Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms and Diagnosis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is characterized by exhaustion or fatigue that has lasted six months or longer and is accompanied by some varied constellation of the symptoms listed below. The persistent fatigue in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome causes a substantial reduction in activity level, and even though people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are tired and exhausted, they often cannot sleep. The fatigue can start out gradual in onset often associated with a period of severe physical or emotional stress. The other pattern is a sudden onset, sometimes associated with flu-like symptoms from which a person never fully recovers. In this case, a patient can almost always pinpoint the exact date that their illness began.

An often coexisting condition is Fibromyalgia, which is characterized by muscle pain sometimes with or without fatigue. For some people, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are the same illness. However, some people have fatigue without pain, and others have pain without fatigue.

Causes and Complications of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
There may be different causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but all lead to hypothalamic and pituitary dysfunction. The hypothalamus and pituitary are part of the brain. They are the governor of the body's hormonal systems. The hypothalamus and pituitary are weakened by long term exposure to physical or emotional stress, infections, and environmental toxins including heavy metals, mold, allergies or other problems. When this happens, all of the systems regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary may malfunction. These systems include the glands (affecting the thyroid, adrenals, and sex hormones), the autonomic system (which regulates body temperature, blood pressure, and the anti-diuretic hormone), and the sleep center.

People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome typically suffer from a combination of different problems. The pattern can include sleep dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, micronutrient deficits, and persistent infections.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
There is no one specific lab test to confirm a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Because of this and other limitations in lab testing, diagnosis is often made by a practitioner and patient after medical evaluation and lab testing have eliminated other possible causes. Experienced practitioners like Dr. Brooke, Dr. Ross and Dr. Iller can see subtle nuances in traditional blood testing that indicate Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Other disorders with similar symptoms, such as Lyme disease, Multiple Sclerosis, depression, yeast syndrome, and heavy metal toxicity should also be considered.

If you suspect you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you should start by educating yourself. Familiarize yourself with the general symptoms and develop a clear understanding of your personal medical history and profile. This is a treatable condition. Dr. Brooke, Dr. Ross and Dr. Iller tailor a specific treatment for each person. They consider prescription medicines, intravenous nutritional therapies, physical medicine modalities like saunas, diet, herbs and vitamin supplements to restore sleep, treat muscle pain, balance hormones, remove infections and toxins, and balance the body's micronutrients.