, pain is medically treated by

administering non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, like ibuprofen or

aspirin, or acetaminophen. These medicines can also aid in lowering the

fever and pain.

• Allergy-like treatment. Medical treatment used is antihistamines, like

cetirizine, decongestants, and fexofenadine. These drugs help relieve

allergy symptoms like runny nose.

• Hypotension treatment. The low blood pressure is treated with drugs like

atenolol, midodrine, and fludrocortisones. These are useful when people

suffer from chronic fatigue.

• Poor nervous system treatment. Clonazepam is used to treat symptoms like

skin tenderness and dizziness while anxiety is treated with alprazolam and

lorazepam.

There are experimental therapies that experts continue to research with the

aim of finding treatments for the syndrome. These therapies include the

following:

• Acupuncture
• Anti-viral drugs
• D-ribose
• Methylphenidate
• Immune globulins
• Cholinesterase inhibitors
• Corticosteroids

The Food Diet

In addition to the above mentioned treatments, health experts advise

patients to be careful with their diet. They recommend avoiding diet rich

in toxins or those unhealthy foods. Patients should be careful with foods

containing carcinogens, aspartame, additives, mono sodium glutamate,

amalgam, fluoride, sugar, among others.

Unhealthy foods such as table or refined salt, margarine, hydrogenated

fats, chlorinated water, refined oils, junk foods, fried and smoked foods,

soft drinks, baking powder, and alcohol drinks can aggravate chronic

fatigue symptoms so they must be avoided at most times.