Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called post-myeloid fibrosis, is an illness with a broad spectrum of symptoms. The most apparent symptom is extreme fatigue. CFS is sometimes also referred to as ME, for myalgic encephalomyleitis. It is more common in elderly people, and tends to occur between your late-twenties to late-forties.
The major problem with this syndrome is that there is no test that will determine at what level of fatigue someone is suffering. This can make it very difficult to treat, as the various types of treatment may not work for everyone. Some types of treatments such as acupuncture, massage therapy, hypnotherapy and cognitive therapy do work in some people, but not in others. There is, however, one type of therapy that has been proven to be effective, as well as one of the most promising new treatments for CFS, that hasn’t even gotten a lot of press: meditation.
The best way to treat chronic fatigue syndrome is to determine what kind of symptoms are causing it. People with CFS report varying degrees of pain and muscle tension, difficulty concentrating and memory problems. All of these symptoms can be caused by several different underlying issues. Many medical professionals have lumped together a variety of symptoms into two main categories: CFS symptoms that are due to trauma, such as memory loss, or symptoms that are caused by something “infectious”. The first type of CFS symptom is generally caused by trauma. This can include the body sustaining damage from something like a car wreck or a freak accident, or even just being out of sorts due to stress.
The second type of CFS symptom, post-exertional malaise (PEM), is caused by a person’s immune system attacking its own tissue. This can result in symptoms including extreme exhaustion, fever, muscle pain, stiffness and joint aches. It is often caused by a reaction to an infection, or possibly from a medication your body is taking too seriously. A few other symptoms of PEM include depression, a lack of appetite and even mental status problems, which is likely due to your body’s confusion as it battles ongoing infection.
If you’ve had CFS, you know how frustrating it can be to try to diagnose, treat and cope with this disease. It is estimated that over a million people in the United States alone suffer from multiple sclerosis. While the disease isn’t considered a life threatening disease, it is painful enough to limit a person’s daily activities and greatly impact their quality of life. Fortunately, there are several ways to help manage the symptoms of MS and prevent it from getting worse.
A recent development in the field of medicine has helped improve the number of CFS symptoms that patients report. Utilizing a computer-assisted Qigong exercise routine has helped patients overcome muscle fatigue and other issues associated with CFS. Although these tests aren’t a sure fire cure, many believe they have made it easier for doctors to diagnose and treat people who suffer from multiple sclerosis. With more research, it is possible that the number of patients diagnosed will continue to increase. As many as ten percent of those diagnosed with MS are actually showing signs of the disease before they are even given a diagnosis.