Tuesday 23 June 2009

CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and FM (Fibromyalgia) cure

It pains me whenever I hear that someone has chronic fatigue syndrome (more often called ME or myalgic encephalitis in the UK) or fibromyalgia, and has been told that there is no cure. Sure, these are very complex conditions to treat, and that seems to be a major part of the problem.

Mainstream medicine focuses on identifying specific organs as the source of a patient's symptoms. It has extreme difficulty in recognising or treating ailments caused by a malfunctioning in fundamental processes which cannot be ascribed to one single organ or hormonal problem. As a result, those suffering from CFS or ME and fibromyalgia often end up visiting a string of specialists and undergoing various treatments, without any real, longlasting benefit. All too often, they are fobbed off with 'there's nothing more we can do'.

Yet there's plenty of evidence that the problems underlying CFS, ME and fibromyalgia are becoming better understood, and most importantly, treatable. Thyroid and adrenal dysfunction seem to be common facets of these conditions, and readers of my blog will know that it is my belief (and that of many others) that thyroid and adrenal problems are themselves poorly understood and diagnosed.

One of the best sources of information on the latest understanding of CFS, ME and fibromyalgia, the link with thyroid and adrenal dysfunction and how to treat these conditions is the website of Kent Holtorf MD at http://www.hormoneandlongevitycenter.com/cfidsfibromyalgia#1b. This is must-read information for sufferers of CFS, ME and fibromyalgia and their doctors.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for your cogent thoughts on fibromyalgia; this is an important and often misunderstood affliction that needs more attention.

The organization I work for, the Pacific Northwest Foundation, is devoted to researching alternative modes of healing for a variety of illnesses, including fibromyalgia. I wanted to share with you a video presentation of a case study about an adult female who had been disabled for eight years with diagnosed fibromyalgia. Within four months of treatment, she was able to backpack, regularly work a full day and have little or no pain. While this was not a study undertaken by the Foundation, it was a case with which we have had access to in virtually every detail. The link to the presentation is http://pnf.org/html/fibromyalgia.html.

I'd like to thank you so much for your contribution to the subject of fibromyalgia, and hope you will find the case study above helpful in your continued exploration into the subject.

Unknown said...

Hi
I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome about 8 years ago and with severe adrenal insufficiency or fatigue about 2 years ago. To help me keep on track with what I needed to do to take care of myself I put together an Adrenal Care Daily Checklist & Diary. You can download this diary for free from http://www.chiyolife.com.au/articles.html
I hope this helps make your life and the condition a little more manageable.
Cheers
Rosanna Commisso
ChiYo Life Founder & Instructor