Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness which affects your nervous system and so it’s sometimes referred to as a neurological illness. It’s a complex illness and we do not know its exact cause except that it can be triggered by a viral infection, toxic exposure or traumatic events. It can occur at any age and can affect children as well as adults.
As well as chronic fatigue syndrome, some people refer to this illness as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) which means pain in the muscles and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. It’s been shown that both CFS and ME may develop slowly over time until people find they can’t operate normally. They often have to give up work or stop going to school until they find some respite from this illness.
About a quarter of those affected by CFS/ME have a mild form and are still able to attend school or work, either on a part-time or fulltime basis, while reducing their other activities. About half those with CFS/ME have a moderate to severe form of the illness and are not able to go to school or work. Another quarter of those affected will experience a severe form of the illness and they’ll need to stay at home or in bed.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
One of the main symptoms of CFS/ME is experiencing flu-like symptoms after exercising and not having enough energy for daily activities. They often experience a worsening of symptoms after any form of exertion and this response can be delayed as well.
Other symptoms of CFS/ME include:
- problems with thinking, concentrating, memory loss, vision, clumsiness, muscle twitching or tingling
- poor quality sleep
- pain or aches in the muscles, joints or head
- a drop in blood pressure, feeling dizzy or pale
- palpitations, increased heart rate or shortness of breath with exertion or on standing
- allergies or sensitivities to light, smells, touch, sound, foods, chemicals and medications
- gastrointestinal changes such as nausea, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea
- urinary problems
- sore throat, tender lymph nodes and a flu-like feeling
- marked weight change – extreme loss or gain
- inability to cope with temperature changes.
Someone with CFS/ME can experience symptoms which change and fluctuate over short periods of time, even from hour to hour.
Diagnosis and treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome
There’s no single test for CFS/ME. Often, if all other illnesses are tested for and they are all excluded and a patient still has the same symptoms for six months, the diagnosis of CFS/ME is sometimes given.
In traditional medicine, there’s no cure for CFS/ME but there are many alternative treatments which have been seen to be effective – even to the point where patients have made full recoveries.
These therapies include ozone and xenon treatments which can be carried out at The Ozone Clinic at Castle Hill in Sydney. Check our Ozone and Xenon treatments in our services tab here to learn more.
Other helpful treatments
At the same time, patients often find they often benefit from very low-impact exercise program, eating a balanced diet and some dietary supplements can be beneficial. For more information, see this study here.
You can call The Ozone Clinic Australia on 61291580555 or email us at info@ozoneclinic.com.au
