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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Of the many different health concerns people present with, fatigue is one of the most common.  More than feeling tired, fatigue affects your ability to function properly.  A few decades ago, the condition of ongoing extremely debilitating fatigue became known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

A syndrome is a combination of symptoms which are common to groups of people experiencing similar conditions.   A syndrome often involves more than one system in the body. CFS can result in people feeling totally debilitated for several weeks or months, while others ‘just’ feel tired.  The problem is that this fatigue can continue for many years.

Pain is often an accompanying factor in CFS.  Pain can take the form of muscular discomfort following exertion to chronic pain in various parts of the body.  Other associated conditions include headaches, depression, nausea, frequent recurrent infections and weight gain.  Another syndrome which can manifest very similar to CFS, is Fibromyalgia.

So what’s the cause?

The physical condition of CFS is often triggered by a viral infection.  In many cases, it involves a combination of viruses even though the symptoms of one virus may be dominant.  The viruses most often involved are: 

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV),
  • any one or more of the Herpes viruses (HSV 1 & 2 or varicella zoster),
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV),
  • Ross River virus (RRV),
  • Q-Fever and
  • Lyme Disease

Illnesses may be ‘flu-like, upper respiratory tract or glandular fever. 

Toxin exposure may also trigger CFS.  Toxins may include:

  • herbicides,
  • pesticides,
  • chemicals (this includes artificial additives to foods and beverages and skin care products as well as occupational exposure),
  • heavy metals
  • environmental pollutants

This exposure may be sudden and concentrated or the result of long-term low-level exposure.

Stress and trauma, including: 

However, there may be a combination of factors, including lowered immunity, gut dysbiosis and poor nutritional status often associated with food allergies predisposing to any of the above.

Treatments

Medicine acknowledges that there is “no universally successful treatment or cure for ME/CFS. At this stage, the major focus is on managing the illness” (http://www.mecfs.org.au/treatment-and-management). 

However, natural therapies have been successfully supporting CFS for decades.  With the introduction of Frequency Therapy into the clinic, this treatment has become more effective due to identification of underlying causes.   As mentioned above, these causes often involve microbes – viruses and bacteria, but also fungus/moulds and parasites, toxins and organ stress.

As CFS can affect all organ systems – cardiovascular, nervous, hormone, musculoskeletsl, immune and digestive – all these areas must be addressed and returned to optimal function. 

In short:  it CAN be achieved – with BRT and a qualified Naturopath.  Call 07 5530 1863 and take the first step to feeling fabulous!