Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex condition that affects adults and children. The term ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’ means pain in the muscles and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. However, there is much debate to the actual cause of it as some CFS sufferers don’t actually display any signs of inflammation.
Chronic fatigue primarily affects the:
We don’t really know what chronic fatigue and the primary symptom is overwhelming post-exertional tiredness with minimal cognitive, emotional or physical effort. Often people feel severely “jet-lagged” without primal reason. Extreme fatigue and muscle aches may occur straight away or be delayed by hours or days.
There are a range of secondary symptoms to CFS/ME. These include:
There are many types of CFS/ME and symptoms, so the treatment needs to be catered to the individual; a particular treatment for one person can be catastrophic to another.
We know that psychological stress, childhood trauma, perfectionist personalities, low physical fitness, pre-existing psychological illness and allergies may lead to the development of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. High expectation of parents and family history may also be contributing factors.
Over 4,000 research articles have found that ME/CFS is associated with problems involving:
For some people, the condition may be triggered suddenly by a viral infection, toxic exposure, anaesthetic, immunisation, gastroenteritis or severe trauma. In other people, ME/CFS may develop slowly over months or years.
Chronic fatigue can be difficult to detect as there are no biological signs or diagnostic tests to confirm its onset- diagnosis is made by excluding all other causes.
Research indicates that up to 20% of us are affected by chronic fatigue at some point in our lives. Diagnosis is most often reported by those in their 40s and 50s. It is 2-4 times more common to see chronic fatigue in women compared to men, however this also may be simply because women are more likely to report their symptoms.
Those who suffer from chronic fatigue are often extremely sensitive to normal amounts of exercise. Some people who are diagnosed are born with a predisposition to it, which can be triggered by viral infections, irregularities in their immune system and hormonal imbalances. There is emerging data that suggests a high proportion of sufferers have had Glandular fever at some point in their lives, and a tendency for ‘Type A’ personalities to get it.
Effective chronic fatigue treatments vary between individuals, so for best results it is important to us that we understand your background before treatment.
One in ten Australian adults will experience some form of chronic fatigue in their lifetime.
One in three Australian adults with severe or very severe pain have high or very high levels of psychological distress.
Chronic fatigue is mentally exhausting, no matter how mild or severe onset is. About 25% of people living with it are bed ridden and are in full time care.
There are higher levels of depression from those suffering with chronic fatigue. Often people are labelled as 'lazy' with chronic fatigue, which is simply not true.
There is no one simple solution to chronic fatigue, it is a complex condition that can be brought on by a range of external or biological factors. It is more than just 'being tired', it is an ongoing, exhausting experience.
We believe it is vital that your rehabilitation program is based on what you want to achieve. This way we can help you work towards that. When you don’t have clear goals, you won’t have a clear sense of direction. Once you set your goals, we will help you to achieve them in a manageable way.
We will teach you our program and show you how to set the numbers yourself and do them to a level you can manage. This will stop you from push yourself too hard and save you money in the longer term because you will know how to set up a program that works for you. It’s not about pushing, it’s about pacing.
We will teach you different types of relaxation techniques so that you can use whichever works best for you when you need it. They range from short 30 second techniques to the longer 20 minute techniques. Our techniques are also versatile- they can be performed at home, at work or on the tram.
We teach you the difference between a flare-up and setback and how best to manage them both. Understanding the difference between them will empower you with the skill to know when you need external help.
Research tell us that good sleep is very important for health and well-being. If you don’t sleep well, your symptoms tends to be worse the next day. So we will teach you some strategies to get a better nights sleep.
If are getting angry, frustrated, depressed and/or anxious, we will teach you a range of strategies to help you. We understand everyone is different, so we will find what will work best for you.
Having structure in your day and a sense of self-worth is vital in life. If you are at a working age, we will discuss what special considerations are required to support you with your work. We will also show you how to get back to enjoyable activities because for metal and physical well-being- it is important to have some fun!
Often a delicate topic of discussion, but an integral part of life, we will discuss what you can do to help get this back into your life. We understand that everyone is at a different stage of intimacy and we are happy to work around your needs.
By the end your program, you will have a greater understanding and a sense of control of you condition. You may even save on costly ongoing treatments. Most people find noticeable improvement in their quality of life within the first month of treatment.
People with ME/CFS find that activities they once took for granted take an enormous toll on their health. For example, a short stroll, coffee with a friend, getting their child ready for school or catching the train to work, which caused no fatigue before, is followed by unusual tiredness that takes longer than usual to go away.
Alongside the fatigue, people with CFS/ME can experience a range of symptoms from pain, headaches, dizziness, sleep issues, sensitivity to light and noise, and, food intolerances just to name a few.
It can lead to issues in your personal life, such as change of roles at home, social life and work life. It can be isolating and debilitating. For some people with ME/CFS, as time passes and their condition improves, they will find they can do more, but it is a slow and gradual process.
Beyond Pain is renowned for its unique and personalised chronic fatigue management and the ability to achieve successful outcomes within a short time period. We have a deep seeded, personal understanding of experiencing chronic fatigue and clinical expertise. We understand that chronic fatigue is not only physically exhausting to live with, it impacts people mentally, emotionally and socially. So, we address the whole you and not just the physical part… this is our strength and what makes us different!
We work with anyone suffering from chronic fatigue and we will help you with your chronic fatigue recovery. Our clients range from CEOs to factory workers, sports people, stay at home mums and dads and retirees. We see people from all walks of life.
To find out more about our chronic fatigue treatment plans, connect with us today.