The Illness You Can’t Sleep Off – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The Illness You Can’t Sleep Off – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

We all get tired; most of us, at times, have felt depressed. But the enigma known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is not the ups and downs we experience in everyday life, or even the temporary persistence of such feelings in response to exceptional physical or emotional stress. The hallmark of the illness is fatigue — a fatigue that comes on suddenly and is relentless or relapsing, causing debilitating tiredness or easy fatigability in someone who has no apparent reason for feeling this way. Unlike the mind fog of a serious hangover, to which CFS has been compared, the profound weakness of CFS does not go away with a few good nights of sleep but instead, slyly steals a person’s vigor over months and years.

Psychological Aspects of CFS:

There is a great deal of controversy regarding the role of psychological factors and psychiatric diseases in causing CFS. Many of the physical symptoms of CFS — headache, muscle aches, difficulty in concentrating and sleep disorder — are also characteristic of primary mood disorders. However, other symptoms — sore throat, fever, lymph node enlargement, and joint pains — suggest an underlying physical illness. Some of the patients who suffered from CFS state that it began at points in their lives when they were under great psychological stress, suggesting that this may play a role in the illness. The majority of CFS patients describe themselves as depressed or anxious, but many say that the depression and anxiety developed after the onset of CFS and is a secondary reaction to CFS. A number of current studies are attempting to assess the importance of these factors in CFS. Fifty to 75 percent of CFS sufferers reported pre-existing inhalant or seasonal allergies. Any debilitation from CFS and its preceding infectious processes predispose you to develop new allergies. The majority of CFS sufferers are between the ages of 22 and 44, with women outnumbering men by about three to one.
The diagnosis of CFS can be detected through immunological abnormalities and clinically by history and symptoms.

In the treatment of CFS at Environmental Health & Allergy Center, we do the following: 1) prescribe antiviral medication to inhibit the growth and productivity of the virus, 2) take stress off the immune system by treating underlying sensitivities, 3) build the weakened immune system, and 4) help patients to take preventive measures to maintain good health and suppress CFS.

If you feel you may be suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, please call our office for more information or to make an appointment to see Dr. Sultan and allow him the opportunity to guide you back to good health.