Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a complex disorder that is becoming progressively more common. Currently in the United Sates, it is estimated that approximately 1 million persons have CFS and the number is increasing rapidly.
What is it?
The features of CFS include:
1) Unexplained ongoing fatigue that is not alleviated by rest and…
2) Four or more of the following:
• Short-term memory impairment/difficulty concentrating
• Sore throat
• Tender neck/shoulder lymph nodes
• Muscle pains
• Multiple joint pains without swelling
• Headache beginning after the onset of the fatigue
• Un-refreshing sleep
• Post-exertional malaise
Other common symptoms include digestive disturbances, visual disturbance or lightheadedness.
What causes it?
CFS is a complex disorder which involves several factors occurring together in the same person. It is thought to result from a combination of genetic factors combined with one or more environmental triggers and imbalanced hormonal function. The genetic factors appear to involve:
• Differences in how cells process and utilize energy
• Alterations in immune responses to viruses and perhaps other organisms
• Imbalanced hormonal responses to the above factors
Those with genetic predispositions often do not develop any clinical disorder without the presence of environmental factors that trigger and sustain the imbalanced body responses. The likely environmental triggers in CFS may include:
• Viruses
• Heavy metal exposures
• Other environmental toxins
• Stress
A factor in both the imbalanced immune and hormonal responses to the above factors is the person’s nutritional status. Nutritional intake provides, or fails to provide, many of the factors needed for proper immune and hormonal function. Several food-related factors also can induce considerable immune and hormonal stress. The “net” nutritional influence on immune and hormonal function is the summation of the missing helpful nutrient factors and the presence of the harmful food substances.
Individualized Treatment Programs
Each patient with CFS typically has several similar causative factors as well as a unique combination of others. As would be expected, each patient needs to be comprehensively evaluated for the unique collection of causative factors. Different batteries of testing can help identify the factors involved in each person’s symptom complex allowing the development of a focused treatment program.