Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia similar

Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia similar
By JACQUE ARNOLD • For the Tribune • October 5, 2009

A formal definition was done by the Center for Disease Control in 1988 for chronic fatigue syndrome in an attempt to establish guidelines for evaluation by physicians. However, the criteria were controversial for several reasons: one being they left out most of the psychological symptoms.

Depression, anxiety and impaired mental function are in the top 10 symptoms given by 50 percent or more of chronic fatigue patients. Also, many of the common symptoms like allergies, PMS, stiffness, dry eyes and mouth, cough and dizziness were ignored.

The CDC's major new criterion is onset of fatigue causing a 50 percent reduction in activity for at least six months and the exclusion of other illnesses that can cause fatigue. Minor criteria are related to the presence of eight out of 11 symptoms or six out of the 11 and two out of the three signs. The signs are listed as low-grade fever, sore throat and enlarged painful lymph nodes.

The Epstein-Barr virus has been suggested as a possible cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. Research shows that by adulthood, almost everyone has measureable Epstein-Barr antibodies in their blood, indicating past infection. Like many viruses, Eptstein-Barr virus can lay dormant until the immune system becomes compromised allowing the virus to reactivate. Research has added eight more viral agents to the list of possible causes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fibromyalgia receives much less attention in the research. The only difference in diagnostic criteria between chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia is the requirement for musculoskeletal pain in fibromyalgia and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome. In fact in one research group they found that 70 percent of the patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia met the CDC's criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome.

A diagnosis of fibromyalgia requires that presence of the three major criteria which are generalized aches and stiffness of at least three different sites on the body for at least three months, six or more consistently tender points on the body and the exclusion of other disorders which can cause similar symptoms.

There are many underlying health problems such as low thyroid which you know can cause fatigue but it can also cause variable muscle aches and pains. Other health issues include an increase in gastrointestinal permeability (leaky gut) and impaired liver function because of exposures to chemicals, heavy metals like mercury and aluminum, pesticides and herbicides.

New research suggests that the ability of the body to adequately transform toxic metabolites formed from both internal metabolism and external xenobiotic exposure may be related casually to the puzzling diseases chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. This research also suggests that there is a relationship between impaired detoxification pathways and the symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. A sluggish, unbalanced or impaired detoxification system can result in the accumulation and deposition of metabolic toxins in the body, causing increased free radical products and decrease energy production.

Liver detoxification has two pathways — phases I and II. Phase I is increased by alcohol, smoking and certain medications which in turn taxes phase II. Antidepressants such as Prozac, oral birth control pills and H2 blockers used in acid reflux, decrease phase II which prevents adequate breakdown and elimination of other toxins, causing them to accumulate.

The naturopathic treatment approach involves multiple therapies which address the individual specific clinical picture. Detoxification is commonly part of a naturopathic treatment plan. Above, I mentioned the livers detox pathways and how they can be affected. You can make yourself very ill doing an unsupervised detox program, so I highly recommend you see one of the four fabulous naturopaths in our community. They can devise a safe detox program just for you.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20091005/SPECIALSECTION08/909300345