In modern society, it is considered the norm and even the rule of good manners to complain about being busy and constantly tired. The scientific director of the network of immunorehabilitation clinics tells how to distinguish dangerous chronic fatigue syndrome from ordinary fatigue.
Normally, a person should wake up in the morning full of energy and fall asleep not exhausted. If you constantly feel overworked, apathy, weakness, lack of inspiration – all this may well be a manifestation of such a dangerous disease as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Experience in the USA
CFS is not considered something exotic. Such patients can take sick leave and undergo treatment. And that’s the right approach. The syndrome is not so harmless and can act as a springboard for the development of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and oncology.
According to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CFS has been identified in almost a million U.S. residents. The National Health Service of Great Britain estimated the number of patients with CFS at 250 thousand people.
Who is at risk of CFS?
The situation of uncertainty, which does not affect most people, contributes to the widespread increase in anxiety and stress levels. But in general, the “core” of those who are most susceptible to the syndrome are older people aged 25 to 40 years.
For the same reason, it is now difficult to identify the linkage of the disease to professional activity. But in general, it is believed that the most susceptible to chronic fatigue syndrome are people who are engaged in business, professional sports, who remain active at night because of habit or work.
How to recognize CFS
Only a doctor can diagnose CFS. This syndrome is characterized by rather nonspecific symptoms. For example, muscle pain, sore throat, lethargy, blues and bad mood will be similar to those we experience, for example, during ARVI and other viral diseases.
Any violation of the usual sleep regime, for example, when you can’t fall asleep for a long time, waking up during the night, for the doctor will be one of the obvious symptoms of CFS. CFS is also associated with fibromyalgia – a disease that is characterized by widespread muscular-skeletal pain throughout the body, which has a chronic, long-term nature.
Untreated chronic viral infections, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus themselves can provoke chronic fatigue syndrome. Constantly exhausting the body with high loads at work or in the gym, it is possible to provoke an exacerbation of chronic viral herpes infections, which will lead to CFS. Almost everyone has these viruses in the body, under the appropriate prerequisites, they begin to multiply. Until these herpes viruses are eliminated, CFS will accompany a person permanently throughout life. Therefore, doctors begin the treatment of CFS with the treatment of a group of herpesvirus infections.
If you still want to figure out if you have symptoms of CFS, then pay attention to the duration of the symptoms. Overwork or normal fatigue disappears within 1-2 days. If one or more of the above symptoms persist for more than one month, it is likely that it is a CFS. In this case, it is worth visiting a doctor in order to prevent the development of chronic diseases. The doctor should not ignore the fact that the patient looks tired. Often chronic fatigue syndrome, as noted above, is a prerequisite for the development of autoimmune diseases and even oncology.
Treatment of CFS
The good news is that chronic fatigue syndrome is susceptible to treatment.
However, the treatment is likely to be comprehensive. A real “diagnostics” of the body will be required to identify exactly which regulatory mechanisms have been affected.
Among the main stages of treatment:
- Examination for a group of chronic viral herpes infections. Consultations with infectious disease specialists and immunologists will be required.
- Restoration of intestinal microbiota. Neuro-hormonal, immune regulation in the human body depends on the quality and composition of the microbiota.
- An important stage of treatment will be techniques aimed at relaxation – various types of massages, “dry” immersion – technologies that create a feeling of weightlessness on the ground, sensory deprivation – partial or complete cessation of external influence on one or more sensory organs to reduce the flow of nerve impulses into the central nervous system.
- Various methods of physiotherapy and adaptation medicine are also used. Among them, the most popular is intravenous ozone therapy, which improves the rheology or blood flow and generally contributes to the correction of the viral load. Hyperbaric oxygenation is another modern technology, it is designed to increase the oxygen content in the blood and other tissues of the body by saturation under increased pressure in the pressure chamber. Procedures in the pressure chamber will improve the condition of the mitochondria that produce the energy in the cells necessary to perform all the functions of the body. Oxygen deficiency will inhibit the processes of obtaining energy, metabolism in the body.
- One of the reasons for CFS is intoxication. Therefore, the treatment plan includes various types of detox, lymphatic drainage massage, as well as baths and saunas.
- It will be necessary to adjust the diet in favor of alkaline food, it is based on vegetables. It is necessary to add vegetable protein to the diet – legumes, as well as a little white meat, eggs, they are rich in lecithin, and this is essentially a building material for mitochondrial membranes. The presence of fats will be mandatory – this is an energy substance that provides maximum energy, especially when there are healthy mitochondria. But excessive carbohydrate food, red meat, and excess fruit will need to be abandoned.
Efforts will also be required from the patient himself. Moderate physical activity in the fresh air will ideally complement medical appointments. It will also be important to adjust the sleep mode.
With this integrated approach, the body can be restored completely in a period of 2 weeks.
