It wasn’t until the late 1980s that chronic fatigue was even recognized by federal health officials. Before that acknowledgment, sufferers were often told the debilitating exhaustion and brain fog was all in their head.
Obviously, nothing could be further from the truth. Unfortunately, however, mainstream practitioners typically offer little more than antidepressants and sleeping pills as a remedy. At the Magaziner Center, we treat patients with an entirely different approach. One that recognizes the wide range of triggers associated with CFS, as well as the fact that each individual has a unique biochemistry requiring a customized treatment plan.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a disabling illness characterized by prolonged and severe tiredness that lasts for more than six months, restricts activity, is not relieved by rest and is not directly related to other known conditions. What are the symptoms? Extreme exhaustion may be the main complaint of people suffering from CFS, but it is by no means the only one. Other symptoms include:
- Forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating or confusion
- Simple activities such as shopping or showering becoming extremely difficult or even impossible to accomplish
- Headaches that are different from previous ones in quality, severity or pattern
- Joint pain, often moving from joint to joint, without accompanying swelling or redness
- Lymph node tenderness in the neck or armpit
- Flu-like symptoms, mild fever, muscle aches, weakness, sore throat
What causes CFS?
While it is not known exactly what causes CFS, it is believed to be linked to several factors, including:
Viral infections, specifically Epstein-Barr, human herpes virus 6, Parvovirus and mouse leukemia viruses. While no direct link has yet been found, many people develop CFS after a viral infection, leading researchers to wonder if the two conditions are related.
Immune disorders. CFS sufferers tend to have weakened immune systems; however, no conclusive link has been found.
Hormonal disorders. CFS patients are often found to have abnormal hormone levels, although the reason why is not yet known.
How they treat it
Conventional medicine offers no known cure for CFS, and therefore treats each symptom with medication, very commonly using antidepressants and sleeping pills.
How we treat it
At the Magaziner Center we start with an extremely thorough set of tests to determine exactly what is going on in the body that may have been the trigger for CFS. We test for such causes as food allergy and intolerance, nutritional deficiencies, cellular imbalance and heavy metal toxicity. We are then able to treat patients using methods such as nutritional supplementation, intravenous therapies and sublingual allergy desensitization. In addition to sensitivities to food, molds, pollen or chemicals may also play a significant role. We place great emphasis on chronic infections, including Lyme disease and ailments caused by other tick-borne organisms, as well as thyroid and adrenal function. We have also found that immune dysfunction and heightened inflammation can contribute to CFS.