Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a severe mental and physical fatigue, which since 1988 has been diagnosed as an independent disease with its own unique treatment regimen.
- Reasons for development
- Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
- Diagnostics
- Treatment Options
Medication
- Vitamin therapy
- Folk remedies
- Physiotherapy
What is chronic fatigue
What is chronic fatigue? And how is it different from just fatigue, which most of us felt after a day filled with stressful activities? The difference is elementary, ordinary fatigue is transitory, we rested, slept and this feeling left us. But with chronic fatigue syndrome, it does not go away; a person constantly, literally for months, feels weak, tired, overwhelmed, unable to work...
A healthy person is generally active during physical and mental activity. But with excessive abuse of this activity, with insufficient rest, prolonged stress, unfavorable and even harmful working conditions, we lose activity and the ability to work fully. In this case, a failure occurs in the human body in the vegetative system and in the body’s immune system.
Until 1988, CFS was not considered an independent disease, but now it is becoming more and more common every year.
Symptoms of fatigue and overwork. How do you understand that your body needs urgent help?
Nothing happens for nothing in this world. And if you notice that something is not going according to the script, then there are probably reasons for this. One of them, perhaps the most common in modern life with its hectic rhythm, when you need to manage everything and everywhere, is an increased load on the nervous system. At first, our brain defends itself - the Stop command is triggered, and if we speak in the language of physiology, inhibition reactions are activated. It’s easy to understand – just analyze your well-being. Symptoms of overwork:
- weakness, fatigue;
- forgetfulness - even the most important information that you tried so hard to remember slips out of your head;
- inability to concentrate on intellectual work;
- difficulties in decision making;
- drowsiness during the day and insomnia at night, frequent awakenings at night.
And the result is a reluctance to work. It becomes more and more difficult to force yourself to do anything. If we ignore these “first signs” and are in no hurry to help our tired body, then more alarming signs appear:
- headache, especially towards the end of the day - the head feels as if it is being squeezed by a heavy helmet;
- dizziness - it feels like everything is spinning in your head;
- little things (extraneous noise, conversation, rapid movement of people) begin to irritate, causing negativity.
This condition is the result of the fact that the brain itself tries to create conditions under which it becomes impossible to work. If you have the opportunity to stop and give a little break, that’s very good. But even if this is not possible, the situation can still be improved.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
Over a long period of time, this failure does not disappear, but intensifies. Along with fatigue and absent-mindedness, constant migratory muscle and joint pain and cramps, migraines, insomnia or, conversely, constant drowsiness and memory problems appear. In advanced cases, the lymph nodes may even become enlarged and pain in the throat, chest, abdomen, and allergic reactions may occur. Increased heart rate, sweating, trembling of limbs, and sexual problems appear.
But these signs can also be the cause of other diseases. Only after a complete examination can life-threatening diseases with characteristic signs of fatigue be excluded and the syndrome can be eliminated.
How to distinguish normal fatigue from chronic fatigue
It is generally accepted that the following signs may be suspected of CFS:
- Fatigue lasts more than six months.
- Does not disappear even after a full long rest.
- There is no way to live an ordinary life with a measured daily routine.
The name of the disease “ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” comes from the main symptom – chronic, that is, constant and prolonged fatigue.
CFS is characterized by persistent memory loss and absent-minded attention, poor inadequate sleep, and complete loss of strength after light exertion. People suffering from this syndrome often suffer from colds and are permanently unwell, sometimes even finding it difficult to determine what exactly and where they are hurting. They are characterized by high weather dependence.
What foods will help stop loss of strength?
Products that should be on your table every day will help you cope with loss of strength:
- lean meat (veal, chicken, rabbit);
- fish, shellfish;
- nuts;
- honey;
- seaweed;
- kefir;
- ginger root.
If you want something sweet, you can eat some dark chocolate or dried fruits.
Remember that before going to bed it is useful to drink warm kefir, adding a little hot water and 1 teaspoon of honey. After 2 weeks, fatigue will pass, and sleep will become serene, like a child’s.
To ensure that your body receives useful vitamins, prepare the following remedy:
- Finely chop the onion to make one glass;
- Mix it with a glass of honey;
- Place in a dark place and leave for 4 days.
- Place the finished mixture in the refrigerator, take 1 teaspoon before meals.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue are the same for women and men. But the causes of pathology in women and men may be different. For example, in women, CFS is more associated with burnout at the emotional level. In men - with a decrease in sex hormones.
If fatigue is observed for these reasons, then how to deal with it? For prevention, women should take a course of strengthening B vitamins. Men should take complexes with a high content of vitamin C.
Factors contributing to the appearance of chronic fatigue syndrome, causes
The appearance of this not harmless disease can also be caused by all kinds of viral infections, shock and stressful life situations, and all kinds of poisoning of the body.
Even frequent “harmless”, as many believe, human herpes, disorders of the immune system, and hormonal imbalances in the body can contribute to the development of this disease.
When examining a person, as a rule, deviations in the functioning of the immune system and the production of hormone levels, and changes in the brain on MRI are confirmed. Patients often exhibit abnormal levels of leukocytes.
The diagnosis of chronic fatigue is determined by excluding:
- Disorders and malfunctions of the body's immune system.
- Various sclerosis.
- Endocrine diseases.
- Heart, kidney diseases, liver diseases, tuberculosis.
- Various types of depression.
- Tumors, malignant and benign.
- Insomnia.
The causes of constant fatigue are well determined by the results of a sleep study.
Diagnosis of CFS, code according to ICD 10
The diagnosis of CFS is established after excluding other causes as a result of examination and the duration of the disease is more than six months; This syndrome is characterized by rapid and persistent fatigue. Science continues ongoing research to determine the risk factors for this disease and its causes.
Chronic fatigue syndrome must be differentiated from pathologies of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), diabetes mellitus, anemia, the effects of radiation, chemotherapy, and signs of classic depression, where fatigue will also appear at the top of the list of complaints.
Chronic fatigue syndrome according to ICD 10 - code d86.9.
Causes of overwork
- Fatigue may be associated with taking certain medications, such as cold, cough and motion sickness medications, antihistamines and allergy medications, sleeping pills, muscle relaxants, contraceptives and antihypertensives,
- diseases that make breathing difficult, such as chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema,
- heart failure, in which the heart contracts weakly and does not perform its function fully,
- depression and anxiety: bad mood, gloomy forebodings,
- sleep and eating disorders
Fatigue often occurs a month after a viral infection, and can also be an early symptom of some serious diseases (hepatitis, cancer, diabetes, anemia, heart disease, hypoglycemia, obesity, hypothyroidism, mononucleosis, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, alcoholism, sleep disorders).
Chronic fatigue syndrome - treatment
Nowadays, chronic fatigue syndrome is treated comprehensively. In parallel with this disease, people may develop depressive and mental disorders. But they are treatable if the treatment complex includes psychotherapy in combination with minimal physical activity, healthy eating, sleep management techniques, the use of sedatives and painkillers, and antidepressants.
Physiotherapy specialists develop individual sets of exercises for each patient and use them using gentle methods. The psychologist gives useful recommendations for changing the habits and lifestyle of a sick person.
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome at home - the simplest folk remedies for CFS
- Making drinks with honey and apple cider vinegar.
- Tea with ginger.
- Infusion of St. John's wort or elecampane in courses of two weeks.
- Cinnamon tincture.
- A mixture of walnuts, lemon, aloe.
- Mix nuts, honey, lemon, dried apricots, raisins.
- Exotic lovers will love the tonic and uplifting blue tea from Thailand.
Relaxing salt baths and water treatments, from a simple visit to the pool to a Charcot shower, are very useful.
Aroma baths with essential oils of lemon and other citrus fruits, mint, jasmine relieve fatigue; you can also use an aroma lamp.
Nutrition for chronic fatigue syndrome
In order not to experience constant bouts of fatigue, it is necessary to structure your diet in such a way that complex carbohydrates predominate in it instead of simple ones, since complex carbohydrates, slowly breaking down in the body, provide it with a constant and uniform supply of glucose, which, in turn, prevents sudden “jumps” of energy throughout the day and relieves a person of fatigue. Simple carbohydrates quickly immediately provide a large amount of energy, which just as quickly “burns out” in the body, causing a sharp decline in strength.
Complex carbohydrates can be found in cereals, legumes, unsweetened muesli, whole grain bread, and pasta made from durum flour.
But it is better to avoid sugar, sweet soda, sweets, flour products, chips, crackers, chocolate bars, because they contain a lot of simple carbohydrates.
Prevention of overwork
- exercise regularly, it improves the functioning of the heart, lungs and trains muscles
- start a hobby so you don’t get bored in your free time,
- meet friends, go to exhibitions, to the theater,
- identify what bothers you and solve your problems little by little,
- learn to relax and cope with stress, breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, massage or meditation can help you,
- try not to use sleeping pills because... they have many negative effects and can be addictive,
- give up alcohol and cigarettes.
Prevention of chronic fatigue syndrome
- How to cope and successfully fight chronic fatigue syndrome?
- First, it is advisable to exclude the diseases mentioned above with the same long-term fatigue, check the level of glucose, hemoglobin (iron) in the blood, donate blood for thyroid hormones.
- In order to protect yourself as much as possible from such an illness, you should try not to expose your body to stress and overload.
- Learn to rest and relax in a timely manner. To do this, you may need meditation, yoga, massage, breathing practices.
- Train yourself to get enough sleep, control your activity - work harder and more intensely in the morning, in the evening - after 20 o'clock, try not to do things that require stress, do not confuse day with night, try to go to bed before midnight (or better at 22, 22-30) and so on Further.
- Many workaholics find it good to delegate at least part of their authority to subordinates.
- It is very advisable to give up bad habits of smoking, alcohol, energy drinks and large doses of coffee.
- Instead of scandalous programs on TV, you should prefer a good book, a walk or calm music in the evening.
- It’s good to change your surroundings on weekends - go to the country house, to the forest, to the river, even just to the nearest park, you can rearrange the furniture in the house, buy new clothes. Actually, the main thing is to push yourself to at least make some kind of change.
Recovery will not come immediately, but you should work persistently in the right direction. Some patients recover within a year, while others never feel as good as they did before. Despite the fact that the incidence of CFS is constantly increasing, science confirms the chance to completely say goodbye to the disease of the century with the help of complex therapy.
At the first signs of a persistent health disorder, you should consult a doctor, undergo examinations and begin comprehensive treatment.
Overwork and stress. Who is at risk?
It is quite obvious that those at risk are workaholics, that is, energetic, purposeful and responsible people for whom work and its results, business and career are important. Therefore, the elite and the valuable talent pool are especially susceptible to overwork.
However, we often forget that students and school graduates, as well as schoolchildren who take transfer exams and write annual tests, are also at risk. Despite the fact that stress and overwork are not a constant situation for them, they also need support that will help mobilize all the body’s reserves to successfully pass the final knowledge test.
The initial situation is further aggravated by the lack of time to recover or switch. Thus, a person replaces regular exercise with prolonged sitting at the computer. In addition, improper daily nutrition also contributes, including snacks with “empty calories”, which do not contain any useful substances necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous, immune, respiratory, cardiovascular and other systems.
Gender is also important. Research has shown that the weaker sex is not like that at all. It turns out that thanks to estrogens, women are able to cope with mental and physical stress more effectively than men. Women can work longer and more productively, even in conditions of insufficient sleep and rest. But they still need help.
The main thing is not to abuse natural protection, but regularly take care of your body, creating conditions for it in which its performance can be pumped to the maximum, and the consequences of this intensive activity can be minimized. And this rule is true for both men and women. It is important for both of them to learn to recognize the signals that our intelligent body sends (it’s not for nothing that we are Homo Sapiens) when it begins to move towards exhaustion of its capabilities.
