Chronic Fatigue

Living with chronic fatigue can be debilitating and disheartening. Only recently has chronic fatigue been recognized as a serious problem and the perception that people with chronic fatigue are lazy is beginning to fade. There is still a long way to go, though, for sufferers and their families to truly understand the impact and treatments of chronic fatigue.

The symptoms reads like a list of side effects: sore throat, headache, aching muscles and joints, fatigue, not feeling rested after sleep, chills, dizziness, night sweats, difficulty concentrating. One of the troubles with chronic fatigue is that the symptoms are close to the symptoms of other diseases and syndromes, so diagnosing can be difficult. Accepting that you or a loved one might suffer from chronic fatigue requires that everyone keep an open mind.

Treatments For Chronic Fatigue

There is no known cause or cure for chronic fatigue, nor is there any known treatment that works for all sufferers. Common practices are prescribing pain medications and sleep aids, anti-depressants and digestive aids. While all these medicines will help relieve specific problems, none of them are catch alls that will solve all chronic fatigue issues. Taking one pill for every ailment can be daunting, expensive or even impossible, given that some medicines are likely to conflict with others.

Because of the lack of medical treatments for chronic fatigue, many sufferers find aid through less traditional means. Acupuncture, yoga and tai chi are all popular methods in which people with chronic fatigue find relief. Many people also turn to alternative medicines, adding vitamin and mineral supplements to their diet. A sleep specialist, a doctor who monitors sleep and identifies problems, can also be helpful to many with chronic fatigue.