If you constantly, for several months, feel an unreasonable loss of strength, debilitating fatigue, which does not go away even after a long rest, you may need the help of a specialist. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has nothing to do with a natural temporary state of fatigue after strenuous physical or mental work, which disappears after a few hours of rest.
CFS is not a diagnosis that a doctor can make, but a symptom complex that is more often used in popular science literature and in non-medical audiences, sometimes as a description of an unrecognized state of constant weakness and fatigue. In fact, or in most cases, we are talking about neurosis (neurasthenia), which is accompanied by such symptoms. (See article about asthenic neurosis - neurasthenia).
The disease is provoked by the emotional and mental stress of modern megacities, whose residents are most susceptible to chronic fatigue syndrome, deteriorating ecology and lifestyle features. For the most part, the disease affects ambitious young and middle-aged people who are building a career and loading themselves with exorbitant amounts of work and bearing responsibility for its implementation. The percentage of women among those suffering from CFS is higher than that of the stronger sex.
The clinical picture of chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by its disguise as other pathologies. Only an experienced psychotherapist can differentiate this disease from the symptoms of other diseases.
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Most people can experience severe fatigue quite often. It occurs due to physical or mental fatigue, but goes away after proper rest. Work at a summer cottage, exams, emergency work - all these reasons often lead to severe fatigue, both moral and physical. But a person in this situation knows perfectly well what exactly he is tired of. But chronic fatigue syndrome differs from ordinary fatigue in that the patient is simply unable to determine the time of its occurrence, much less its cause.
The real causes of chronic fatigue syndrome are still not fully understood by medicine. Sometimes people in this condition experience various diseases that are infectious and viral in nature: Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, coxsackie viruses, etc. Here we are talking about the continuous stimulation of cells responsible for immunity by infectious antigens. and as a result - high fever, muscle pain, chills, general malaise and weakness.
Research by American scientists in this area has shown that chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with malfunctions in the limbic part of the central nervous system. It is she who is responsible for the emotional state, performance, memory and autonomic regulation of the body, i.e. for those functions that fail in chronic fatigue syndrome.
Pregnancy
While carrying a baby, the expectant mother often experiences discomfort and weakness. As a rule, dizziness and nausea appear in the morning. Moreover, usually a woman complains that she really wants to sleep. Hormones are largely to blame for this. How to increase vitality and energy for a woman?
First of all, you need to make sure whether you are really expecting a child. To do this, just buy a regular test at the pharmacy. Do not forget that neither using a condom, nor taking hormonal contraceptives, nor being over 40 - none of this guarantees that you will not get pregnant. And if you happen to be one of the expectant mothers, then you need to take a little pity on your body. How to increase vitality and energy for a woman? Get plenty of sleep, eat enough fruits and vegetables - and soon your hormonal levels will return to normal and your condition will improve.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome can develop as a result of any of the diseases that are infectious and viral in nature. After some time has passed since the onset of the disease, the patient begins to feel weak, he quickly gets tired, he is tormented by episodic headaches, and a depressive mood appears. And in the case of chronic fatigue syndrome, these symptoms bother the patient for a long time. And then the person begins to visit doctors in order to find out the cause of his condition. With disturbed sleep, he turns to a neurologist for help, with eczema - to a dermatologist, and for problems with the gastrointestinal tract - to a gastroenterologist. But visiting these doctors usually does not have a positive effect, because... the real causes of these symptoms remain unaddressed.
The main and defining symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is a persistent feeling of fatigue. Even long sleep and long rest do not help to remove it. Some patients begin to suffer from insomnia or, conversely, drowsiness. As a result of chronic fatigue syndrome, a person becomes absent-minded, inattentive, his performance decreases, and his memory deteriorates. A change in the patient’s psycho-emotional state is often observed: depression, apathy, and hypochondria develop. Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can also include temperature fluctuations that continue for a long time, sudden weight loss, photophobia, tachycardia, headaches, dizziness, painful lymph nodes, pharyngitis.
Causes
General weakness is so common that it can easily rival headaches in popularity. Its essence is simple: we do not have enough strength to perform everyday duties. From a physiological point of view, everything is fine. The body receives oxygen and nutrients that must be burned in the cells, filling them with energy. But in reality this does not always happen.
And when we get tired, we start to get nervous. A person is tormented by the question of why there is no vital energy and what to do with this condition. And after some time, apathy sets in. I don’t want anything, I don’t only have no strength, but also no desire. Periodically, such apathy attacks that my legs simply give way. My head is spinning and I have no appetite. It is very difficult to explain what is happening to you. When asked by family and friends, they usually answer: “I feel uneasy.” There can be many reasons for energy deficiency; it’s difficult to even list them all. Today we will try to consider the most common of them.
Diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome
Criteria for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome:
Large criteria
The feeling of fatigue lasts for 6 months or more. This condition periodically intensifies and improvements do not occur even after long rest or sleep. Reducing daily activity by half.
There are no somatic reasons for such fatigue (disorders in the endocrine system, infectious and chronic diseases, intoxication of the body), as well as mental disorders.
Small criteria
There is a moderately elevated temperature, not exceeding 38.5°C, and pharyngitis. The lymph nodes enlarge slightly, within two centimeters, and become painful. Severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, muscle weakness, and arthralgia appear. Physical activity is poorly tolerated, sleep and psycho-emotional state are disturbed: depressive mood, apathy appear, memory and attention deteriorate. The disease begins suddenly and progresses rapidly.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is diagnosed if a person has two major criteria and six minor ones. In the absence of the first three minor criteria or the presence of only one, the diagnosis is established if two major and eight minor criteria are noted.
During the diagnostic process, it is important to exclude chronic fatigue as a symptom of the onset of any disease, for example, oncology, infection or mental disorders. To do this, a thorough examination is carried out by various specialists - a therapist, a neurologist, an infectious disease specialist, a rheumatologist, and an endocrinologist. Blood is taken to test for various infections and HIV. They check the operation of all systems and internal organs.
If a virus attacks
Remember yourself at a time when there are no signs of illness yet, but you feel that you simply cannot lift your head from the pillow. This condition is borderline. The body does not know whether to get sick or try to protect itself from the virus. At the same time, your throat may ache a little and your joints may ache. There are different ways to restore normal well-being, but very often the most radical ones are chosen. This category includes recommendations to take a steam bath or eat ice cream. From the shock you will either recover or become completely ill.
During this period, as during recovery, there is often a lack of vital energy. What to do? Doctors recommend increasing your intake of ascorbic acid. Whether it will be able to prevent the development of infection is still a question, but it will definitely provide a surge of energy. Dose - from 0.5 to 1 gram per day for a week. Then you need to take a week's break and you can repeat the course. By the way, regular aspirin relieves such weakness. You just need to take it after meals to avoid irritation of the gastric mucosa.
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome begins with reducing mental and emotional stress. The patient must avoid those situations and responsibilities that require the highest mental stress. To cope with this task, some people may need sessions with a psychotherapist using relaxation techniques and auto-training. They are aimed at teaching the patient methods of objective and realistic assessment of their strengths and capabilities. Subsequently, psychotherapeutic sessions teach a person how to effectively relax, relieve nervous tension and combat stress.
A significant role in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome is played by a properly designed daily routine, normal rest and work patterns, wakefulness and sleep. Doctors also recommend performing certain procedures to improve your health, namely daily walks, fresh air, moderate physical activity, and contrast showers. Moreover, physical exercise is a mandatory component of treatment therapy for chronic fatigue. A set of classes is selected individually for each patient and may include gymnastics, swimming, walking, and breathing exercises.
If we talk about medications used in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, they are all mainly herbal. Licorice root, echinacea, curly dock, tenacious bedstraw - these medicinal plants strengthen a person’s immune system and increase their ability to resist stress.
It is also necessary to organize the correct diet - the diet of a patient suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome should consist of foods high in microelements and vitamins. But alcohol and caffeinated drinks should be excluded from your menu. Large amounts of sweet foods are also prohibited - they can cause an increase in blood sugar levels, which, in turn, leads to a feeling of fatigue.
Emotional stress
Difficult situations in life cannot be avoided. If you get a divorce, worry about a sick relative, or move, your body is under serious stress. Emotional overstrain is unpleasant because it leads to a period of prolonged weakness, apathy and despondency. And this, in turn, can lead to the development of psychosomatic diseases. And we never know in advance which organ will be the weakest. The joints will fail, an ulcer will form in the stomach - it doesn’t matter, but the problem will not go unnoticed. Therefore, conflicts must be resolved immediately and irrevocably. Even if this leads to new problems, they will cause a different reaction and will not hit the patient.
Prevention of chronic fatigue syndrome
The occurrence of chronic fatigue syndrome can be prevented if you properly organize your lifestyle: nutrition should be healthy and balanced, psychological and physical stress should be adequate, and the daily routine should be proportional.
In any work process it is necessary to take short breaks, i.e. They worked for an hour or two and broke off for a short rest. This is especially necessary for those who are engaged in monotonous work. And, of course, don’t forget about vacations, during which you can travel to change your surroundings and get a lot of new experiences.
Primary appointment with a neurologist: 1850 RUR.
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Rule out the disease
Everything mentioned above should be taken into account when diseases are excluded. But they primarily cause a decline in vital energy. What to do if you don't feel well? It is acceptable to deal with such symptoms on your own for approximately 10-14 days. If weakness, drowsiness and apathy do not go away, then you need to go to a therapist. The specialist should give a referral for a detailed blood test, urine test, and offer to take an x-ray of the lungs.
Based on this, further examination is already prescribed. You will need consultations with specialists - a neurologist, endocrinologist, gynecologist, hematologist (doctor for blood diseases), immunologist (deals with problems with the immune system), psychiatrist (treats depression). By the way, any drug prescribed by a doctor can cause weakness and drowsiness during use. This should be discussed with your doctor.
How to increase energy, get rid of loss of strength, fatigue using psychological methods
Find something you like
Now it has become fashionable to suggest getting rid of your unloved job. Instead, it is advisable to find an activity that you really enjoy. And then, “you will never have to go to work again.” The great Confucius said this.
This recommendation is very interesting and correct, I think. However, as usual, for every piece of advice you need a few more. Precisely in order to understand “how to complete the main one.” And then the question is: what will help us here?
Remember what you liked to do as a child.
Our childhood favorite activities don't just appear in our children's lives. Even, I would say, many doors are open, a lot is available. However, your favorite is chosen.
This is explained by the fact that initially the child has certain inclinations by nature. Such as: type of temperament, leading modality, predominant type of thinking - right-hemisphere or left-hemisphere (creativity or rationalism). That is why children choose their favorite game, unconsciously based on their natural abilities.
As an adult, even if we have gone down the path of unloved studies and work, we can always remember and revive our childhood hobbies.
Remember what you praised for in childhood
Just as in the previous paragraph, what matters is what was especially successful in childhood. The remarkable thing is that adults usually notice and talk about it. At the same time, the child himself may not attach any importance to this. And thus, already as an adult, he also continues to consider it “nothing special.”
What do you like now, what are your hobbies?
What do you like now? Why do you think you enjoy doing this? Also think about what psychological bonuses you get from this activity? Remember what you do well or even better than others?
All of the above questions come with an important caveat. Namely: answers like “lying on the couch watching a movie” are not accepted. Therefore, remember, we only need active activities. Precisely those that use your physical potential, your strong personality traits.
