Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
Much of my approach to chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia is similar to Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum’s work; he’s the medical director of the national clinics, Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers (see his book From Fatigued to Fantastic). Dr. Teitelbaum has treated thousands of patients with CFS and FMS and has found that around 90% of people improve within 2 to 3 months with integrated treatment. I have found similar results clinically for my patients.
How does it work? In a nutshell, both Dr. Teitelbaum and I address different areas of energy production and health “weak points” to restore optimal function:
1. SLEEP – Adequate sleep is needed to heal; poor sleep also increases pain. Ways of addressing sleep issues include (but are not limited to) herbal sleep aids, evaluation of hormone status (especially thyroid and cortisol) that may be responsible for poor sleep, breathing techniques to increase relaxation, and amino acid supplementation.
2. HORMONES - Imbalanced hormones cause health problems, and make pain and fatigue worse. Evaluation of female hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) and androgens (like DHEA and testosterone) as well as thyroid hormone, adrenal hormones, and others (like insulin, growth hormone, etc.) may be needed. Optimizing hormone balance is accomplished through herbal means or bio-identical hormone replacement, detoxification, nutritional supplements, and appropriate lifestyle changes (exercise, increased dietary fiber, etc.).
3. INFECTIONS – Chronic infections are taxing on the immune system, on hormones, and deplete energy. Chronic infections can also cause pain and sleep disturbances. Infections that can become chronic include bacterial tick-born infections (Lyme, Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, etc.), parasites (Babesia, Toxoplasma, etc.), and viruses (Chlamydia, Epstein-Barr, Parvovirus B19, etc). Resolution of the infection by increasing immune power, decreasing the numbers of bugs (via prescription drugs or natural means), and decreasing inflammation are all important components of treatment.
4. NUTRITION- Nutrients are necessary to make chemical reactions happen in the body, several of which are needed for cellular energy production and respiration. Many people with CFS and FMS have nutritional deficiencies that make their symptoms worse. Lab testing for nutritional deficiency, dietary interventions and nutritional supplementation are important parts of assessment and treatment.
5. DETOXIFICATION – Heavy metals, solvents, halogens, and other toxins disrupt cellular functioning and interfere with normal metabolism and hormone production, and especially interfere with liver detoxifiction. Testing for toxins is a part of my health evaluation when indicated; typically either urine or blood is used for testing. Once a toxin overload has been identified, a treatment plan for ridding the body of the toxin (such as chelation for metals) as well as for enhancing the body’s natural processes of detoxification (such as improved liver function) can begin.
To restore energy production and recover, it is necessary to treat many different problems simultaneously, instead of just one or a few at a time! The success of this approach is directly dependent on this concept.