Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms Diagnosis

Chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia and immune dysfunction syndrome (abbreviated CFIDS or CFS) is a symptom complex associated with severe fatigue. The persistent fatigue causes a substantial reduction in activity level. Even though people with CFIDS are tired and exhausted, they often cannot sleep.

The fatigue has one of two starting patterns. The first is 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.

Other common symptoms include:

Another similar condition, Fibromyalgia is characterized by muscle pain sometimes with or without fatigue. The painful muscles can be all over the body, or may be painful only at specific spots in the body. These painful areas can remain consistent or be transient. For most people, Fibromyalgia and CFS are the same illness. However, some people have fatigue without pain, and others have pain without fatigue.

What Causes CFS and Fibromyalgia

There may be different causes of CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and Fibromyalgia 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 and 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 CFS/FM typically suffer from a combination of different problems. The pattern can include sleep dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, micronutrient deficits, and persistent infections.

Diagnosis & Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

There is no one specific lab test to confirm that you have CFS. 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. Nelson and Dr. Ross can see subtle nuances in traditional blood testing that indicate CFS/FM. Other disorders with similar symptoms, such as Lyme Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, depression, inflammatory arthritis, yeast syndrome, and heavy metal toxicity should also be considered.

If you suspect you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, you should start by educating yourself. Familiarize yourself with the general symptoms and develop a clear understanding of your personal medical history and profile. You can read a book on the subject, such as Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's From Fatigued to Fantastic!

This is a treatable condition. Dr. Nelson and Dr. Ross 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, to treat muscle pain, to balance hormones, to remove infections, and to balance the body's micronutrients.