Naperville Integrated Wellness

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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a chronic health problem that has widespread effects on multiple systems of the body. This condition goes by other names including myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID) and post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS). The only reason I list the multiple names of this condition is to demonstrate how poorly it is understood by researchers and healthcare professionals. If you have tried to research this condition you will soon discover that there is not a great deal known about this chronic and debilitating health condition.

The purpose of this article is to give you a functional medicine perspective on this disorder and how you might benefit from this approach. If you take the various names given to this condition you will notice that several system or bodily functions are affected. These include the brain and other nerves, muscles, immune system and energy production. It is also known that CFS affects individuals differently; you may have all the common symptoms of CFS or only a few. It is for this reason that an individual approach should always be taken when treating this condition. Traditional medicine does not understand what causes CFS and treatment options are limited. The “treatment” of CFS usually employs antidepressants and pain medication. While this may provide some symptomatic relief, it does not address the underlying problems that cause it and does not offer a path to recovery.

Common Symptoms

  • Fatigue
  • Brain-fog
  • Muscle pain
  • Headaches
  • Unrefreshing sleep
  • Poor digestion / IBS
  • Sensitivity to light, sound, smells or chemicals
  • Enlarged lymph nodes

With symptoms of this nature, there are 3 major systems of the body that appear to be involved in the development of CFS. These would be the nervous, immune and endocrine systems. It makes sense that all 3 would be involved; this is because they are all “connected” to one another. This connection is called the neuro-immune-endocrine “system.” The 2002 May issue of the journal Endocrinology explains how the neuroendocrine (brain-hormones) and immune system communicate and how they work together to regulate many vital body functions. Let’s look at these 3 major systems and how they contribute to the development of CFS.

Nervous System (Brain)

Many of the symptoms of CFS point directly to poor brain function and health. Poor sleep, depression, brain fog, poor digestion and headaches just to name a few. Research has indicated the presence of altered brain function, especially in the brain stem and frontal lobes. The reason this is important is that many of the basic functions for maintaining life and health are controlled in the brainstem. It is also worth noting that many of the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) used by the entire brain are manufactured in the brainstem. This would explain why some people experience some relief with use of antidepressants.

Endocrine System (Hormones)

Women are affected by CFS much more often than men. This would lead one to believe that hormone regulation would be a contributing factor. There is evidence that abnormalities exist in what is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) in those with CFS. The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that regulates hormone levels in the body. Cortisol (from the adrenal glands) is often poorly regulated in CFS and this would contribute to poor sleep, pain, low energy, inflammation and mood disturbance.  Other hormone levels including estrogens, progesterone and testosterone are also regulated by the hypothalamus.

Immune System

There is very strong evidence that the immune system is playing a significant role, not only in the development but the chronic nature of CFS. Many different factors can lead to immune system dysregulation, including viral infections, chronic stress, toxins, food sensitivities and nutritional deficiencies. There may also be an autoimmune component to this condition that has not yet been identified by researchers. When the immune system is involved in health problems, taking a functional medicine approach can be extremely beneficial. Your immune system is extremely complex, with many different types of cells and immune chemicals that must be in balance for proper function exist. Functional medicine seeks to support this balance which is the opposite approach taken by traditional medicine, where the goal is usually immune system suppression.

Solution

It is my belief that chronic fatigue should be treated using an integrative medicine approach. This means the different systems I have just described need to be assessed and managed together. This rarely occurs in healthcare today. Instead you run around from one specialist to the next; each focusing on their area of expertise. You may be referred to a rheumatologist for the chronic joint and muscle pain; then sent off to the neurologist or psychiatrist for antidepressants. You probably won’t ever see an endocrinologist for the hormonal component and no specialty will really know what to do with the possible immune system imbalances. CFS is a multi-system disorder and requires the experience of functional medicine physicians who have a working knowledge of not only the individual systems, but how they affect each other.

If you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome or just chronic fatigue. You should consult with a physician who understands the overlapping nature of the different systems of the body; one who can assess them and restore balance one again.

If you are looking for a functional medicine doctor in Naperville, Frankfort or Geneva, please contact us today!

If you would like more information about chronic fatigue syndrome, functional medicine or Dr. Sexton go to napervilleintegratedwellness.com

Do your own research and ask questions. When collecting information, you must consider the source. There is no shortage of false, misleading, outdated, profit-driven and utterly biased information in healthcare today; even from the most respected sources, associations and institutions.

This approach is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease. Why is this? The FDA enforces is position that these words can only be used with drugs. This approach does not use drugs.

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